ESDRAELON, es-di-a-Ellin or es-dra-e-16n (Merdj-Ibn-Amer), the famous and beautiful plain in Palestine, situated between the moun tains forming the western watershed of the Jordan and the Mediterranean Sea. In the Old Testament it is called Jezreel, valley of Megiddo, the Great Plain; in the New Testament, Arma geddon. It is trianuular in form, 36 miles in length, with an average width of 15 miles. On its boundary are: on 'the northeast Mount Tabor, the southeast Mount Gilboa, and on the southwest Mount Carmel. The principal streams are Nahr-el-Djalood, which flows into the Jordan, and the Kishon (Nahr-el-Moukataa) which flows into the Bay of Acre just north of Mount Carmel. Other streams traverse the plain, but are chiefly branches of the two streams mentioned. The soil is fertile and when cultivated with care yields good crops. When Esdraelon was traversed by caravans crossing Palestine from the rich countries east and west, grains, vegetables and fruits were raised in abundance. Agriculture is again re ceiving attention. Some of the noted places on this plain are Djeneen (probably the old town of Engannin), at the entrance to the plain and 984 feet above the sea. Tradition says this is where the 10 lepers were cured (Luke xvii) ; Zerlin, known by the residents as Zeraeen, called by the Crusaders Petit-Guerin, is now a large village. Near it is the fountain, Ain
Maeeteh, supposed to be where Saul camped when at war with the Philistines (I Sam. xxxi). Ain-Djalood, said to be the place where Gideon selected the 300 men who fought and defeated the Midianites (Judges vii). On the south side of the Kishon are the villages of Afooleh, El Fooleh and Zerin. Afooleh is the old town of Aphec, one of the places where the Assyrians and Egyptians met in battle. At E1-Fooleh was once a fortress built by the Templars, but de stroyed by Saladin in 1187. Here in 1799 a bat tle between French troons under Napoleon, 4,000 in number, and the Mohammedans, 35,000 in number, left the French the victory. Ruins of the fort exist. For the ancient his tory of Esdraelon consult the Old Testament; many of the important places mentioned in the New Testament are.in a good state of preser vation. Nazareth, Nain and all the surrounding section west of Mount Tabor are usually in cluded in the plain, and must be so considered if Mount Tabor is accepted as on the northeast boundary. Consult Costello, 'The Gospel Story' ; Thomas, 'Two Years in Palestine' ; Sayce,