Plain

(1.) Heb. 'abel (Judg 11:33), a "grassy plain" or "meadow." Instead of "plains of the vineyards," as in the Authorized Version, the Revised Version has "Abel-cheramim" (q.v.), comp. (Judg 11:22; 2Chr 16:4).

(2.) Heb. 'elon (Gen 12:6 ; 13:18; 14:13; 18:1; Deut 11:30; Judg 9:6), more correctly "oak," as in the Revised Version; margin, "terebinth."

(3.) Heb. bik'ah (Gen 11:2 ; Neh 6:2 ; Ezek 3:23; Dan 3:1 ), properly a valley, as rendered in (Isa 40:4), a broad plain between mountains. In (Amos 1:5 ) the margin of Authorized Version has "Bikathaven."

(4.) Heb. kikar, "the circle," used only of the Ghor, or the low ground along the Jordan (Gen 13:10 -12; 19:17; 19:25; 19:28; 19:29; Deut 34:3; 2Sam 18:23 ; 1Kings 7:46; 2Chr 4:17; Neh 3:22 ; 12:28), the floor of the valley through which it flows. This name is applied to the Jordan valley as far north as Succoth.

(5.) Heb. mishor, "level ground," smooth, grassy table-land (Deut 3:10; 4:43; Josh 13:9; 13:16; 13:17; 13:21; 20:8; Jer 48:21 ), an expanse of rolling downs without rock or stone. In these passages, with the article prefixed, it denotes the plain in the tribe of Reuben. In (2Chr 26:10) the plain of Judah is meant. Jerusalem is called "the rock of the plain" in (Jer 21:13 ), because the hills on which it is built rise high above the plain.

(6.) Heb. 'arabah, the valley from the Sea of Galilee southward to the Dead Sea [the "sea of the plain," (2Kings 14:25; Deut 1:1; 2:8)], a distance of about 70 miles. It is called by the modern Arabs the Ghor. This Hebrew name is found in Authorized Version (Josh 18:18), and is uniformly used in the Revised Version. Down through the centre of this plain is a ravine, from 200 to 300 yards wide, and from 50 to 100 feet deep, through which the Jordan flows in a winding course. This ravine is called the "lower plain."

The name Arabah is also applied to the whole Jordan valley from Mount Hermon to the eastern branch of the Red Sea, a distance of about 200 miles, as well as to that portion of the valley which stretches from the Sea of Galilee to the same branch of the Red Sea, i.e., to the Gulf of Akabah about 100 miles in all.

(7.) Heb. shephelah, "low ground," "low hill-land," rendered "vale" or "valley" in Authorized Version (Josh 9:1; 10:40; 11:2; 12:8; Judg 1:9; 1Kings 10:27). In Authorized Version (1Chr 27:28; 2Chr 26:10) it is also rendered "low country." In (Jer 17:26 ; Obad 1:19 ; Zech 7:7), "plain." The Revised Version renders it uniformly "low land." When it is preceded by the article, as in (Deut 1:7; Josh 11:16; 15:33; Jer 32:44 ; 33:13; Zech 7:7), "the shephelah," it denotes the plain along the Mediterranean from Joppa to Gaza, "the plain of the Philistines." (See VALLEY)

EBD - Easton's Bible Dictionary