Tim Maas Supporter Retired Quality Assurance Specialist with the U.S. Army

The Kidron valley was a valley just outside the eastern wall of biblical Jerusalem that separated the Temple Mount from the Mount of Olives. It was formed by the flowing of the Kidron Brook, which is approximately twenty miles long, and whose course then continues east, through the West Bank of the Jordan River, and descending 4,000 feet before emptying into the Dead Sea.

As indicated by the verse cited in the question, the valley was frequently associated with the disposal of waste, or of items that were regarded as sacrilegious or ceremonially unclean. Jesus' crossing of this valley on his way to Gethsemane following the Last Supper was thus symbolic of His forthcoming betrayal, rejection, and death.

August 11 2019 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Leslie Coutinho Supporter

2 Chronicles 30:14: And they arose and took away the altars that were in Jerusalem, and all the altars for incense took they away, and cast them into the brook Kid’-ron.

Jo’-than, who prepared his ways before the Lord his God, then passed away and was buried in the city of David. His son Ahaz then took over, who walked not in the ways of the Lord, for he made molten images for Ba’-al-im to worship. For in every city, he made high places to burn incense unto other gods, and he provoked the anger of the Lord God of his father, Jo’-than. (2 Chro 27:1,9/28:2,24-25) When Ahaz slept with his fathers, his son Hez-e-ki’-ah then began to reign and did what was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father David had done. For he led the people from Be’-er-she’-ba even to Dan that they should keep the Passover unto the Lord God of Israel at Jerusalem. To turn again to the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, that is Jacob, (2 Chron 28:27/29:1-2/30:2,5-6/Gen 32:28/35:10)

When David began to reign, he went with his men to Jerusalem, unto the Jeb’-u-sites, the inhabitants of the land, and took a strong hold of Zion, which was then called the city of David. (2 Sam 5:7/1 Chro 11:4-7) The brook of “Cedron is Kidron valley near Gihon Spring,” which is at the foot of the city of David. Lord Jesus, ofttimes resorted with His disciples, and went forth over the brook in the garden of Ce’-dron. As Eve and Adam were betrayed by the deceiver, Satan, in the Garden of Eden, “Satan took hold of Judas,” who betrayed Jesus in this garden of Ce’-dron. (John 18:1-3) Garden of Gethsemane is at the foot of the Mount of Olives, having the “Gihon Spring,” on the east side of the “Kidron Valley in Jerusalem.” 

Garden of Eden, having springs of water flowing out of the land, went out of Eden, into four rivers, Pi’-son, Gi’-hon, Hid’-de-kel, and Eu-phra’-tes, which “watered the Garden of Eden.” Gi’-hon Spring, which flows out of the Garden of Eden, is in the “City of David within Jerusalem.” This is where the Temple Mount is, which is a significant site. As Abraham was told to take his son Isaac to the land of Mo-ri’-ah to offer him as a burnt offering upon one of the mountains, he built an altar there, which is located in Jerusalem. (Gen 22:2,9,18/John 8:56) As David had called and told the priest, Zadok, Nathan the prophet, and Be-na’-iah the son of Je-hoi’-a-da. Take with you the servant of your Lord, and cause Solomon my son to ride upon mine own mule and bring him down to Gi’-hon. (Gen 2:10-15/1 Kings 1:32-33) 

John 18:1: When Jesus had spoken these words, he went forth with his disciples over the brook Ce’-dron, where was a garden, into which he entered, and his disciples.

7 days ago • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Jack Gutknecht Supporter Arizona Bible College graduate and Dallas Seminary graduate

The Kidron Valley is a real place just east of Jerusalem, right between the city and the Mount of Olives. You see it pop up a few times in the Bible in some pretty important moments. For example, in 2 Chronicles 30:14, during King Hezekiah’s big cleanup of idolatry, they took all the altars and threw them into the Kidron Valley. It was like a garbage dump for anything that wasn’t honoring God.

David had to cross that same valley when he was running away from his son Absalom (2 Samuel 15:23), so it’s definitely a physical place, not just symbolic. Later on, King Josiah did a similar thing—breaking down idols and dumping their ashes there (2 Kings 23:4-6). And it’s not just in the Old Testament. Jesus himself crossed the Kidron Valley on the way to the Garden of Gethsemane right before his arrest (John 18:1). That shows the valley’s spot on the map is just east of Jerusalem and near the Mount of Olives.

So, the Kidron Valley is more than a valley—it’s like a spiritual boundary zone. It’s where the old, sinful things were cast away, and where some of the most dramatic moments in God’s story took place. Knowing that grounds you (no pun intended) in the reality of Scripture—it’s history and geography.

6 days ago • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report