KID'RON (Heb. KideCl). A valley east of Jerusalem. the modern Wady Sitti Maryam or 'Valley of the Lady Mary,' also called Wady Sil wan, the 'Valley of It begins north of the city at the foot of Mount Scopus, continues in a southerly direction toward the city, then takes a bend eastward, extends between Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives, and may be said to terminate south of the city at En Rogel, though the de pression proceeds under the name of Wady en Nar southeast toward the Dead Sea. The valley is now dry; but in ancient times there was a brook in it, and the true bed of the stream was found feet below the present channel in 1868. The following year an aqueduct cut through the rock was discovered, and in 1 t,SO an inscription, giving an account of the construction of the channel. (See SILOAM.) The Kidron is first referred to in II. Sam. xv. 23, where David in fleeing from Absalom is said to have crossed it. In I. Kings ii. 37, Shimei is forbidden by Absalom to cross Kidron. Sonic scholars have drawn the inference from the fact that Shimei fled in the direction of Gath that Kidron was the name of some part of the western ravine. But the text is probably corrupt. and should be read 'by any road' instead of 'the brook Kidron.' Ac cording to i. Kings xv. 13, 11. Clam'. xv. 16, Asa burned at Kidron the idol which hi' mother had set up; according to 11. Kings xxiii. 4, 6, 12. Josiah burned at Kidron tile ashera that had been in the temple. (See Asuenx.) The account in 11. Citron. xxix. 16, xxx. 14 of Hezekiah's east
in,: into the Kidron the .cigars that were found in Jerusalem and the abominations of the temple is hardly historical. The popular name 'Valley of Jehoshaphat' dates back to the fourth century A.D. It appears in the Onomasticon of Ensebius (272. 89), and in the OnumaRticon of Jerome (145, 13). It is based upon Joel iii. 1-12, but the identification is manifestly incorrect. (See JEIIO?ITAPIIAT, VALLEY or.) The belief that this Valley will be the scene of the last judgment (see Ii la:MENT, FINAL) has led both Jews and Mo hammedans to make of it a burial-ground, and its slopes are covered with tombs. The have used especially the eastern side toward the Mount of Olives, while the Mohammedans are buried on the west toward the Temple. According to John :Will. I, just before the betrayal Jesus went forth with His disciples across the ravine Kidron, 'where was a garden.' Consult: Robinson, Bibli cal Researches in Pa/esti:iv (New York, 1857) ; Tobler, Die Siloahquelle and der Melberg (Berlin, 1852) ; Warren and Conder, Jerusalem ( London, I884) ; Wilson. The Holy City I London, 1S8s) ; Benzing,er, Ilebraisehe .Irchnologie (Freiburg, 1894 ) ; Bunnl. Geoyraphie des Palastinn ( Freiburg, 1896) ; Kennedy, article in Dictionary of the Bible (New York. 1S99) ; ('heyne, article "Kidron," in Encyclop•elia Biblien, (London, 1101) ; Guthe, article in Kur:es Bibehrorterbuch ( Freiburg, 1903).