The Kidron Valley (classical transliteration, Cedron, from Hebrew: נחל קדרון, Naḥal Qidron; also Qidron Valley; Arabic: وادي الجوز, Wadi al-Joz)
John 18
18 When Jesus had spoken these words, he went forth with his disciples over the brook Cedron, where was a garden, into the which he entered, and his disciples.
2 And Judas also, which betrayed him, knew the place: for Jesus ofttimes resorted thither with his disciples.
3 Judas then, having received a band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons.
4 Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come upon him, went forth, and said unto them, Whom seek ye?
5 They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am he. And Judas also, which betrayed him, stood with them.
6 As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground.
7 Then asked he them again, Whom seek ye? And they said, Jesus of Nazareth.
8 Jesus answered, I have told you that I am he: if therefore ye seek me, let these go their way:
9 That the saying might be fulfilled, which he spake, Of them which thou gavest me have I lost none.
10 Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest's servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus.
11 Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?
12 Then the band and the captain and officers of the Jews took Jesus, and bound him,
13 And led him away to Annas first; for he was father in law to Caiaphas, which was the high priest that same year.
14 Now Caiaphas was he, which gave counsel to the Jews, that it was expedient that one man should die for the people.
15 And Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple: that disciple was known unto the high priest, and went in with Jesus into the palace of the high priest.
16 But Peter stood at the door without. Then went out that other disciple, which was known unto the high priest, and spake unto her that kept the door, and brought in Peter.
17 Then saith the damsel that kept the door unto Peter, Art not thou also one of this man's disciples? He saith, I am not.
18 And the servants and officers stood there, who had made a fire of coals; for it was cold: and they warmed themselves: and Peter stood with them, and warmed himself.
19 The high priest then asked Jesus of his disciples, and of his doctrine.
20 Jesus answered him, I spake openly to the world; I ever taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort; and in secret have I said nothing.
21 Why askest thou me? ask them which heard me, what I have said unto them: behold, they know what I said.
22 And when he had thus spoken, one of the officers which stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, Answerest thou the high priest so?
23 Jesus answered him, If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil: but if well, why smitest thou me?
24 Now Annas had sent him bound unto Caiaphas the high priest.
25 And Simon Peter stood and warmed himself. They said therefore unto him, Art not thou also one of his disciples? He denied it, and said, I am not.
26 One of the servants of the high priest, being his kinsman whose ear Peter cut off, saith, Did not I see thee in the garden with him?
27 Peter then denied again: and immediately the cock crew.
28 Then led they Jesus from Caiaphas unto the hall of judgment: and it was early; and they themselves went not into the judgment hall, lest they should be defiled; but that they might eat the passover.
29 Pilate then went out unto them, and said, What accusation bring ye against this man?
30 They answered and said unto him, If he were not a malefactor, we would not have delivered him up unto thee.
31 Then said Pilate unto them, Take ye him, and judge him according to your law. The Jews therefore said unto him, It is not lawful for us to put any man to death:
32 That the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled, which he spake, signifying what death he should die.
33 Then Pilate entered into the judgment hall again, and called Jesus, and said unto him, Art thou the King of the Jews?
34 Jesus answered him, Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or did others tell it thee of me?
35 Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and the chief priests have delivered thee unto me: what hast thou done?
36 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.
37 Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.
38 Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find in him no fault at all.
39 But ye have a custom, that I should release unto you one at the passover: will ye therefore that I release unto you the King of the Jews?
40 Then cried they all again, saying, Not this man, but Barabbas. Now Barabbas was a robber.
Praise The Lord JESUS CHRIST!!!
3 Judas then, having received a band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons.
4 Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come upon him, went forth, and said unto them, Whom seek ye?
5 They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am he. And Judas also, which betrayed him, stood with them.
6 As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground.
7 Then asked he them again, Whom seek ye? And they said, Jesus of Nazareth.
8 Jesus answered, I have told you that I am he: if therefore ye seek me, let these go their way:
9 That the saying might be fulfilled, which he spake, Of them which thou gavest me have I lost none.
10 Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest's servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus.
11 Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?
12 Then the band and the captain and officers of the Jews took Jesus, and bound him,
13 And led him away to Annas first; for he was father in law to Caiaphas, which was the high priest that same year.
14 Now Caiaphas was he, which gave counsel to the Jews, that it was expedient that one man should die for the people.
15 And Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple: that disciple was known unto the high priest, and went in with Jesus into the palace of the high priest.
16 But Peter stood at the door without. Then went out that other disciple, which was known unto the high priest, and spake unto her that kept the door, and brought in Peter.
17 Then saith the damsel that kept the door unto Peter, Art not thou also one of this man's disciples? He saith, I am not.
18 And the servants and officers stood there, who had made a fire of coals; for it was cold: and they warmed themselves: and Peter stood with them, and warmed himself.
19 The high priest then asked Jesus of his disciples, and of his doctrine.
20 Jesus answered him, I spake openly to the world; I ever taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort; and in secret have I said nothing.
21 Why askest thou me? ask them which heard me, what I have said unto them: behold, they know what I said.
22 And when he had thus spoken, one of the officers which stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, Answerest thou the high priest so?
23 Jesus answered him, If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil: but if well, why smitest thou me?
24 Now Annas had sent him bound unto Caiaphas the high priest.
25 And Simon Peter stood and warmed himself. They said therefore unto him, Art not thou also one of his disciples? He denied it, and said, I am not.
26 One of the servants of the high priest, being his kinsman whose ear Peter cut off, saith, Did not I see thee in the garden with him?
27 Peter then denied again: and immediately the cock crew.
28 Then led they Jesus from Caiaphas unto the hall of judgment: and it was early; and they themselves went not into the judgment hall, lest they should be defiled; but that they might eat the passover.
29 Pilate then went out unto them, and said, What accusation bring ye against this man?
30 They answered and said unto him, If he were not a malefactor, we would not have delivered him up unto thee.
31 Then said Pilate unto them, Take ye him, and judge him according to your law. The Jews therefore said unto him, It is not lawful for us to put any man to death:
32 That the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled, which he spake, signifying what death he should die.
33 Then Pilate entered into the judgment hall again, and called Jesus, and said unto him, Art thou the King of the Jews?
34 Jesus answered him, Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or did others tell it thee of me?
35 Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and the chief priests have delivered thee unto me: what hast thou done?
36 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.
37 Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.
38 Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find in him no fault at all.
39 But ye have a custom, that I should release unto you one at the passover: will ye therefore that I release unto you the King of the Jews?
40 Then cried they all again, saying, Not this man, but Barabbas. Now Barabbas was a robber.
Praise The Lord JESUS CHRIST!!!
Kidron Valley and Mount of Olives - Drive Thru History
The Kidron Valley
Photo: The Kidron Valley with olives trees and graves. Courtesy of BiblePlaces.com
Exploring The Kidron Valley
The closest that most Jerusalem visitors get to the Kidron Valley comes by driving over its bridge near the Garden of Gethsemane. A quick glance north and south—and it’s over.
The valley is best seen, however, with the feet.
After crossing the street in front of the Church of All Nations, the path descends below street level to the valley floor. Suddenly the eastern wall of the Old City looms large and Jerusalem’s military advantage comes into view.
Photo: Photo: The Kidron Valley and the Old City Walls. Courtesy of BiblePlaces.com
In antiquity, the Kidron Valley—referred to in the Scriptures as a “brook”—would have been even deeper than today, channeling water most of the year (2 Samuel 15:23; 2 Kings 23:6; John 18:1). Even today, the valley still drains all of Jerusalem’s valleys to the Dead Sea.
Tombs In The Valley
Walking south along the valley’s pathway with olive trees, strange stone monuments and tombs come into view.
· The first is topped with what looks like an upside-down funnel. Arabs refer to it as “Pharaoh’s Hat,” but the more popular name is “Absalom’s Pillar,” or “Absalom’s Tomb.” We have the tenth-century Benjamin of Tudela to thank for this misnomer, based on 2 Samuel 18:18 where Absalom “set up for himself a pillar which is in the King’s Valley.” The edifice has nothing to do with Absalom, but it represents a first-century funerary monument contemporary with the Second Temple and the time of Jesus. It’s amazing it survived the destruction of the city in AD 70.
· Further south, near southeast corner of the Temple Mount, the pathway winds and another funerary monument comes into view. Older than Absalom’s Pillar, this monument has a pyramid-shaped top and carries with it the name, “Zachariah’s Tomb.” The tomb has also been attributed to Saint James, but a Hebrew inscription links it to the priestly family of Hezir (1 Chronicles 24:15).
Photo: Pillar of Absalom and Tomb of Zechariah in Kidron Valley. Courtesy of BiblePlaces.com
No visitor to the Kidron Valley can miss the innumerable tombs that surround it.
· Beside the valley, the Mount of Olives holds the largest Jewish graveyard in the world.
· The valley’s western slope has Muslim graves, purportedly to defile the Jewish Messiah when He tries to enter the bricked-up eastern gate.
· Further south alongside the valley, the village of Silwan has tombs with gabled ceilings, as well as the alleged “Tomb of Pharaoh’s Daughter,” and the Tomb of Shebnah, King Hezekiah’s scribe (2 Kings 18:18).
· The Hinnom Valley, which drains into the Kidron at the southern end of the City of David, has its own myriad of tombs—not the least which may include the monument of Annas, the high priest and father of Caiaphas mentioned in association with the trial of Jesus (see Josephus, War 5:506 and John 18:13).
Walking through the Kidron Valley is more than a stroll beside the Old City walls and beautiful olive trees. It’s even more than a lesson in archaeology. The tombs that dot the slopes give each visitor a connection with the temporary lives and the eternal hopes and faith of the thousands of individuals whose remains await the future.
Photo: Thousands of Jewish grave slope down into the Kidron Valley, the “Valley of Jehoshaphat”
Devotional Thought For The Kidron Valley
Read Daniel 12:2-3, 13; Revelation 20:11-15.
The question as to why so many graves line the slopes of the Kidron Valley points to a conviction as old as the Hebrew people.
At the top of the hill that slopes into the valley, a sign points to a set of tombs as belonging to Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi. Although archaeology doesn’t connect the first-century kokhim (shaft) tombs with the sixth- and fifth-century B.C. prophets, it is interesting that Zechariah would allegedly rest on the top (and at the bottom) of the Mount of Olives. For here he foresaw Israel’s Messiah coming to judge the world (Zechariah 14:3-12). The New Testament gives further insight to this event at the same location (Acts 1:11-12; Revelation 19:11-21). The Kidron Valley is likely the place the Prophet Joel referred to as the “Valley of Jehoshaphat”—where “the Lord judges”—and “the valley of decision” (Joel 3:2, 12, 14).
The thousands of white Jewish tombs that slope into the Kidron Valley give testimony to the hope that when the Messiah comes, “His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives” (Zechariah 14:4), and those buried there presume they’ll stand first in line for blessing. Jesus ascended to heaven on the Mount of Olives and will one day return to earth there. Of course, faith in the Messiah is the key to salvation—not where you’re buried.
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