MEGIDDO (i1=, and in Zech. xii. frl= ; and ; Alex. Ma-yendip and Maye8Wv ; Mageddo), an ancient royal city of the Canaanites enumerated among those whose kings were slain by Joshua (Josh. xii. 2x). Though within the allotted territory of Issachar, it, with several other cities in the plain, was assigned to Manasseh (xvii. II). This arrangement was made partly to supplement the mountain-territory of Manasseh and partly to give those strongly-fortified places to a tribe who, from their courage and their alliance with Ephraim, might be able to drive out the old inhabitants. The task, however, proved too great even for the warlike Manassites ; but when the power of Israel was fully established, the Canaimites were reduced to slavery (xvii. 13-18 ; Judg. i. 27, 28).
Megiddo was situated on the southern border of the great plain which intersects Palestine, extending across it from the Mediterranean to the Jordan, and having on its southern side the ranges of Car mel and Samaria, and on its northern Tabor and the hills of Galilee. The plain is usually called Esdraelon, the Greek form of Jezreel ;' but it is also called the Valley of Megiddo' (2 Chron. xxxv. 22). It was the battle-field of Palestine, where the Israelites gained some of their most glorious vic tories, and sustained some of their most terrible defeats. From two of these battles Megiddo has derived its greatest celebrity. The first was the victory of Barak. Jabin, king of Hazor, successor of the prince who had organized the northern con federation against Joshua, was now the oppressor of Israel, and Sisera was his general. The army of Jabin, with its 900 charibts of iron, was led down into the great plain, and drawn up at Megiddo, in a position to afford the best ground for the terrible war-chariots. With much difficulty Deborah the prophetess induced Barak to collect the warriors of the northern tribes. They assembled on Tabor. Deborah gave the signal, and the Israelites marched down to attack the enemy, full of hope and enthu siasm. At this moment a hail-storm from the east
burst over the plain, and drove full in the faces of the advancing Canaanites (Joseph. Antiq. v. 4). ' The stars in their courses fought against Sisera.' His army was thrown into confusion. The waters of the Kishon rose rapidly, the low plain became a morass ; chariots, horses, soldiers, all together were engulphed (Judg. iv. and v.) The writer visited Megiddo and traversed its plain in the spring of 1857, after a heavy fall of rain, and found the Kishon greatly swollen, its banks quagmires, and all the ordinary roads impassable.
Six centuries later Megiddo saw another sight, and heard, instead of a song of triumph, a funeral wail from the vanquished host of Israel (Zech. xii. xi). Pharaoh-necho was on his march against the king of Assyria. He passed up the plains of Phi listia and Sharon, and king Josiah foolishly at tempted to stop him while defiling through the glens of Carmel into the plain of Megiddo. He was defeated, and as he fled the Egyptian archers shot him in his chariot. He was taken to Jerusalem, but appears to have died on the road (2 Kings xxiii. 29 ; 2 Chron. xxxv. 20-24). The whole land mourned for the good king so bitterly that the mourning became proverbial ; and Zechariah says, ' In that day there shall be a great mourning, as the mourning of Hadad-rimmon in the valley of Megid don' (xii. II).
Megiddo, with some neighbouring cities on the great plain, was assigned to one of Solomon's twelve purveyors (1 Kings iv. 12) ; and it was one of the cities which that wise monarch fortified for the protection of his kingdom (ix. 15). Holding Megiddo, he was able to command Esdraelon and the leading road from Egypt through Palestine. After the division of the kingdom, Megiddo appears to have been retained in the hands of Judah, for to it Ahaziah fled when wounded by Jehu at Jezreel, and he died there (2 Kings ix. 17) ; and there, as has been seen, Josiah took his stand to resist the army of Pharaoh-necho.