Meaning of PLAIN

This term is a translation of several Hebrew words, three of which deserve some attention.

(a) "Sh'phelah", low or flat country.
Region of low hills, between the coastal plain of Philistia and the mountains of the central system of Palestine.

Eusebius describes the Shephelah in his Onomasticon thus: "This is the entire lower region around Eleutheropolis (modern Beit Djibrin), in the direction of the north and west."

But in the OT era the Shephelah was also understood as the low hills that extended to the east and south. These heights are between 150 and 240 m.; a few peaks are higher.

There is an abundance of olive trees on its slopes. This kind of low plateau is separated from central Judea by valleys that run north and south of Ajalon, as far as Beersheba.

There are several large fertile plains between the Judean mountain range and the sea cutting across the plain. The Shephelah was assigned to the tribe of Judah; Its territory was the largest of all, so a small northern part was given to Dan (Josh. 15:33ff; 19:40ff).

Adullam, Beth-shemesh, Gezer, Eglon, Lachish, and part of the valleys of Ajalon, Sorech, and Elah were in this lower country (v. 33 ff.; 1 Sam. 17:1, 2; 2 Chron. 28 :18). (See PALESTINE, d.)

(b) "Kikkar", circle, circuit, designated particularly the "plain of the Jordan"; It extended from Sukkot in the north to Sodom and Gomorrah in the south (Gen. 13:10, 11, 12; 19:17, 28; Deut. 34:3; 2 Sam.18:23; 2 Chron. 4:17).

The term "Kikkar" possibly included the entire lower Jordan Valley to Lake Gennesaret (Wars 4:8, 2; Deut. 2:8; 3:17, etc.). (See ARABÁ.)

(c) "'rabah", generally translated as plain, designates the great depression running from the Sea of Galilee to the Dead Sea, and then continuing to the Red Sea (Deut. 2:8; 3:17, etc.) . (See ARABÁ.)