Lexical Summary Yizreel: Jezreel Original Word: יִזְרְעֵאל Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Jezreel From zara' and 'el; God will sow; Jizreel, the name of two places in Palestine and of two Israelites -- Jezreel. see HEBREW zara' see HEBREW 'el NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom zara and el Definition "God sows," two Isr., also two cities in Isr., also a valley in N. Isr. NASB Translation Jezreel (36). Brown-Driver-Briggs יִזְרְעֶאל 1. proper name, of a location (God soweth; Sabean אלדֿרא MordtZMG 1879, 489; see LagBN 131) — ׳י Joshua 15:56; 2 Samuel 2:9 +; יִזְרְעֶ֑אל 1 Samuel 25:43; Joshua 17:16 +; יִזְרְעֶ֫אלָה Joshua 19:18 6t.: a. city in the Negeb of Judah Joshua 15:56; 1 Samuel 25:43 (home of Ahinoam, one of David's wives), site unknown; compare proper name, masculine 1 Chronicles 4:3. b. city in Issachar Joshua 19:18 on northwest spur of Mt. Gilboa 2 Samuel 4:4 (compare 1 Samuel 31:1,8) 1 Kings 4:12 (compare 1 Samuel 31:10,12), modern Zer`în (RobBR ii. 318 ff. BdPal 244), close to scene of great battle with Philistines 1 Samuel 29:1 (׳בְּעַיִן אשׁר בְיִז, compare RobBR ii. 323) 1 Samuel 29:11; subject to Ishbosheth 2 Samuel 2:9 (yet see below), residence of Ahab and Jehoram of Israel 1 Kings 18:45,46; 1 Kings 21:1 (Naboth) 2 Kings 8:29 (twice in verse) = 2Chronicles 22:6 (twice in verse), 2 Kings 9:15 (twice in verse); 2 Kings 9:16,17,30; 2 Kings 10:11 compare דְּמֵי ׳יִז Hosea 1:4, and symbolical name of Hosea's son Hosea 1:4 (compare Che); — in 2 Kings 10:1 for ׳שָׂרֵי יִז read שָׂרֵי שֹׁמְרוֺן so ᵐ5. Used by Hosea as representing Israel, with play on etymology, Hosea 2:24 (compare וּזְרַעְתִּיהָ לִּי בָּאָרֶץ Hosea 2:25), compare also ׳גָּדוֺל יוֺם יִז Hosea 1:2. Territory immediately about the city is ׳חֵלֶק יִז 2 Kings 9:10,36,37; compare ׳חֵל יִז 1 Kings 21:23 (read probably חלק, see Th Klo after ᵑ6 ᵑ9; the adjacent plain is ׳עֵמֶק יִז (compare Di Joshua 17:16 BdPal 229) Joshua 17:16; Judges 6:33; Hosea 1:5 (perhaps also = ׳יִז 2 Samuel 2:9 above, "" Gilead, Ephraim, Benjamin, etc.) 2. proper name, masculine a. Hosea's son Hosea 1:4, compare 1b above b. Judahite name 1 Chronicles 4:3, compare 1a above Topical Lexicon Geographical Setting and Scope Jezreel designates both a city and the broad fertile plain stretching roughly from Mount Carmel and the Kishon River in the west to Mount Gilboa in the east. The plain forms the northern corridor between Galilee and Samaria and serves as a strategic military route and breadbasket of Israel (Judges 6:33). A smaller village of the same name lay in the hill-country of Judah (Joshua 15:56), but the dominant biblical focus is the northern site and its surrounding valley. Early Allocation to the Tribes • Issachar: “Their territory included Jezreel, Kesulloth, Shunem…” (Joshua 19:18). The dual listing testifies to Israel’s tendency to reuse meaningful names and hints at the theological theme of ‘sowing’—God plants His people in different parts of the land. Period of the Judges The valley first gains narrative prominence when the Midianite coalition settles there before Gideon’s deliverance: “All the Midianites…camped in the Valley of Jezreel” (Judges 6:33). The scene underscores the valley as an arena where God demonstrates His power despite Israel’s weakness (Judges 7). Royal Residence and National Stage The northern city became a royal retreat for the kings of Israel after Omri moved the capital to Samaria. Key events cluster here: 1. Elijah outruns Ahab to Jezreel following the Carmel confrontation (1 Kings 18:45-46). These accounts turn the city into a symbol of covenant accountability: the place where sowing in wickedness reaps harvests of judgment. Personal Connections • Ahinoam “of Jezreel” becomes David’s wife (1 Samuel 25:43; 2 Samuel 3:2). The name thus attaches to both humble faithfulness and royal corruption, illustrating the impartiality of divine standards. Prophetic Significance in Hosea Hosea is commanded, “Name him Jezreel, for in a little while I will avenge the bloodshed of Jezreel on the house of Jehu” (Hosea 1:4). The name recurs twice more (Hosea 1:5, 11), presenting a triple layer of meaning: 1. Retribution—punishing Jehu’s excesses. The prophet turns the geographic term into a theological cipher for both scattering and regathering, judgment and grace. Typological and Theological Themes Sowing and Reaping: The root zrʿ (“to sow”) in the name Jezreel anchors the consistent biblical principle that God repays according to deeds—seen vividly in Ahab, Jezebel, and Jehu. Covenant Fidelity: Naboth’s death and Jehu’s purge reveal God’s jealous guardianship of land inheritance and royal responsibility. Eschatological Hope: Hosea’s “great day of Jezreel” foreshadows the ultimate re-sowing of Israel under one head, a preview of Messianic reunion (cf. Romans 9:25-26). Occurrences Summary Approximately thirty-six Old Testament appearances divide as follows: The concentration in Kings emphasizes Jezreel’s role in the downfall of the northern monarchy. Lessons for Faith and Ministry 1. Leadership Accountability: Ahab and Jehu demonstrate that even divinely authorized rulers answer to a higher King. Awaiting Final Fulfillment Because the valley lies adjacent to Megiddo, many students connect Jezreel with the future campaign of Armageddon (Revelation 16:16). Whether or not that specific geography is intended, the biblical record of Jezreel guarantees that the God who once repaid the blood of Jezreel will ultimately vindicate His name and people on a still-greater day of sowing and harvest. Forms and Transliterations בְּיִזְרְעֶ֑אל בְּיִזְרְעֶ֔אל בְּיִזְרְעֶ֖אל בְּיִזְרְעֶ֗אל בְּיִזְרְעֶֽאל׃ בְיִזְרְעֶ֗אל בִיְזְרְעֶ֗אל ביזרעאל ביזרעאל׃ וְיִזְרְעֶ֥אל ויזרעאל יִזְרְעֶ֑אל יִזְרְעֶ֑אלָה יִזְרְעֶ֔אל יִזְרְעֶ֔אלָה יִזְרְעֶ֖אל יִזְרְעֶ֥אל יִזְרְעֶ֥אלָה יִזְרְעֶֽאלָה׃ יִזְרְעֶֽאל׃ יִזְרְעֶאל֙ יזרעאל יזרעאל׃ יזרעאלה יזרעאלה׃ לְיִזְרְעֶ֗אל ליזרעאל מִֽיִּזְרְעֶ֑אל מִֽיִּזְרְעֶ֗אל מיזרעאל bə·yiz·rə·‘el ḇə·yiz·rə·‘el bəyizrə‘el ḇəyizrə‘el beyizreEl ḇiy·zə·rə·‘el ḇiyzərə‘el lə·yiz·rə·‘el ləyizrə‘el leyizreEl mî·yiz·rə·‘el mîyizrə‘el miyizreEl veyizreEl viyzereEl wə·yiz·rə·‘el wəyizrə‘el yiz·rə·‘e·lāh yiz·rə·‘el yizrə‘el yizrə‘elāh yizreEl yizreElahLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Joshua 15:56 HEB: וְיִזְרְעֶ֥אל וְיָקְדְעָ֖ם וְזָנֽוֹחַ׃ NAS: and Jezreel and Jokdeam and Zanoah, KJV: And Jezreel, and Jokdeam, and Zanoah, INT: and Jezreel and Jokdeam and Zanoah Joshua 17:16 Joshua 19:18 Judges 6:33 1 Samuel 25:43 1 Samuel 29:1 1 Samuel 29:11 2 Samuel 2:9 2 Samuel 4:4 1 Kings 4:12 1 Kings 18:45 1 Kings 18:46 1 Kings 21:1 1 Kings 21:23 2 Kings 8:29 2 Kings 8:29 2 Kings 9:10 2 Kings 9:15 2 Kings 9:15 2 Kings 9:16 2 Kings 9:17 2 Kings 9:30 2 Kings 9:36 2 Kings 9:37 2 Kings 10:1 36 Occurrences |
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