[ARMAGEDDON]. The river lillhon—` that ancient river,' so fatal to Sisera—drains it, flowing off to the Mediterranean through the plain of Acre [Ktstion From the base of this triangle three branches stretch out eastward, separated by the parallel ridges of Gilboa and Morel). The central branch is the valley of Jezreel,' already mentioned, which descends in green slopes to thc Jordan, having Jezreel and Shunem on either side at the western end, and Bethshan in the centre, near the eastern.
The soil of Esdraelon is of surpassing; richness, as is now shown by the luxuriant grass and gigantic thistles. It was the frontier of Zebulun ; and well might Mc>ses say, Rejoice, 0 Zebulun, in thy goings oat' (Deut. xxxiii. 18) ; but it became the special portion of Issachar, which the dying patri arch foreseeing, said, And he saw that rest was good, ana' the land that it zoas pleasant,' etc. (Gen. xlix. 15). Esdraelon with all its fertility is now desolate. If we except the eastern branches, it does not contain a single inhabited village or house, and not one-tenth of it is cultivated. It is the home of the wandering Arab to-day, as it was the home of the fierce children of the East' in the days of Gideon. From time immemorial foreign invaders
have swept over Esdmelon ; the ancient Canaan ites in their iron chariots (Judg. iv. 3-7), the Midian ites and Amalekites with their vast herds ( Judg. vi. 3, 4), the Philistines (I Sam. xxix. ; xxxi. 10)2 the Syrians (1 Kings xx. 26, etc.), the Greeks, the Romans, the Crusaders, and the French (Hana' book for S. and P., p. 352 ; Stanley, S. and P., 340, seq.) Who can tell of what inomentous events it is yet destined to be the theatre ? Its modern name is Ilfe;:j lint Amer, The meadow of the son of Amer.' In addition to the authorities already cited, the student may see dcscriptions of Esdraelon in the works of Robinson, Van de Velde, Thomson, and Miss Martineau.
2. cIapnA ; Alex. 'IcOpaa ; .7ezrael), a town in the south of Judah, grouped with Maon, Carmel, etc. (Josh. xv. 56), and consequently situated among the bleak hills some eight or ten miles south of Hebron It is only mentioned in one other place, as the residence of Ahinoam, one of David's wives (t Sam. xxv. 43 ; xxvii. 3). The site has not been identified.—J. L. P.