We meet with an account of numberless values and vales in the Scripture. There is the valley of Achor, for a door of hope. (Hos. 2: 15.) The valley of Baca, a place of Bochim, or weeping. (Judges. 2: 1.) The valley of Eshcol, or grapes. (Num. xxx2: 9.) In short they are too numerous to be all noticed in this little work. But by valley the scriptural and figurative sense is, this lower world. Hence Ezekiel’s vision in the valley of the dry bones. (See Ezek. 37. 1 - 14.) I would only beg to call the reader’s attention to a beautiful instancein point, where Jesus, speaking of visiting his church, useth this figure, "I went down (said Christ) into the garden of nuts, to see the fruits of the valley; and to see whether the vine flourished, and the pomegranate budded." (Song vi. 11.) What an endearing representation this is of Jesus, coming down into time valley of our world, and taking notice of his own graces given by himself to his own people. Sweet thought to comfort every poor fearful believer
With respect to the general features of the Holy Land, see CANAAN; and for descriptions of some of its numerous valleys, see JERUSALEM, JEZREEL, JORDAN, REPHAIM, SHECHIEM, and SODOM. "The valley of the shadow of death," is an expression denoting an extremely perilous and cheerless condition of the soul, Psa 23:4, and may have been suggested by the psalmist’s experience with his flock in some of the deep, narrow, and dark ravines of Syria.\par Thus the entrance to Petra is by long winding defile, between rugged precipices in some spots not more than twelve or fourteen feet apart and two or three hundred feet high, and almost excluding the light of day. See view in SELA. A similar pass south of mount Carmel is now known as the "Valley of Death-shade."\par
Valley. It is hardly necessary to state that these words signify a hollow sweep of ground between two more or less parallel ridges of high land. The structure of the greater part of the Holy Land does not lend itself to the formation of valleys in our sense of the word. The abrupt transitions of its crowded rocky hills preclude the existence of any extended sweep of valley. Valley is employed in the Authorized Version to render five distinct Hebrew words.
1. ’Emek. This appears to approach more nearly to the general sense of the English word, valley, than any other. It is connected with several places.
2. Gai or ge. Of this, there is fortunately, one example which can be identified with certainty -- the deep hollow which compasses the southwest and south of Jerusalem. This identification establishes the ge as a deep and abrupt ravine, with steep sides and narrow bottom.
3. Nachal. This word answers to the Arabic wady, and expresses, as no single English word can, the bed of a stream (often wide and shelving, and like a "valley" in character, which in the rainy season may be nearly filled by a foaming torrent, though for the greater part of the year dry).
4. Bik’ah. This term appears to mean rather a plain (enclosed by mountains) than a valley, though so far resembling it as to be enclosed by mountains. It is rendered by "valley" in Deu 34:3; Jos 11:8; Jos 11:17; Jos 12:7; 2Ch 35:22; Zec 12:11.
5. has-Shefelah. The district to which the name has-Shefelah is applied in the Bible has no resemblance whatever to a valley, but is a broad, swelling tract of many hundred miles in area, which sweeps gently down from the mountains Judah to the Mediterranean. It is rendered "the vale" in Deu 1:7; Jos 10:40; 1Ki 10:27; 2Ch 1:15; Jer 33:13 and "the valley" or "the valleys" in Jos 9:1; Jos 11:2; Jos 11:16; Jos 12:8; Jos 15:33; Jdg 1:9; Jer 32:44.
(See VALE.)
Vale, Valley. Five Hebrew words are translated "vale" or "valley." 1. Emek, signifying a "deep" broad valley, as the valley of Achor, Aijalon, Elan, Jezreel, Succoth, etc. 2. Gai or ge, signifying a "bursting," and used to designate narrow ravines or glens, as of Hinnom or Salt. Deu 34:6. 3. Nachal, meaning a "wâdy-bed," filled with water in winter, but dry in summer. Such, beds or valleys were Chereth, Eshcol, Sorek, Zered, etc. 4. Bikʾah, properly a "cleft," but applied to a broader space than a cleft or valley, and meaning sometimes a "plain," as that between Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon and Megiddo. Jos 11:17; Jos 13:17; Zec 12:11. 5. Has-Shephelah, wrongly rendered "vale" in A. V., but "lowland" in R. V., meant a broad tract of low Mils between the mountains of Judah and the coast-plain. Deu 1:7; Jos 10:40.
Psa 23:4 (b) David describes in this way the deep sorrow and perplexity which comes upon a person as he nears the portals of death. It may refer also to the times of deep sorrow and trouble through which persons pass along life’s pathway.
Son 2:1 (c) No doubt this is descriptive of the deeply distressing experiences of life into which the Lord brings the fragrance of His presence, the comfort of His words, and the sweetness of His fellowship to His own people. We should note that the word is in the plural, for there are many valleys between the cradle and the grave.
Isa 22:1 (c) This probably represents the feelings of the prophet when he was depressed in spirit, and felt quite crushed beneath the burden of Israel’s future. He was looking forward to the terrible destruction that awaited His people and it brought him low before the Lord.
Isa 40:4 (c) It may be that this is literal, and yet it may indicate that deep sorrows and perplexities may be overcome and great difficulties may be removed. It probably is a figure of the smooth, blessed life in which Christians may walk when GOD is present in power. (See also Luk 3:5).
Jer 2:23 (a) It seems as though these enemies of GOD were hiding in secret places to carry out their wicked designs. Where there should have been happiness under GOD’s blessing, they were sinning and inviting GOD’s wrath.
Eze 37:1 (a) GOD sees all the nation of Israel as gathered together in one place, and that a low place. We see Israel scattered all over the world, and found in every country. No doubt they are in the valley, for they are the subjects of other people when they should be citizens of their own country, with their own king. GOD sees all of Israel, every person of Israel as though they were in one place constituting one unit. (See under "BONES"), for a description of this truth found in this passage).