Vale

VALE, or Valley. There are several Vallies mentioned in Scripture. For example, the Valley of Berachah, or of Blessing, in the Tribe of Judah, to the West of the Dead Sea, 2 Chron. xx. 26.

The Vale of Siddim, the Vale of the Wood, Vallis Sylvestris, Gen. xiv. 3, 8, 20. The Hebrew has it, a The Valley of Hashedim, which some translate, the Vale of the Fields, others the Vale of Chalk; the Septuagint, the Vale of Salt. ‘Twas in this Vale that the Cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were built, and where, afterwards, the Lake Asphaltites, or the Dead Sea was formed.

The Vale of Shaveh, or, otherwise, the King’s Dale, Gen. xiv. 17. 2 Sam. xviii. 18. Shevah is a City lying in the King’s Dale, over-against Jerusalem, according to Eusebius. ‘Twas in this Vale that Melchisedech met Abraham, at his Return from his Victory over the five Kings. But some think this Interview was at the Foot of Mount Tabor.¹ standing Obligation, others have done it upon particular Occasions, and by the Impulse of a transient Devotion. The Arabian Merchants who traded in Spices, durst not sell any till they had paid the Tythe to their God Sabis. The Persians Plin. l. 12. c. 14. Xenoph. Cyropæd. l. 4, 5, 7. Solin. c. 27. Mela. l. 2. c. 5. Diodor. l. 20. Justin. l. 18.were very exact in offering to their Gods the Tythe of the Spoils that they had taken from their Enemies. The Scythians themselves sent their Tythes to Apollo. The Carthaginians were used to send to Tyre, of which they were a Colony, the Tythe of all their Goods; and they sent to Hercules Tyrius the Tenth of the Spoils that they took in Sicily. The Ship that brought the usual Tythe of the Carthaginians to Tyre, happened to arrive Q. Curt. l. 4. c. 2. Laert. l. 1.there a little before Alexander made the Siege of that City. When Pisistratus wrote to Solon, to persuade him to return to Athens, he tells him, that every one there pays the Tythe of his Goods for the offering of Sacrifices to the Gods. The Pelasgians that were settled in Italy, received a Command from the Oracle, to Dionys. Halicarn.send their Tythes to Apollo of Delphos. Plutarch, in more Places than one, mentions a Custom of the Romans of offering to Hercules the Tythe of what they took from their Enemies.

V , o r U .

The Valley of Salt, Vallis Salinarum, 2 Sam. viii. 13. 2 Kings xiv. 7. This Valley is generally placed in the Southern Parts of Idumea, to the South of the Dead -Sea. ‘Twas there, they say, that the Idumeans were defeated by David, or by Joab; and again by Amasiah, the Son of Joash King of Judah. We place it in the Eastern Parts of Idumea, between Tadmor and Bozrah. See SALT.

The Valley of Raphaim, or the Valley of the Giants, 2 Sam. v. 18. xxiii. 13. See the Article RAPHAIM.

The Valley of Eshcol, or the Valley of Grapes, Vallis Botri, Numb. xxxii. 9. See NEHEL ESHCOL, before.

The Valley of Jezreel. This is the same as the Vale of Esdrelon, or the Plain that extends itself East and West, from Scythopolis to the foot of Mount Carmel.

The Valley of Mamre near Hebron. See MAMRE.

The Valley of Moreh near Sichem. See MOREH. ‘Tis also called the Plain of Moreh, Gen. xii. 6.

The² The Valley of Achor, Josh. vii. 24. 26. Isai. lxv. 10. Hos. ii. 15. to the North of Jericho, according to St. Jerome. ‘Twas there that the unfortunate Achan was stoned. See ACHOR.

The Valley of Ajalon. See AJALON. ‘Twas this City that gave its Name to the Valley.

The Valley of Reeds, Vallis Arundinis, Josh. xvi. 8. xvii. 9. The Hebrew reads, the Valley, Brook, or River of Kanah.³ It was not far from the Dead Sea, nor from Tapuah.

The Valley of Jehoshaphat. It is generally understood to be the Valley wherein the Brook Kidron runs, to the East and South of Jerusalem. See JEHOSHAPHAT, and Joel, iii. 12.

The Valley of Hinnom, or the Valley of the Sons of Hinnom. In Hebrew,⁴ ‘tis Gehennon, or Ge-bene-hennon, whence comes the Word Gehenna. It was to the East and South of Jerusalem. See HINNOM, HENNON, or TOPHET.

The King’s Dale or Valley. See before, the Valley of Shaveh.

The Valley of Charashim, or of Craftsmen, Vallis Artificum. See 1 Chron. iv. 14. Nehem. xi. 35. In Hebrew⁵ Ge-charashim. It is placed upon the side of the Jordan, in the Tribe of Benjamin.

The Valley of Keziz,⁶ in the Tribe of Benjamin. Its Situation is not exactly known. Some translate the Hebrew by the Valley of Incision. ‘Tis conjectured that this Name was given it, because, perhaps, they here cultivated Balm, which is drawn out by Incision. But I cannot think this Plant was cultivated there so early as the Times of Joshua.

Josh. xix. 14, 27.The Valley of Jipkthah-el. It probably took its Name from the City of Jiphthahel, on the Frontiers of Zebulun. The true Situation is unknown.

Judg. xvi. 4.The Valley of Sorek, in which was the City of Sorek, in the Tribe of Dan. Perhaps it may be the same as the Valley of Eshcol, or the Valley of the Grape. See SOREK.

1 Sam. xiii. 18. Gen. x. xviii. xix.The Valley of Zeboim. Zeboim was one of the four Cities that were consumed with Sodom by Fire from Heaven. The Valley of Zeboim was therefore upon the Dead Sea, but its Situation is not known. Perhaps afterwards Zeboim was rebuilt; see Nehemiah, xi. 34. as also Sodom. Some⁷ take Zeboim, or Tzeboim, in a generical Sense, for Serpents, Basilisks, or Dragons.

2 Sam. xxiv. 5.The Valley of Gad; a Valley lying beyond Jordan, in the Portion of Gad, and probably along the Arnon.

Psalm lxxxiv. 6. The Vale of Baca, or of Tears, probably the same as the Valley of Tears, or Weepers, or Bochim. See Judges ii. 1. 2 Sam. v. 23. See also the Article BOCHIM, before, or CLAUTHMON. This Valley was to the South of Jerusalem. Isa. xxii.

The Valley of Vision, in the Prophetical 1 ---- 5.

Gen. xxii. and Figurative Style, signifies Jerusalem. 14. It is called a Valley by Antiphrasis, because it stood upon a Mountain. And the additional Name of Vision was given to it, because it is the Subject of the Prophecy of Isaiah; or because the Temple of Jerusalem was built upon Mount Moriah, which is the Mountain of Vision. Isa. xxviii. 1, 4. The fat Valley, Vallis Pinguium. This is the Valley which lies below and about the City of Samaria. This Country was very fat and fruitful. Samaria stood upon a rising Ground that commanded this Valley:

The Valley of Slaughter, Vallis inter- In vertice vallis pinguissimæ. fectionis. This is the Name that according to the Prophet Jeremiah’s Prediction, should be given to the Valley of Hinnom, or Tophet. See TOPHET, and Jerem. vii. 32. xix. 6. xxxi. 40. It is called the Valley of Decision, or Concision, in Joel, iii. 14. and in the same Chapter, the Valley of Jehoshaphat,Jerem. vii. 32. Jerem. xxxi. 40. Ezek. xxxix. 11. Ezek. xxxix. 11, 15. or of the Judgment of God.

The Valley of the dead Bodies, Vallis Cadaverum. The same as Topheth, which was the Slaughter-house of Jerusalem.

The Valley of the Passengers, or Travellers, Vallis Viatorum ad orientem maris. We think this stands for the great Road, which was at the foot of Mount Carmel, to go from Judea, Egypt, and the Country of the Philistines, into Phœnicia; and back from Phœnicia into those Countries. This Road was to the East of the Mediterranean Sea.

The Valley of Hamon-gog, or the Burying-place of the Army of Gog. ‘Twas probably the Valley of Jezreel, in which we think the Army of Cambyses was defeated, after the Death of that Prince. See the Commentary upon Ezek. xxxix. and the Articles CAMBYSES and GOG, in this Zech. xiv. 5.Dictionary.

The Valley of the Mountains, Vallis Montium. The Prophet Zechariah thus calls the Vallies which were round about Jerusalem, and where the Inhabitants of this City took shelter in their last Misfortunes, when the City was besieged by the Romans.

The Illustrious Valley, near Sichem. The same as the Vale or Plain of Moreh. The Hebrew calls it⁸ Elon-Moreh, the Oak or Grove of Moreh. The The Vale of Kidron, or the Fields of the 2 Kings xxiii. 4, 6.Brook Kidron, to the East of Jerusalem, between this City and the Mount of Olives.

2 Chron. xxxiii. 14.The Valley of Gihon, to the West of Jerusalem. It took its Name from the Fountain of Gihon, whose Spring is in this Place, and which runs from West to South, to discharge itself into the Brook Kidron.

Psal. lx. 6. cviii. 7.The Valley of Succoth, or, the Valley of Tents, Convallis Tabernaculorum. It was beyond Jordan, and near the City of Succoth. The Psalmist puts the Valley of Succoth for the whole Country beyond Jordan.

Judg. iv. 11.The Valley, or Plain, of Zaanaim, where dwelt Heber the Kenite. It was in Galilee, near Zaanaim, and Kedesh of Naphthali.

The Valley of Elah,⁹ of the Oak, or of the Terebinthus. Saul was here encamped with the Army of Israel, when the Giant Goliah came to insult the Troops of the Hebrews. This Valley was to the South of Jerusalem, towards Socoh and Azeka. Also the Name of the Valley of the Terebinthus is given to the Valley of Mamre, because of the Terebinthus under which Abraham entertained the three Angels. See the Article TEREBINTHUS, before.

The Valley of Zephathah, at Mareshah. 2 Chron. xiv. 10.‘Twas here that Asa King of Judah defeated a great Army of Ethiopians or Cushims. This Valley was towards Mareshah and Eleutheropolis.

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