Arabah

The Brook of the Arabah was the eastern boundary of King Jeroboam II's kingdom.

The Brook of the Arabah is mentioned in the Bible as the eastern boundary of the kingdom of Israel during the reign of Jeroboam II (Amo.6.14). Jeroboam II was a powerful king who expanded Israel's territory and restored its borders to their former extent. The Brook of the Arabah likely refers to the Wadi Zered, a seasonal stream that flows into the Dead Sea from the east, marking the boundary between Moab and Edom.

Amos's prophecy indicates that God would judge Israel for their sins, and their territory would be invaded from the Brook of the Arabah to the entrance of Hamath in the north. This prophecy highlights the extent of Israel's kingdom under Jeroboam II and the impending judgment that would befall them. The Brook of the Arabah serves as a geographical marker, emphasizing the scope of both Israel's power and their coming downfall.

Plain, in the Revised Version of 2 Kings 14:25; Josh. 3:16; 8:14; 2 Sam. 2:29; 4:7 (in all these passages the A.V. has “plain”); Amos 6:14 (A.V. “wilderness”). This word is found in the Authorized Version only in Josh. 18:18. It denotes the hollow depression through which the Jordan flows from the Lake of Galilee to the Dead Sea. It is now called by the Arabs el-Ghor. But the Ghor is sometimes spoken of as extending 10 miles south of the Dead Sea, and thence to the Gulf of Akabah on the Red Sea is called the Wady el-Arabah.