PHOTO COURTESY NAEL BUTTO
Situated at the eastern end of the Jezreel Valley, 11 miles southwest of the Sea of Galilee, Mt. Tabor played an important role in both the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament. According to Judges 4, Mt. Tabor is the site of the battle between the Israelites, led by Deborah and Barak, and the Canaanite forces of King Jabin, led by Sisera. Although the New Testament never directly mentions the mountain, many Christians, beginning with Origen in the third century, believed it to be the location of the Transfiguration of Jesus (Matthew 17:1–8). Because of this, the mountain is also often called the Mount of Transfiguration.
In geological terms, Mt. Tabor is a monadnock, an isolated hill that rises suddenly from a surrounding valley. In antiquity, its towering height gave it a commanding view over the Via Maris (“Way of the Sea”), the major route that connected the Mediterranean coast with the Galilee region and the Jordan Valley. In Joshua 19:22, Mt. Tabor also marks the border between the tribes of Zebulun, Issachar, and Naphtali.
Situated at the eastern end of the Jezreel Valley, 11 miles southwest of the Sea of Galilee, Mt. Tabor played an important role in both the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament. According to Judges 4, Mt. Tabor is the site of the battle between the Israelites, led by Deborah and Barak, and the Canaanite forces of King Jabin, led by Sisera. Although the New Testament never directly mentions the mountain, many Christians, beginning with Origen in the third century, believed it to be the location of the Transfiguration of Jesus (Matthew 17:1–8). Because of this, the mountain is also […]
