Topical Bible: Valleys: Tracts of Land Between Mountains

◄ Valleys: Tracts of Land Between Mountains ►

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Topical Encyclopedia

In biblical literature, valleys are significant both geographically and theologically. They are often depicted as places of fertility, habitation, and sometimes, spiritual testing or battle. Valleys, as tracts of land between mountains, serve as natural conduits for water and are typically more fertile than the surrounding highlands, making them ideal for agriculture and settlement.

Geographical Significance

Valleys in the Bible are often associated with specific locations that hold historical and spiritual importance. For instance, the Valley of Jezreel is a broad and fertile plain in northern Israel, known for its agricultural productivity. It is frequently mentioned in the Old Testament as a site of significant battles and events (Judges 6:33; 1 Samuel 29:1).

The Valley of Elah is another notable valley, famous as the setting for the battle between David and Goliath (1 Samuel 17:2). This valley, located in the Shephelah region of Judah, served as a strategic military location due to its accessibility and open terrain.

Theological Implications

Valleys in the Bible often symbolize a place of decision, testing, or divine intervention. The "Valley of Decision" mentioned in Joel 3:14 is a metaphorical location where nations are gathered for judgment: "Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the Day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision."

The Valley of Achor, meaning "trouble," is another example where a valley represents a place of judgment and redemption. After Achan's sin and subsequent punishment, the valley becomes a symbol of hope and restoration, as referenced in Hosea 2:15: "There I will give back her vineyards and make the Valley of Achor a door of hope."

Symbolism and Imagery

Valleys are often used symbolically in Scripture to represent low points or challenges in life, contrasting with the heights of mountains, which symbolize closeness to God and spiritual triumph. Psalm 23:4 famously uses the imagery of a valley to convey God's presence and protection during difficult times: "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me."

In prophetic literature, valleys can also symbolize transformation and renewal. Isaiah 40:4 speaks of a future time when "Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill made low; the uneven ground will become smooth, and the rugged land a plain." This imagery conveys the idea of divine intervention and the establishment of God's justice and peace.

Cultural and Historical Context

In ancient Near Eastern culture, valleys were often the sites of cities and trade routes due to their accessibility and resources. The presence of water and fertile soil made valleys ideal for sustaining large populations. This practical aspect is reflected in the biblical narrative, where many significant events and encounters occur in valleys.

The Valley of Siddim, where the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were located, is another example of a valley with historical and moral significance (Genesis 14:3). The destruction of these cities serves as a warning against sin and a testament to God's judgment.

Conclusion

Valleys in the Bible are rich with meaning, serving as physical locations of historical events and as powerful symbols of spiritual truths. They remind believers of God's presence in times of trial and His promise of redemption and renewal. Through the imagery of valleys, Scripture communicates profound lessons about faith, judgment, and hope.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

1 Samuel 17:3
And the Philistines stood on a mountain on the one side, and Israel stood on a mountain on the other side: and there was a valley between them.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Egypt and Greece.
... a picturesque and ever-changing scene of mountains and valleys; of precipitous ... canals,
too, made to convey the water to distant tracts of land, which were ...
//christianbookshelf.org/abbott/xerxes/chapter ii egypt and greece.htm

The Northern Mountains
... which makes houses in most mountain valleys"to me ... the tree, save a few millipedes
and land snails, were ... Possibly so: and possibly, again, on tracts long sunk ...
//christianbookshelf.org/kingsley/at last/chapter xi the northern mountains.htm

The River of Life
... He has swept away mountains and valleys, and levelled ... with the geography of the Holy
Land, levelling it ... and mere nominal Christianity of large tracts of life ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture a/the river of life.htm

The First Theban Empire
... The valleys which furrow the mountains of Etbai, the Wady ... separated from the Red
Sea by the land of Puanit ... step by step, till he united immense tracts under his ...
/.../chapter iiithe first theban empire.htm

The Nile and Egypt
... whence it came; as, for instance, when we were crossing tracts of country ... in the
oasis of Libya, or in the deep valleys of the Red Land"Doshirit, To ...
/.../chapter i the nile and egypt.htm

The Iranian Conquest
... the ant, to clear the sterile tracts, to restore ... the deception prevailed greatly
in the land, in Persia ... ensured him undisputed possession of the valleys of the ...
/.../chapter ithe iranian conquest.htm

Naparima and Montserrat
... There are, doubtless, comparatively barren tracts of gravel toward ... be sawn out into
hills and valleys, ridges and ... brought, by the sinking of the land, face to ...
//christianbookshelf.org/kingsley/at last/chapter x naparima and montserrat.htm

Sennacherib (705-681 BC )
... towns, massacred entire tribes, and laid whole tracts of country ... it came to pass
that thy choicest valleys were full ... a land of corn and wine, a land of bread ...
/.../chapter isennacherib 705-681 b c.htm

The First Chaldaean Empire and the Hyksos in Egypt
... The valleys, too, are watered only by springs, which are ... seems to have been but thinly
populated; tracts now denuded ... in the direction of the table-land of Iran ...
/.../chapter ithe first chaldaean empire.htm

The Power of Assyria at Its Zenith; Esarhaddon and Assur-Bani-Pal
... the insubordinate elements still remaining in the Cilician valleys. ... on more than
one ruin between Thebes and ... representative to reign over the land of Ethiopia ...
/.../chapter iithe power of assyria 2.htm