Mount Gilboa in the Torah
הר גלבוע
The mountain where King Saul and his son Jonathan fell in battle against the Philistines — the tragic end of Israel's first royal dynasty. David's lament over their deaths is one of the most moving poems in the Tanakh: 'How the mighty have fallen!' David cursed the mountains of Gilboa, saying 'Let there be no dew or rain upon you.'
Wikimedia Commons
Amir Yalon from Ganei Tikva, Israel (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Key Verses
5 selected passages mentioning Mount Gilboa
The Philistines gather at Shunem; Saul and Israel camp at Gilboa
וַיִּקָּבְצ֣וּ פְלִשְׁתִּ֔ים וַיָּבֹ֖אוּ וַיַּחֲנ֣וּ בְשׁוּנֵ֑ם וַיִּקְבֹּ֤ץ שָׁאוּל֙ אֶת־כׇּל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַֽיַּחֲנ֖וּ בַּגִּלְבֹּֽעַ׃
The Philistines mustered and they marched to Shunem and encamped; and Saul gathered all Israel, and they encamped at Gilboa.
The men of Israel flee before the Philistines and fall slain on Mount Gilboa
וּפְלִשְׁתִּ֖ים נִלְחָמִ֣ים בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיָּנֻ֜סוּ אַנְשֵׁ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ מִפְּנֵ֣י פְלִשְׁתִּ֔ים וַיִּפְּל֥וּ חֲלָלִ֖ים בְּהַ֥ר הַגִּלְבֹּֽעַ׃
aCf. 1 Chron. 10, which reproduces this chapter with minor variations. The Philistines attacked Israel, and the men of Israel fled before the Philistines and [many] fell on Mount Gilboa.
The Philistines find Saul and his sons fallen on Mount Gilboa
וַֽיְהִי֙ מִֽמׇּחֳרָ֔ת וַיָּבֹ֣אוּ פְלִשְׁתִּ֔ים לְפַשֵּׁ֖ט אֶת־הַחֲלָלִ֑ים וַֽיִּמְצְא֤וּ אֶת־שָׁאוּל֙ וְאֶת־שְׁלֹ֣שֶׁת בָּנָ֔יו נֹפְלִ֖ים בְּהַ֥ר הַגִּלְבֹּֽעַ׃
The next day the Philistines came to strip the slain, and they found Saul and his three sons lying on Mount Gilboa.
Mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew or rain upon you
הָרֵ֣י בַגִּלְבֹּ֗עַ אַל־טַ֧ל וְאַל־מָטָ֛ר עֲלֵיכֶ֖ם וּשְׂדֵ֣י תְרוּמֹ֑ת כִּ֣י שָׁ֤ם נִגְעַל֙ מָגֵ֣ן גִּבּוֹרִ֔ים מָגֵ֣ן שָׁא֔וּל בְּלִ֖י מָשִׁ֥יחַ בַּשָּֽׁמֶן׃
O hills of Gilboa—Let there be no dew or rain on you,Or bountiful fields,gOr bountiful fields Meaning of Heb. uncertain. Emendation yields “springs from the deep” (cf. Ugaritic shrʻthmtm, and Gen. 7.11; 8.2). For there the shield of warriors lay rejected,The shield of Saul,Polished with oil no more.
How the mighty have fallen in the midst of the battle
אֵ֚יךְ נָפְל֣וּ גִבֹּרִ֔ים בְּת֖וֹךְ הַמִּלְחָמָ֑ה יְה֣וֹנָתָ֔ן עַל־בָּמוֹתֶ֖יךָ חָלָֽל׃
How have the mighty fallenIn the thick of battle—Jonathan, slain on your heights!
3 more verses mention Mount Gilboa across the Tanakh
Israel Wall Art
