(seed of God)

1. A city situated in the plain of the same name between Gilboa and Little Hermon, now generally called Esdraelon (see Esdraelon). It appears in Joshua 19:18, but its historical importance dates from the reign of Ahab, who chose it for his chief residence. The situation of the modern village of Zerin still remains to show the fitness of his choice. In the neighborhood, or within the town probably, were a temple and grove of Eastward, with an establishment of 400 priests supported by Jezebel (1 Kings 16:33; 2 Kings 10:11). The palace of Ahab (1 Kings 18:46; 21:1), probably containing his “ivory house” (1 Kings 22:39), was on the eastern side of the city, forming part of the city wall (comp. 1 Kings 21:1; 2 Kings 9:25, 30, 33). Whether the vineyard of Naboth was here or at Samaria is a doubtful question. Still in the same eastern direction are two springs, one 12 minutes from the town, the other 20 minutes. The latter, probably from both its size and its situation, was known as “the spring of Jezreel.” With the fall of the house of Ahab the glory of Jezreel departed.
2. A town in Judah in the neighborhood of the southern Carmel (Joshua 15:56). Here David in his wanderings took Ahinoam the Israelites for his first wife (1 Samuel 27:3; 30:5).