THE SIGNIFICANCE OF VALLEYS AS VENUES OF WARFARE

 

A most noticeable feature of the battles fought by ancient Yisrael is that the majority of these took place in or around a valley, a plain, a gorge or a river bed.  To mention just a few, there is the well known battle against the Amorites in the Valley of Ayalon when the sun and the moon stood still (Joshua 10); there is the battle that took place in the Valley of Mitspeh against a number of kings with soldiers “even as the sand that is on the sea-shore in multitude”, in which Joshua took all the kings and “struck them with the edge of the sword” (Joshua 11); there is the time when Gideon conquered “the Midianites and the Amalekites and the children of the east” in the Valley of Yizre’el (Judges 6); there is the well known encounter with Goliath that took place in the Valley of Elah (1 Sam 17); there is the victorious battle of David and his men against the Philistines in the Valley of Rephayim (2 Sam 5) and yet another victory by David, this time against the Edomites, in the Valley of Melach or the Valley of Salt (2 Sam 8); there is the battle of Asa and his men against the Cushites in the Valley of Tsephatah when victory came after Asa had prayed: “Yahweh, there is none besides you to help, between the mighty and him who has no strength: help us, Yahweh our Elohim; for we rely on you, and in your name are we come against this multitude. Yahweh, you are our Elohim; don't let man prevail against you” (2 Chron 14:11) and there is the gathering for the purpose of giving praise to Yahweh in the Valley of Berachah after Yehoshaphat’s victory over Ammon and Moab (2 Chron 20). 

The fact that so many battles took place in valleys may well be contributed to strategic and geographical reasons.  In other words, these venues may have been decided upon  deliberately by (one of) the opposing parties purely for strategic, military reasons.  However, there seems to be more behind this choice of valleys as battlefields than pure military objectives.  We need to be reminded, once again, that “all these things happened to them (Yisrael) for examples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come” (1 Cor 10:11).  The principles, circumstances, and even the venues associated with the historical battles of Yisrael may not be discarded as having no importance for you and me. These are part of the things that are supposed to serve as “examples” and “admonitions” (or warnings) for those of us who are also engaged in battle - even though our warfare may be more “spiritual” in nature.  I believe that the repeated allusion to valleys in the description of famous battles, is something indeed that we need to take seriously and look into more thoroughly.  

In an effort to determine the deeper significance of valleys in warfare, we shall take a twofold approach.  On a first level, the original meaning of five Hebrew words translated as “valley” will be looked into.  Our object will be to find out whether these original concepts help us in any way to have a better understanding of the nature of the “warfare” that we are engaged in as we become part of Yahweh’s people.  And on a second level we shall analyze the names of five specific valleys mentioned in Scriptures - specifically in connection with warfare.  These valleys did not receive their names by chance.  Each name will show us how to be better equipped and how to overcome and be victorious in the battle in which we are engaged - a battle “not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Eph 6:12).