Kidron Valley

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For other uses, see Kidron.

The Old City of Jerusalem, as seen from across the Kidron Valley.

The Kidron Valley (Hebrew: נחל קדרון‎, Naḥal Qidron; also Qidron Valley; Arabic: وادي الجز‎, Wadi al-Joz) is valley near Jerusalem which features significantly in the Bible. An ephemeral stream flows through it with occasional flash floods in the rainy winter months.

The Kidron Valley runs along the eastern wall of Jerusalem, separating the Temple Mount from the Mount of Olives. It then continues east through the Judean Desert, towards the Dead Sea. The settlement Kedar, located on a ridge above the valley, is named after it. The neighbourhood of Wadi Al-Joz bears the valley's Arabic name.

The Valley is the site of many Jewish tombs, including the Pillar of Absalom, the Tomb of Bene Hezir, and the Tomb of Zechariah. At one time, the water of the Gihon Spring flowed through the valley, but it was diverted by Hezekiah's tunnel to supply water to Jerusalem.

[edit] Kidron Valley in eschatology

The Bible calls the valley "Valley of Jehoshaphat - Emek Yehoshafat" (Hebrew: עמק יהושפט‎), meaning "The valley where God will judge." It appears in Jewish Eschatologic prophecies, which include the return of Elijah, followed by the arrival of the Messiah, and also the war of Gog and Magog and Judgment day. According to the prophecies, in the war of Gog and Magog, the two major coalitions of gentile nations will join forces against the Jewish state in Israel. Israel will be overwhelmed and conquered, and the last stronghold will be Jerusalem, which will also be conquered by the gentiles. After the gentiles finally succeed and destroy Israel, God will commence Judgement. God will save Israel and battle "with diseases, rain, fire and stones" against all the gentile nations that set to destroy Israel, and will fill the Land of Israel with their bodies which will take the Jews 7 months to bury all. In the prophecies, it says he will bring the descendants of Ishmael down to Emek-Yehoshafat (Kidron vally), and then he will judge all of the gentiles for all of the wrong they have done against Israel since the beginning of time, and only the gentiles that helped Israel will be spared.

[edit] Other scriptural significance

According to the Tanakh King David fled through the valley during the rebellion of Absalom. According to the New Testament Jesus crossed the valley many times travelling between Jerusalem and Bethany.