City of Palms

The "City of Palms" was a poetic name for Jericho, reflecting the lush date palms that grew at its perennial spring in the otherwise arid Jordan Valley. The name first appears in Moses' final speech: from the plains of Moab, God showed Moses "the Negev and the Plain — that is, the Valley of Jericho, the City of Palms — as far as Zoar" (Deuteronomy 34:3). The Kenites, descendants of Moses' father-in-law, moved up "from the City of Palms" with the people of Judah into the Negev (Judges 1:16). Later in the judges period, Eglon king of Moab captured the City of Palms and held Israel in subjection for eighteen years until the left-handed judge Ehud assassinated him (Judges 3:13). Centuries later, victorious northern soldiers who had captured Judahites returned them clothed and fed "to their kindred at Jericho, the City of Palms" (2 Chronicles 28:15).