1. A town in the east of the hills of Judah (Josh 15:56), the birthplace of Ahinoam, one of David's wives (I Sam 25:43). Not identified.
2. A town on the border of the territory of Issachar, at the foot of Mount Gilboa (Josh 19:18, etc.). It was in the fifth district of the kingdom of Solomon (I Kgs 4:12) and an important city in the kingdom of Ahab (I Kgs 18:45), who had a palace there (I Kgs 21:1). It was the site of Naboth's vineyard (I Kgs 21:1ff). The descendants of the house of Ahab were slain at Jezreel (II Kgs 10:7, 11). It was finally destroyed by the Assyrians. In the Roman period there was a large village called Ezdraela. Identified with Zeriin (Tel Jezreel), west of Beth Shean. Excavations have taken place exposing an Iron Age town surrounding by fortifications and a rock-cut moat.
3. The Plain of Jezreel, which took its name from Jezreel No. 2, extends across the breadth of the country, between Mount Carmel, Mount Gilboa and the hills of Lower Galilee. The River Kishon flows through its whole length to the Mediterranean. From early times the valley, known later as the Plain of Esdraelon or the Great Valley, was of the utmost importance to communications between the coast and the countries to the north and east. The fortified towns of Megiddo, Taanach, Ibleam and Beth Shean were built in order to guard the mountain passes leading into and from the plain. Some of the great battles in biblical history took place there, including the battle between Deborah and Jabin, king of Hazor (Judg chaps. 4-5); between Saul and the Philistines (I Sam 29:1; 31:1ff); and between Josiah and Pharaoh Necho (II Kgs 23:29-30). In the Hellenistic period the Ptolemies had large estates on the fertile plain, and from that time on it was mostly in the personal domain of the rulers. The Plain of Jezreel was conquered by the Maccabees and later formed part of Herod's kingdom.
4. The name of the eldest child of the prophet Hosea, by his wife Gomer. Hosea was instructed by God to give this name to his son in anticipation of the punishment to be inflicted upon the house of Jehu for the blood spilled at Jezreel when Jehu took power (cf II Kgs 9:17-26; 10:1-11).
5. A Judahite, son of Etam.
Concordance
JEZREEL 1:
Josh 15:56. I Sam 25:43. I Chr 4:3. Hos 2:22
JEZREEL 2:
Josh 19:18. I Kgs 4:12; 18:45-46; 21:1,23. II Kgs 8:29; 9:10, 15-17, 30, 36-37; 10:1, 6-7, 11. II Chr 22:6. Hos 1:4, 11
JEZREEL 3:
Josh 17:16. Judg 6:33. I Sam 29:1,11. II Sam 2:9; 4:4. Hos 1:5
JEZREEL 4:
Hos 1:4
JEZREEL 5:
I Chr 4:3
