Xplan ((1) kikkar, "circle" "talent," or "round loaf"; (2) mishor, from yashar, "to be level"; compare Arabic maisur, "that which is easy"; (3) biqah; compare Arabic baq`at, "a plot of ground" or "a wet meadow"; (4) `arabhah; (5) shephelah; (6) topos pedinos (Lk 6:17); (7) elon; compare elah, and allon "oak" (Gen 35:4,8, etc.); also elah, "Elah" (1 Sam 17:2); (8) abhel):
See NATURAL FEATURES.
(1) Kikkar, when meaning "plain" usually refers to the alluvial plain about Jericho near the north end of the Dead Sea: "Plain (the Revised Version margin "circle") of the Jordan" (Gen 13:10,11; 1 Ki 7:46; 2 Ch 4:17); "Plain of the valley of Jericho" (Dt 34:3); "cities of the Plain" (Gen 13:12; 19:29); "all the Plain" (Gen 19:17,25); "by the way of the Plain" (2 Sam 18:23); but "the plain round about Jerusalem" (Neh 12:28).
See CICCAR; CIRCLE.
(2) Mishor, English Versions of the Bible "plain," the Revised Version margin usually "table-land," clearly refers in most places to the highlands of Gilead and Moab, East of the Jordan and the Dead Sea; e.g. Josh 13:9, "the plain (the Revised Version margin "table-land") of Medeba."
(3) Biq`ah is more often translated "valley" (which see).
(4) `Arabhah is in the Revised Version (British and American) often translated "the Arabah," denoting the whole Jordan-Dead-Sea-Arabah depression = Arabic Ghaur (Ghor). In Dt 11:30, the King James Version has "champaign" (which see). The "plains of Moab" (Nu 22:1; 26:3,13; 31:12; 33:48,49,50; 35:1; 36:13; Dt 34:1,8; Josh 13:32) and "plains of Jericho" (Josh 4:13; 5:10; 2 Ki 25:5; Jer 39:5; 52:8) are the low plain or ghaur North of the Dead Sea. `Arabhah is here equivalent to kikkar (see above). Note the distinction between mishor used of the highlands, and kikkar and `arabhah used of the ghaur.
See ARABAH.
(5) Shephelah is by the Revised Version (British and American) throughout translated "lowland" (which see), and includes the western slopes of the Judean hills and the maritime plain.
(6) Topos pedinos occurs only in Lk 6:17.
(7) `Elon is translated "plain" in the King James Version: "plain of Moreh" (Gen 12:6; Dt 11:30); "plain (or plains) of Mamre" (Gen 13:18; 14:13; 18:1); "plain of Zaanaim" (Jdg 4:11); "plain of the pillar" (Jdg 9:6); "plain of Meonenim" (Jdg 9:37); "plain of Tabor" (1 Sam 10:3). the Revised Version (British and American) has throughout "oak," the Revised Version margin "terebinth"; compare "oak" (Gen 35:4,8, etc.) and "vale of Elah" (1 Sam 17:2,19; 21:9).
(8) (Jdg 11:33) is in the King James Version "the plain of the vineyards," the Revised Version (British and American) "Abel-cheramim," the Revised Version margin "the meadow of vineyards." Elsewhere in English Versions of the Bible abhel is "Abel" or "Abel."
See ABEL-CHERAMIM; MEADOW.
Alfred Ely Day