Bible Dictionary: Megiddo

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Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

Megiddo

his precious fruit; declaring a message

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Megiddo

(place of crowns) was in a very marked position on the southern rim of the plain of Esdraelon, on the frontier line of the territories of the tribes of Issachar and Manasseh, 6 miles from Mount Carmel and 11 from Nazareth. It commanded one of those passes from the north into the hill country which were of such critical importance on various occasions in the history of Judea. Judith 4:7. The first mention occurs in (Joshua 12:21) where Megiddo appears as the city of one of the kings whom Joshua defeated on the west of the Jordan. The song of Deborah brings the place vividly before us, as the scene of the great conflict between Sisera and Barak. When Pharaoh-necho came from Egypt against the king of Assyria, Josiah joined the latter, and was slain at Megiddo. (2 Kings 23:29; 2 Chronicles 35:22-24) Megiddo is the modern el-Lejjun , which is undoubtedly the Legio of Eusebius and Jerome. There is a copious stream flowing down the gorge, and turning some mills before joining the Kishon. Here are probably the "waters of Megiddo" of (Judges 5:19)

ATS Bible Dictionary

Megiddo

A town of Manesseh, thought within the bounds of Issachar. It had been a royal city of the Canaanites, and they long retained a foothold in it, Joshua 12:21; 17:11; Jude 1:27. It lay in the southwest border of the plain of Esdraelon, near the Kishon, which is probably intended by "the waters of Megiddo," mentioned in the song of Deborah and Barak as the scene of their victory, Jud 5:19,21. In the reign of Solomon, Megiddo was fortified, 1 Kings 9:15. Here king Ahaziah died, and King Josiah was defeated, slain, and sorely lamented, 2 Kings 9:27; 23:29; Zechariah 12:11. Robinson identifies it with a village now called Lejun, the Legio of the Romans.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Place of troops, originally one of the royal cities of the Canaanites (Joshua 12:21), belonged to the tribe of Manasseh (Judges 1:27), but does not seem to have been fully occupied by the Israelites till the time of Solomon (1 Kings 4:12; 9:15).

The valley or plain of Megiddo was part of the plain of Esdraelon, the great battle-field of Palestine. It was here Barak gained a notable victory over Jabin, the king of Hazor, whose general, Sisera, led on the hostile army. Barak rallied the warriors of the northern tribes, and under the encouragement of Deborah (q.v.), the prophetess, attacked the Canaanites in the great plain. The army of Sisera was thrown into complete confusion, and was engulfed in the waters of the Kishon, which had risen and overflowed its banks (Judges 4:5).

Many years after this (B.C. 610), Pharaohnecho II., on his march against the king of Assyria, passed through the plains of Philistia and Sharon; and King Josiah, attempting to bar his progress in the plain of Megiddo, was defeated by the Egyptians. He was wounded in battle, and died as they bore him away in his chariot towards Jerusalem (2 Kings 23:29; 2 Chronicles 35:22-24), and all Israel mourned for him. So general and bitter was this mourning that it became a proverb, to which Zechariah (12:11, 12) alludes. Megiddo has been identified with the modern el-Lejjun, at the head of the Kishon, under the north-eastern brow of Carmel, on the south-western edge of the plain of Esdraelon, and 9 miles west of Jezreel. Others identify it with Mujedd'a, 4 miles south-west of Bethshean, but the question of its site is still undetermined.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

MEGIDDO; MEGIDDON

me-gid'-o, me-gid'-on (meghiddo, meghiddon; Magiddo, Mageddon, Magdo): A royal city of the Canaanites, the king of which was slain by Joshua (Joshua 12:21). It lay within the territory of Issachar, but was one of the cities assigned to Manasseh (Joshua 17:11 1 Chronicles 7:29). Manasseh, however, was not able to expel the Canaanites, who therefore continued to dwell in that land. Later, when the children of Israel were waxen strong, the Canaanites were put to taskwork (Joshua 17:12 Judges 1:27 f). The host of Sisera was drawn to the river Kishon, and here, "by the waters of Megiddo," the famous battle was fought (Judges 5:19). By the time of Solomon, Israel's supremacy was unquestioned. Megiddo was included in one of his administrative districts (1 Kings 4:12), and it was one of the cities which he fortified (1 Kings 9:15). Ahaziah, mortally wounded at the ascent of Gur, fled to Megiddo to die (2 Kings 9:27). At Megiddo, Josiah, king of Judah, attempted to arrest Pharaoh-necoh and his army on their march to the Euphrates against the king of Assyria. Here the Egyptian monarch "slew him.... when he had seen him," and from Megiddo went the sorrowful procession to Jerusalem with Josiah's corpse (2 Kings 23:29 2 Chronicles 35:20). The sad tale is told again in 1 Esdras 1:25;. "The mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon" became a poetical expression for the deepest and most despairing grief (Zechariah 12:11).

See also ARMAGEDDON.

The constant association of Megiddo with Taanach (Tell Ta`anek) points to a position on the south edge of the plain of Esdraelon. In confirmation of this, we read (RP, 1st series, II, 35-47) that Thothmes III captured Megiddo, after having defeated the Palestinian allies who opposed him. He left his camp at Aruna (possibly `Ar`arah), and, following a defile (possibly Wady `Arah), he approached Megiddo from the South We should thus look for the city where the pass opens on the plain; and here, at Khan el-Lejjan, we find extensive ruins on both sides of a stream which turns several mills before falling into the Kishon. We may identify the site with Megiddo, and the stream with "the waters of Megiddo." Pharaoh-necoh would naturally take the same line of march, and his advance could be nowhere more hopefully opposed than at el-Lejjun. Tell el-Mutasellim, a graceful mound hard by, on the edge of the plain, may have formed the acropolis of Megiddo.

The name Mujadda` attaches to a site 3 miles South of Beisan in the Jordan valley. Here Conder would place Megiddo. But while there is a resemblance in the name, the site really suits none of the Biblical data. The phrase "Taanach by the waters of Megiddo" alone confines us to a very limited area. No position has yet been suggested which meets all the conditions as well as el-Lejjun.

The Khan here shows that the road through the pass from Esdraelon to the plain of Sharon and the coast was still much frequented in the Middle Ages.

W. Ewing

Strong's Hebrew

7028. Qishon -- a wadi in the plain of Megiddo
... 7027, 7028. Qishon. 7029 . a wadi in the plain of Megiddo. Transliteration:
Qishon Phonetic Spelling: (kee-shone') Short Definition: Kishon. ...
/hebrew/7028.htm - 6k

4023b. Megiddon -- a place in Manasseh
Megiddon or Megiddo. 4023a, 4023b. Megiddon or Megiddo. 4024 . a place in Manasseh.
Transliteration: Megiddon or Megiddo Short Definition: Megiddo. ...
/hebrew/4023b.htm - 5k

4023. Mgiddown -- a tower
... 4022, 4023. Mgiddown. 4023a . a tower. Transliteration: Mgiddown Phonetic Spelling:
(meg-id-done') Short Definition: Megiddo. Megiddo, Megiddon (Zech. ...
/hebrew/4023.htm - 5k

Library

From Megiddo to Carchemish, 608-605.
... 1. From Megiddo to Carchemish, 608-605. Josiah's ... Egypt. Of this fresh sorrow
Jeremiah sang as if it had drowned out the sorrow of Megiddo". ...
//christianbookshelf.org/smith/jeremiah/1 from megiddo to carchemish.htm

Appendix ii.
... making war by land on the Syrians defeated them at Magdolos and after the battle
took Kadutis, a great city of Syria." Magdolos is probably Megiddo, unless it ...
//christianbookshelf.org/smith/jeremiah/appendix ii.htm

The Sixth vision "On Earth"
... Testament. The name (...) har-megiddo) means the mount of Megiddo; and the
name is ominous as to what the result of this battle will be. ...
/.../bullinger/commentary on revelation/the sixth vision on earth.htm

A Nation's Struggle for a Home and Freedom.
... field. Kings came, they fought; They fought, the kings of Canaan, At Taanach
by the Waters of Megiddo, They took no booty of silver. ...
/.../kent/the making of a nation/study xii a nations struggle.htm

Oracles on the Edge of Doom. (vii. 16-xviii Passim, xxii, Xlv. )
... 604-3, and of which some may have been delivered during the reign of Josiah, but
the most of them more probably either upon its tragic close at Megiddo in 608 ...
//christianbookshelf.org/smith/jeremiah/3 oracles on the edge.htm

Jeremiah and Deuteronomy. (Chs. vii, viii. 8, xi. )
... Moreover, the phrase We are delivered! VII.10, which does not recur in XXVI, suits
the conditions before, rather than those after, the Battle of Megiddo. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/smith/jeremiah/3 jeremiah and deuteronomy chs.htm

The Early Life of St. Joseph
... He was, however, too humble to give it up; though he left that place and worked
afterwards at Thanath, [70] near Megiddo, by a small river called Kishon which ...
/.../emmerich/the life of the blessed virgin mary/v the early life of.htm

Apart
... to accompany this repentance is said to be as great as the mourning of the whole
nation when Josiah fell in the battle with Pharaoh-nechoh at Megiddo: "In that ...
//christianbookshelf.org/spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 43 1897/apart.htm

Introduction
... mastery on the plains of Palestine; the possession of Jerusalem allowed the Assyrian
king to march unopposed into Egypt, and the battle of Megiddo placed all ...
/.../sayce/early israel and the surrounding nations/introduction.htm

The Captivity.
... Josiah, being a tributary of Babylon, thought it his duty to endeavour to stop him,
and going out to battle with him at Megiddo, was there mortally wounded ...
//christianbookshelf.org/yonge/the chosen people/lesson x the captivity.htm

Thesaurus

Megiddo (13 Occurrences)
... The valley or plain of Megiddo was part of the plain of Esdraelon, the great
battle-field of Palestine. ... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. MEGIDDO; MEGIDDON. ...
/m/megiddo.htm - 16k

Megiddon (1 Occurrence)
...MEGIDDO; MEGIDDON. ...Megiddo was included in one of his administrative districts (1
Kings 4:12), and it was one of the cities which he fortified (1 Kings 9:15). ...
/m/megiddon.htm - 10k

Megid'do (12 Occurrences)
Megid'do. Megiddo, Megid'do. Megiddon . ... Megid'do (12 Occurrences). Joshua
12:21 the king of Taanach, one; the king of Megiddo, one; (See RSV). ...
/m/megid'do.htm - 10k

Taanach (7 Occurrences)
... A sandy place, an ancient royal city of the Canaanites, on the south-western
border of the plain of Esdraelon, 4 miles south of Megiddo. ...
/t/taanach.htm - 12k

Ta'anach (6 Occurrences)
... Taanach, Ta'anach. Ta'a-nach . Multi-Version Concordance Ta'anach (6 Occurrences).
Joshua 12:21 the king of Taanach, one; the king of Megiddo, one; (See RSV ...
/t/ta'anach.htm - 8k

Shean (5 Occurrences)
... of Dor and its towns, and the inhabitants of Endor and its towns, and the inhabitants
of Taanach and its towns, and the inhabitants of Megiddo and its towns. ...
/s/shean.htm - 8k

Shan (8 Occurrences)
... of Dor and its towns, and the inhabitants of Endor and its towns, and the inhabitants
of Taanach and its towns, and the inhabitants of Megiddo and its towns. ...
/s/shan.htm - 9k

Bethshean (5 Occurrences)
... of Dor and her towns, and the inhabitants of Endor and her towns, and the inhabitants
of Taanach and her towns, and the inhabitants of Megiddo and her towns ...
/b/bethshean.htm - 11k

Hadadrimmon (1 Occurrence)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary (composed of the names of two Syrian idols), the
name of a place in the valley of Megiddo. It is alluded ...
/h/hadadrimmon.htm - 8k

Hadad-rimmon (1 Occurrence)
... mon . Easton's Bible Dictionary (composed of the names of two Syrian idols),
the name of a place in the valley of Megiddo. It is ...
/h/hadad-rimmon.htm - 8k

Bible Concordance

Megiddo (13 Occurrences)

Revelation 16:16 He gathered them together into the place which is called in Hebrew, Megiddo.
(WEB)

Joshua 12:21 the king of Taanach, one; the king of Megiddo, one;
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS NIV)

Joshua 17:11 Manasseh had three heights in Issachar, in Asher Beth Shean and its towns, and Ibleam and its towns, and the inhabitants of Dor and its towns, and the inhabitants of Endor and its towns, and the inhabitants of Taanach and its towns, and the inhabitants of Megiddo and its towns.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS NIV)

Judges 1:27 Manasseh did not drive out the inhabitants of Beth Shean and its towns, nor of Taanach and its towns, nor the inhabitants of Dor and its towns, nor the inhabitants of Ibleam and its towns, nor the inhabitants of Megiddo and its towns; but the Canaanites would dwell in that land.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE WBS YLT NAS NIV)

Judges 5:19 "The kings came and fought, then the kings of Canaan fought at Taanach by the waters of Megiddo. They took no plunder of silver.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE WBS YLT NAS NIV)

1 Kings 4:12 Baana the son of Ahilud, in Taanach and Megiddo, and all Beth Shean which is beside Zarethan, beneath Jezreel, from Beth Shean to Abel Meholah, as far as beyond Jokmeam;
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS NIV)

1 Kings 9:15 This is the reason of the levy which king Solomon raised, to build the house of Yahweh, and his own house, and Millo, and the wall of Jerusalem, and Hazor, and Megiddo, and Gezer.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS NIV)

2 Kings 9:27 But when Ahaziah the king of Judah saw this, he fled by the way of the garden house. Jehu followed after him, and said, "Strike him also in the chariot!" They struck him at the ascent of Gur, which is by Ibleam. He fled to Megiddo, and died there.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS NIV)

2 Kings 23:29 In his days Pharaoh Necoh king of Egypt went up against the king of Assyria to the river Euphrates: and king Josiah went against him; and Pharaoh Necoh killed him at Megiddo, when he had seen him.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS NIV)

2 Kings 23:30 His servants carried him in a chariot dead from Megiddo, and brought him to Jerusalem, and buried him in his own tomb. The people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah, and anointed him, and made him king in his father's place.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS NIV)

1 Chronicles 7:29 and by the borders of the children of Manasseh, Beth Shean and its towns, Taanach and its towns, Megiddo and its towns, Dor and its towns. In these lived the children of Joseph the son of Israel.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS NIV)

2 Chronicles 35:22 Nevertheless Josiah would not turn his face from him, but disguised himself, that he might fight with him, and didn't listen to the words of Neco from the mouth of God, and came to fight in the valley of Megiddo.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS NIV)

Zechariah 12:11 In that day there will be a great mourning in Jerusalem, like the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon.
(Root in WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS NIV)

Subtopics

Megiddo

Megiddo: A City in the Territory of Issachar Situated on the Southern Edge of the Plain of Esdraelon

Megiddo: Ahaziah Dies At

Megiddo: Conquest of, by Joshua

Megiddo: Included in One or Solomon's Commissary Districts

Megiddo: Josiah Killed At, by Pharaoh-Nechoh

Megiddo: Prophecy Concerning

Megiddo: Valley of, Deborah Defeats Sisera In

Megiddo: Walled by Solomon

Related Terms

Megiddon (1 Occurrence)