gilboa Summary and Overview

boiling spring, a mountain range, now Jebel Fukua', memorable as the scene of Saul's disastrous defeat by the Philistines. Here also his three sons were slain, and he himself died by his own hand (1 Sam. 28:4; 31:1-8; 2 Sam. 1:6-21; 21:12; 1 Chr. 10:1, 8). It was a low barren range of mountains bounding the valley of Esdraelon (Jezreel) on the east, between it and the Jordan valley. When the tidings of this defeat were conveyed to David, he gave utterance to those pathetic words in the "Song of the Bow" (2 Sam. 1:19-27).

(a bubbling spring) a mountain range on the eastern side of the plain of Esdraelon, rising over the city of Jezreel. Comp. #1Sa 28:4| with 1Sam 29:1 It is mentioned in Scripture only in connection with one event in Israelitish history, the defeat and death of Saul and Jonathan by the Philistines. #1Sa 31:11; 2Sa 1:6; 21:12; 1Ch 10:1,8| Of the identity of Gilboa with the ridge which stretches eastward from the ruins of Jezreel no doubt can be entertained. The village is now called Jelbou.

("bubbling fountain"), namely, of Jezreel; see below. The mountain range N.E. of the plain, and over the city, of Jezreel, extending ten miles from W. to E. (1 Samuel 28:4; 1 Samuel 29:1.) The scene of the death of Saul and Jonathan (1 Samuel 31:1; 2 Samuel 1:6,21: "ye mountains (for there is not merely one mountain) of Gilboa, let there be no dew, neither rain upon you, nor fields of firstfruit offerings," i.e. producing fruit from which firstfruits are offered; 1 Samuel 21:12; 1 Chronicles 10:1; 1 Chronicles 10:8). The Philistines encamped on the N. side of the plain at Shunem; Saul on the S. side, round the fount of Jezreel (Harod, Judges 7:1) at the foot of Gilboa. The fountain is still to be seen half a mile from Jezreel's ruins. The village Jelbou is on the mountain top. The height of the hill is about 500 ft. above the plain; the sides are as bore and barren as David's poetical elegy desired them to be (excepting one green table land where perhaps the last struggle took place), and contrast strongly with the fertile plain beneath.