KIDRON, Icedron, the Valley of Siloah (Wady Silwan), or the Valley of the Lady Mary (Wady Sitti Maryam), which lies to the east of Jerusalem, stretching from the foot of Mount Scipus north of the city, southward, then eastward, passing between Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives to En Rogel, south of the city, from whence it continues on southward to the Dead Sea under the name of Wady en Nar. The Valley of Kidron is frequently mentioned in Biblical narrative; and recent excavations show that it was, at one time, a place of much more importance than it is at present, for now it is the dried bed of a stream which flowed in Biblical times. Recent excavations show that the bed of the ancient stream now lies buried beneath nearly 40 feet of debris. An aqueduct cut into the rock in ancient times was unearthed in 1880; and•since then other evidence of the importance of the valley have been found buried beneath the sands that have blown in upon them. Among the important references to the Kidron are the following. When David fled from Absalom, he is credited with having crossed it; Absalom forbade Shimei to cross it ; there Asa burned the idol which his mother had erected; and there Josiah also burned the ashera which had been taken from the temple; and there Hezekiah is said to have thrown into the Kidron the altars found in Jerusalem. Kidron is now a vast burial place and has been so for many years for both Mohammedans and Jews, because of the belief that this spot is to witness the last judgment ; the territory has been divided up between the two creeds, the Mo hammedans occupying the side toward the tem ple, that is to the west, while the Jews occupy that part toward the Mount of Olives, that is to the east. To the Christians the Valley of
Kidron is of especial historical interest because, according to the account of John, Jesus visited a garden therein, in company with his disciples, shortly before his betrayal, judgment and crucifixion. Now that Palestine has passed out of the hands of the Mohammedans and that facilities for the excavation of the remains of the valley will undoubtedly be afforded, it is more than probable that work on uncovering the remains of the past importance of the valley will be undertaken.
Benzinger, 'Hebraisch Ar chiologic' (Freiburg 1894) ; Buhl, 'Geographic des Alten Palistina) (Freiburg 1896) ; Cheyne, (Kidron) (Encyclopadia Biblica, London 1901) ; Guthe, (Jerusalem' (Kurzes Bibelworter buch, Freiburg 1903) ; Kennedy, (Kidron' (Dictionary of the Bible, New York 1899) ; Robinson, (Biblical Researches in Palestine' (New York 1857) ; Tober, (Die Siloahquelle and der Oelberg> (Berlin 185Z) ; Warren and Conder, (JeruSalem' (London 1852) ; Wilson, (The Holy City' (London 1888).