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Easton's Bible Dictionary
= Kedron = Cedron, turbid, The winter torrent which flows
through the Valley of Jehoshaphat, on the eastern side of Jerusalem, between the
city and the Mount of Olives. This valley is known in Scripture only by the name
"the brook Kidron." David crossed this brook bare-foot and weeping, when fleeing
from Absalom ( 2
Samuel 15:23 , 15:30
), and it was frequently crossed by our Lord in his journeyings to and fro ( John
18:1 ). Here Asa burned the obscene idols of his mother ( 1
Kings 15:13 ), and here Athaliah was executed ( 2
Kings 11:16 ). It afterwards became the receptacle for all manner of impurities
( 2
Chronicles 29:16 ; 30:14
); and in the time of Josiah this valley was the common cemetery of the city (
2
Kings 23:6 ; Compare Jeremiah
26:23 ).
Through this mountain ravine no water runs, except after heavy rains in the mountains
round about Jerusalem. Its length from its head to en-Rogel is 2 3/4 miles. Its
precipitous, rocky banks are filled with ancient tombs, especially the left bank
opposite the temple area. The greatest desire of the Jews is to be buried there,
from the idea that the Kidron is the "valley of Jehoshaphat" mentioned in Joel
3:2 .
Below en-Rogel the Kidron has no historical or sacred interest. It runs in a winding
course through the wilderness of Judea to the north-western shore of the Dead
Sea. Its whole length, in a straight line, is only some 20 miles, but in this
space its descent is about 3,912 feet. (See KEDRON .)
Recent excavations have brought to light the fact that the old bed of the Kidron
is about 40 feet lower than its present bed, and about 70 feet nearer the sanctuary
wall.
Hitchcock's Dictionary of Bible Names
obscure; making black or sad
Smith's Bible Dictionary
(turbid) The brook, a torrent or valley, not a "brook,"
or, as in the margin of Revised Version, "ravine;" Gr. winter torrent. It was
close to Jerusalem, between the city and the Mount of Olives. It is now commonly
known as the "valley of Jehoshaphat." The channel of the valley of Jehoshaphat
is nothing more than the dry bed of a wintry torrent, bearing marks of being occasionally
swept over by a large volume of water. It was crossed by David in his flight,
( 2
Samuel 15:23 ) comp. 2
Samuel 15:30 and by our Lord on his way to Gethsemane. ( John
18:1 ) comp. Mark
14:26 ; Luke
22:39 The distinguishing peculiarity of the Kidron valley --mentioned in the
Old Testament-- is the impurity which appears to have been ascribed to it. In
the time of Josiah it was the common cemetery of the city. ( 2
Kings 23:6 ) comp. Jeremiah
26:23
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
kid'-ron (Kedron; the King James Version Cedron):
A place which, in obedience to Antiochus Sidetes, Cendebaeus fortified (1 Macc
15:39), to which, when defeated, he fled, hotly pursued by John and Judas, sons
of Simon the Maccabee, who burned the city (1 Macc 16:4). It is named along with
Jamnia (Yebna) and Azotus (Esdud). It is possibly identical with Katrah, a village
about 3 miles Southwest of 'Aqir (Ekron).
Tags:
bible commentary, bible history, bible reference, bible study, cedron, define, kidron, valley of jehoshaphat
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