Sharon

A section of the plain on the Mediterranean coast of Israel. It runs from the city of Joppa in the south to the Crocodile River in the north. This river marks the border between Sharon and the plain of Dor.

The Sharon Plain is the largest of the northern coastal plains. It is 80 kilometers (50 miles) from north to south and 16.1 kilometers (10 miles) wide. Its shore is straight and consists of beach and cliffs. There are no natural harbors along the coast, so the plain had no large trading ports. The Via Maris, a major north-south trading route, ran along the eastern edge of the plain.

Five streams (also called "wadis") cross the Sharon Plain:

• Nahal Tanninim (Crocodile River)

• Nahal Hadera

• Nahal Alexander

• Nahal Poleg

• Nahal Yarqon

These streams carry water from the Samaritan hills to the Mediterranean Sea. n the past, these streams created large swamps. These swamps were dangerous because they contained mosquitoes that spread malaria, a serious disease. The plain also has hills made of sand that rise up to 54.9 meters (180 feet) above sea level in its central area. In biblical times, oak trees covered the higher parts of Sharon.

The combination of swamps, sand hills, and forests made it very difficult for people to travel through this area. Joshua gave this land to the tribe of Manasseh (Joshua 17). But, Israel did not fully control it until King David's time (1 Chronicles 27:29). Even then, they only used it as grazing land for their animals.

In the book of Isaiah, the Sharon plain is described as being as fertile and beautiful as the regions of Carmel and Lebanon (Isaiah 33:9; 35:2). These were all areas known for their rich soil and abundant plant life. When Isaiah writes about God's future renewal of the land, he mentions that the Sharon plain will be a place where flocks of animals can graze (Isaiah 65:10).

The “rose of Sharon” mentioned in Song of Solomon 2:1 might have been one of several red flowers that grow in the plain. This beautiful flower stands in contrast to the thick, thorny plants that were common in the area.

A place that may be the same as the town of Lasharon mentioned in Joshua 12:18. See Lasharon.

An area east of the Jordan called “the pasturelands of Sharon” in 1 Chronicles 5:16.