עֵ֫מֶק

From the study of 2 Chronicles 20:26

Range of meaning

A broad valley, a lowland or plain between hills, often farmland and suitable for gathering troops or crowds (e.g. the Valley of Jezreel, the Valley of Elah). It is different from a gay' (a ravine or gorge) and from a nachal (a wadi, a seasonal streambed).

Against the English

English "valley" is close enough. Readers should picture an open space where a large crowd could gather, not a canyon.

Used elsewhere in the period

It is used for battlefields and assembly grounds (Judg 6:33; 1 Sam 17:2). Joel 3:2, 12 (Hebrew 4:2, 12) uses 'emeq for the "Valley of Jehoshaphat" where God judges the nations. The name may echo this story, though any link is uncertain.

From the study of Joshua 13:19

Range of meaning

A broad, low valley or vale, usually wide enough to farm (e.g. the Jezreel valley, the Valley of Achor). Compare gay', a ravine or gorge, and nachal, a wadi or stream valley.

Against the English

'Valley' is fine, though modern readers may picture a narrow valley between mountains rather than a wide lowland.

Used elsewhere in the period

Joshua 13:27 lists Reuben's and Gad's towns 'in the valley' (ba-ʿemeq), Beth-haram and others in the Jordan rift. That supports reading 'the valley' here as the Jordan/Dead Sea lowland.

From the study of 1 Kings 20:28

Range of meaning

A broad, open valley or lowland plain, usually good farmland and good ground for travel and war. Named examples include the Valley of Jezreel, the Valley of Aijalon and the Valley of Elah. Hebrew has other words for narrow places: gayʾ (ravine, gorge, as in the 'valley of the shadow of death', Ps 23:4) and naḥal (wadi, stream-bed). ʿEmeq is the wide, flat kind.

Against the English

Most versions say 'valleys'. In modern English, especially in church speech, a 'valley' easily suggests a low, dark time in life. Some versions say 'plains', which is closer to the military picture and matches the Arameans' own word mishor ('level ground') in 20:23, 25.

How it drifted

In devotional English, 'valley' has become a metaphor for hardship. Much of this comes from Psalm 23's 'valley of the shadow of death' (a different Hebrew word, gayʾ) and from 'mountaintop/valley' sermons and songs. The word in this verse is about terrain.

Used elsewhere in the period

The plain of Jezreel is called the ʿemeq (Josh 17:16; Judg 6:33). Joshua 17:16 says the Canaanites of the ʿemeq had iron chariots, and Judges 1:19 says Judah 'could not drive out the inhabitants of the lowland, because they had iron chariots'. BDB and HALOT give the core sense 'broad valley, lowland plain'.