תָּבוֹר
Tabor, a mountain in Palestine, also a city adjacent
Definition
Tabor refers primarily to Mount Tabor, a prominent, isolated mountain in the Jezreel Valley of northern Israel. In the Bible, it is a significant geographical landmark, serving as a boundary point for the tribe of Issachar (Joshua 19:22) and as the site where the prophetess Deborah and the commander Barak gathered Israelite forces to defeat the Canaanite army of Sisera (Judges 4:6, 12, 14). The name also designates a Levitical city in the territory of Zebulun (1 Chronicles 6:77), which is likely a town at the mountain's base. Poetically, Mount Tabor is mentioned alongside Mount Hermon as a symbol of God's majestic creation (Psalm 89:12).
Biblical Usage
The word is used exclusively as a proper noun for a specific location. Its ten occurrences are spread across historical books (Joshua, Judges, 1 Samuel, 1 Chronicles) and poetry (Psalms). In Judges 4, it is central to the narrative of a key military victory. In 1 Samuel 10:3, it is a landmark on Saul's journey after his anointing. The usage consistently identifies a known, fixed place in Israel's geography, either the mountain itself or the associated town.
Etymology
The name Tabor (תָּבוֹר) is likely derived from a root meaning 'to break' or 'to pierce,' possibly related to the Hebrew תְּבַר (H8406). This etymology suggests a 'broken region' or a 'mound,' which aptly describes its distinct, dome-shaped peak rising abruptly from the surrounding plain. The name may reflect its striking, isolated topography.
Semantic Range
Mount Tabor is a location of divine intervention and victory, most notably in Judges 4, where God delivers Israel through Deborah and Barak. Its mention in Psalm 89:12 alongside Hermon celebrates God's sovereign power in creation, with the north and south personified praising Him. While not the traditional site of Jesus' Transfiguration (that is Mount Hermon), its prominence in the Old Testament makes it a symbol of God's help and a witness to His mighty acts in Israel's history.
In the ancient Near East, prominent mountains were often associated with the divine or seen as meeting places between heaven and earth. Mount Tabor's solitary, rounded form made it a highly visible landmark and a natural fortress. Its strategic location controlling major trade routes through the Jezreel Valley gave it military importance, as seen in the battle against Sisera. For Israelites, it was a recognizable part of their tribal territories and physical landscape.
Har (H2022) — The generic Hebrew word for 'mountain' or 'hill,' whereas Tabor is the specific proper name. Gibʿah (H1389) — Often translated 'hill' or 'hill country,' but typically refers to a lower, rolling elevation, not a distinct, isolated peak like Tabor.
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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