JEHOSHAPHAT, VALLEY OF (um../Irr pnp; Koacis 'Iwo-acbcir ; vallis Yosaphat). In one of the sublime prophecies of Joel, when describing the events which would occur after the return of the Jews from the Babylonish captivity, he represents the Lord as saying : • I will gather all the nations, and bring thern down into the valley of yehosha phat, and will plead with them there, on account of my people, and Israel mine inheritance, whom they have scattered among the nations' (iii. 2, in the Ifebrew ill. 2). The nations referred to ap pear to be those which oppressed Israel and aided in their overthrow. These then, including the Sidonians, Tyrians, and Phoenicians generally (ver. 4), were to be brought down into this valley and judged (ver. 12). The act is clearly symbolical, and in that case we can scarcely think that refer ence is made to any specific locality. The valley appears to have been intended to symbolise those bloody battle-fields where the hostile nations con tiguous to Juda..a had signal vengeance inflicted on them. The phrase nnvirr pnp, literally signi fies The valley where Yehovah judgeth ;' and may thus have been intended to represent any scene of divine judgment. This is supported by the Targum, where the words are rendered .1.1n tv-T, the plain of the distribution of judgment ;' and by the translation of Theodotion, riy xthprtu rijr tcpio-ews, the place of judgment ' (Henderson, Minor Prophets, ad loc.) The interpretations of this passage have been both numerous and conflicting (see Poll Synol5sis Crit. Sac. ad loc.): Many think a definite place is referred to, and some say it is the valley of Bera chah ' where Jehoshaphat obtained the sigmal victory over Ammon and Moab (2 Chron. xx. 26).
Some again affirm that the valley of the Kidron is, meant—that deep valley or glen which separates Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives. This may be regarded as the traditional interpretation both among Jews and Christians. Eusebius says Kodats 'Iwo-a5bar lay between Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives (Onomast., s. v. Coelas), and from his time until the present day this is the common name given to the Kidron ; and this reference of the pro phet Joel has given rise to the current belief among Christians, Jews, and Mohammedans, that the last judgment will take place there (Robinson, B. R. i. 269). For this identification, however, there is not the slightest ground, either in the writings of Scripture or in Josephus. The name universally given to the glen is Kidron (2 Sam. xv. 23 ; Kings ii. 38 ; John xviii. ; Joseph. Bell. 7ttel. v. 2. 3, etc.) Not only so, but the word p*r, translated 'valley,' is altogether inapplicable to the Kidron ; It signifies a low tract of land of wide extent, such as suited a battle-field (Job xxxix. TO, 21 ; Josh.
xv. 8). The Kidron is always termed tor rent valley' or glen,' and the Septuagint and Josephus render it xefgakios, and this is the word used in John xviii. 1. Josephus also applies the word fizcipay, to the Kidron. The Kidron is a narrow rocky ravine [KirazoNJ, and wholly un suitable for such an event as is referred to by Joel ; and even though we could believe that the prophet referred to a specific valley this could not be the one.—J. L. P.