Sharon
Geography of the Plain
The Plain of Sharon extends along the Mediterranean coast of Israel from the Yarkon River near modern Tel Aviv in the south to Mount Carmel in the north, roughly 50 miles long and 8 to 12 miles wide. The soil is deep, rich loam, ideal for agriculture, and the plain is watered by several perennial streams fed by springs from the western slopes of the central mountains. Water can be found at almost any point by digging, and deep wells built by the Crusaders remain among the most valued features of the region.
In ancient times, the northern part of Sharon was covered with dense oak forests, which accounts for the Greek translation of the name using a word meaning "forest." Josephus and the Greek geographer Strabo both reference these woods. The southern portion was more open, with rolling hills, pastureland, and fields of wildflowers that burst into color each spring.
Sharon in the Old Testament
Sharon appears in several Old Testament passages that celebrate its natural beauty and abundance. Isaiah pairs it with Mount Carmel as a symbol of God's glory: "It shall blossom abundantly and rejoice with joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, the majesty of Carmel and Sharon" (Isaiah 35:2). The prophecy of restoration in Isaiah 65:10 declares that "Sharon shall become a pasture for flocks," indicating a return to the prosperity that characterized the land under God's blessing.
David's herds that grazed in Sharon were tended by Shitrai the Sharonite (1 Chronicles 27:29), indicating the plain's importance as pastoral land during the monarchy. The combination of forests, pastures, and fertile fields made Sharon one of the most productive regions in all of ancient Israel.
The Rose of Sharon
The most famous biblical reference to Sharon comes in Song of Solomon 2:1: "I am a rose of Sharon, a lily of the valleys." Despite the traditional translation, the flower in question was not actually a rose. The Hebrew word likely refers to the white narcissus or possibly a type of crocus, flowers that bloom abundantly across the Sharon plain in spring. The image conveys natural beauty, abundance, and the unforced loveliness of creation — qualities the poem attributes to the beloved.
In Christian tradition, the "rose of Sharon" has been applied to Christ himself, though this is a devotional interpretation rather than the original meaning of the text.
Sharon in the New Testament
Sharon is mentioned once in the New Testament, in Acts 9:35, where the residents of Lydda and Sharon "turned to the Lord" after witnessing Peter's healing of the paralyzed Aeneas. This reference places Sharon in the context of the early church's expansion beyond Jerusalem into the coastal lowlands of Judea, demonstrating the gospel's reach into one of the most populated regions of Palestine.
A Second Sharon?
First Chronicles 5:16 mentions a "Sharon" in connection with the territory of the tribe of Gad, east of the Jordan River. This may refer to a different region entirely, perhaps associated with the area of Bashan. Some scholars have suggested it is a textual corruption of "Sirion," another name for Mount Hermon, but the identification remains uncertain.
Biblical Context
Sharon appears in Isaiah's prophecies of restoration and glory (Isaiah 33:9; 35:2; 65:10), in the Song of Solomon's poetry of beauty (Song of Solomon 2:1), in the administrative records of David's kingdom (1 Chronicles 27:29), and in the account of the early church's expansion (Acts 9:35). A separate Sharon east of the Jordan is mentioned in 1 Chronicles 5:16.
Theological Significance
Sharon represents the beauty and abundance of God's creation and his provision for his people. Its appearance in prophetic visions of restoration shows that God's redemptive plan includes the renewal of the physical world. The withering of Sharon symbolizes divine judgment (Isaiah 33:9), while its flourishing represents blessing and hope. The beloved's self-identification as a flower of Sharon in the Song of Solomon has been read by many Christians as pointing to the beauty of Christ and his church.
Historical Background
The Sharon plain has been inhabited since prehistoric times. During the Iron Age, it served as an important agricultural and pastoral region. The Philistines controlled parts of the coastal plain before David's conquests. Under the Romans, the cities of Caesarea and Apollonia anchored the coastal road, the Via Maris, which ran through Sharon. The Crusaders later built castles and dug wells that remain visible today. Modern Israeli agricultural settlements, including early Zionist colonies, proved the exceptional productivity of Sharon's soil, and the plain is now one of the most densely populated and developed regions in Israel.