Gilboa
“Boiling spring or bubbling fountain”
Summary
A mountain range in northern Israel where King Saul and his sons were slain in battle against the Philistines.
☩Location and Description
Mount Gilboa is a mountain range on the eastern edge of the plain of Esdraelon, extending about ten miles from northwest to southeast. The highest point reaches approximately 1,700 feet above sea level. The name means 'boiling spring,' likely referring to the nearby fountain of Harod at the northeastern base. The ridge is notably bleak and bare, with scanty soil and gray limestone rocks cropping out in jagged cliffs, giving it a look of painful barrenness.
☩The Death of Saul
Gilboa is memorable as the scene of Saul's final battle and death. The Philistines encamped at Shunem on the north side of the valley, while Saul positioned his army by the fountain of Jezreel at the base of Gilboa. The location was strategically disadvantageous: the Philistines had the advantage of a gentle descent for their attack, while the Israelites' retreat up the steep hillside was nearly impossible. In the battle, Saul's three sons—Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchishua—were slain, and Saul himself, severely wounded by archers, fell upon his own sword rather than be captured.
☩David's Lament
When David learned of the disaster, he composed his famous elegy over Saul and Jonathan. In it he pronounced a curse upon the mountains where they fell: 'Ye mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew, neither let there be rain upon you, nor fields of offerings.' The present barren appearance of the mountains has struck travelers as almost prophetically fitting David's words, though the barrenness may have existed before and contributed to the name's etymology.
Related Verses8 mentions
References
- 1.John McClintock and James Strong, "Gilboa," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. III (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).
- 2.James Orr (ed.), "Gilboa, Mount," in International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, vol. II (Howard-Severance Company, 1915).
- 3.George Morrish, "Gilboa," in Morrish's Concise Bible Dictionary (George Morrish, 1898).
- 4.F. N. Peloubet & M. A. Peloubet (ed.), "Gilboa," in Smith's Bible Dictionary (Porter & Coates, 1884).