κέδρος (kedros)
kedros
Kidron
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The word kedros in this context refers to the Kidron Valley, a winter torrent that rises near Jerusalem and flows eastward into the Dead Sea. It serves as a geographical boundary between the city and the Mount of Olives. In the New Testament, it appears only once, in John 18:1, marking the location where Jesus crossed after the Last Supper.
The name itself carries the sense of "turbid" or muddy water, reflecting the nature of the stream which is often dry but fills rapidly during winter rains. This vivid imagery grounds the biblical narrative in a specific, tangible landscape familiar to first-century readers. The valley’s role as a threshold between the city and the wilderness adds depth to the scene of Jesus’ arrest.
Translators consistently render this term as "Kidron" or "Cedron," preserving its identity as a real place rather than a symbolic concept. Its single occurrence highlights its importance in the Passion narrative, anchoring the event in history. The valley remains a significant site for understanding the physical setting of Jesus’ final hours.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Kidron Valley marks the physical boundary Jesus crossed as He moved from the intimacy of the Upper Room toward the weight of His impending suffering. This was not a symbolic gesture but a real place, a dry riverbed that only filled with water during winter rains. By stepping over this threshold, Jesus entered the wilderness area where He would face arrest, grounding the spiritual reality of the Gospel in tangible history.
For your faith, this detail reminds us that God’s work often happens in ordinary, rugged landscapes rather than isolated from them. The valley’s name suggests turbid or muddy water, reflecting a journey that was not always clear or calm. Yet even in such murky times, Jesus walked forward with purpose, inviting us to trust Him when our own paths feel uncertain or dark.
When you face your own transitions or difficult crossings, remember that the same Lord who crossed this valley is with you. His presence turns ordinary places into sites of profound spiritual significance, offering hope and stability in every season of life.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- of Kidron1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- Κεδρὼν1×
Key Verses
-
John 18:1
When Jesus had spoken these words, he went out with his disciples over the brook Kidron, where there was a garden, into which he and his disciples entered.
This verse marks the precise geographical moment Jesus left the safety of Jerusalem to face His arrest in the wilderness.