Jeruel
Jeru'el (Heb. Yeruel', יַרוּאֵל, founded by God, otherwise fear of God; SEE JERIEL; Sept. Ι᾿εριήλ), a desert (מדבָּר, i.e. open common) mentioned in the prediction by Jahaziel of Jehoshaphat's victory over the Moabites and Ammonites, where it is described as being situated on the ascent from the valley of the Dead Sea towards Jerusalem, at the foot of the valley leading towards the cliff Ziz (1Ch 20:8). The "desert" was probably so called as adjoining some town or village of the same name. From the context it appears to have lain beyond the wilderness of Tekoa (ver. 20), in the direction of Engedi (ver. 2), near a certain watchtower overlooking the pass (ver. 24). It appears to correspond to the tract el- Hussasah, sloping from Tekoa to the precipice of Ain-Jidy, described by Dr. Robinson as fertile in the northwestern part (Researches, 2, 212), but sterile as it approaches the Ghor (p. 243), and forming part of the Desert of Judaea. The invading tribes, having marched round the south of the Dead Sea, had encamped at Engedi. The road thence to Jerusalem ascends from the shore by a steep and terrible pass" (Walcott, Bib. Sac. 1, 69), and thence leads northward, passing below Tekoa (Robinson, Bib. Res. 1, 501, 508). The valley ("brook," ver. 16), at the end of which the enemy were to be found, was probably the wady Jehar, which, with its continuation wady el-Ghar, traverses the southern part of this plateau (Robinson's Res. 2, 185); and its upper end appears to have been the same through which the triumphant host passed on their return. and named it BERACHAH SEE BERACHAH (q.v.), i.e. blessing, in commemoration of the victory (ver. 26).
