What is the significance of Mount Tabor in the Bible?

A conspicuous mountain in Galilee, about seven miles east of Nazareth. It formed a boundary to Issachar and Zebulon. Its sides are well wooded, and on the summit is an irregular plain of about a mile in circuit, with ruins of fortifications. The height of it is 1,843 feet. Joshua 19:22; Judges 4:6-14; Judges 8:18; Ps. 89:12; Jer. 46:18; Hosea 5:1. It is now called Jebel et Tor, 32 41' N, 35 23' E. Tradition makes this the mount of Transfiguration; but it is more probable that some part of mount Hermon was chosen for the transfiguration. This has good moral associations (cf. Ps. 133:3), and would be more private than Tabor.

The 'plain of Tabor' in 1 Sam. 10:3 should be read the 'oak of Tabor' as in the R.V.

Not many details of this great conflict are given. Barak, accompanied by Deborah, leads his little army of men from Zebulun and Naphtali — the territory in which Jabin chiefly held sway — to Mount Tabor. Zebulun suggests the abiding communion, and Naphtali the spirit of true conflict. They are, therefore, fittingly united. The mountain suggests that elevation of soul which comes from communion, and which enables one to take a wide and calm survey of the entire conflict. The name Tabor is by many thought to mean merely a "heap," or "elevation;" by others, a "broken, ridged" mountain, descriptive merely of its form. The meaning "purpose" would fittingly describe its spiritual significance, and this has been given. The "mount of purpose" is a fitting place from which to enter upon such a conflict as this, for God cannot use one who vacillates.

Not many details of this great conflict are given. Barak, accompanied by Deborah, leads his little army of men from Zebulun and Naphtalithe territory in which Jabin chiefly held swayto Mount Tabor. Zebulun suggests the abiding communion, and Naphtali the spirit of true conflict. They are, therefore, fittingly united. The mountain suggests that elevation of soul which comes from communion, and which enables one to take a wide and calm survey of the entire conflict. The name Tabor is by many thought to mean merely a heap, or elevation; by others, a broken, ridged mountain, descriptive merely of its form. The meaning purpose would fittingly describe its spiritual significance, and this has been given. The mount of purpose is a fitting place from which to enter upon such a conflict as this, for God cannot use one who vacillates.

Purpose of heart is required to be with Barak, who therefore is bidden to "draw toward Mount Tabor" — the "mount of purpose." It is here that one finds elevation to view the battlefield, and a place of strength against the adversary. Here God draws Sisera to the stream Kishon which is to sweep his host away. Sisera himself is reserved to fall by the hand of the woman. We shall look at all that is connected with this in the next section.

"And she sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedeshnaphtali, and said unto him, Hath not the Lord God of Israel commanded, saying, Go and draw toward mount Tabor, and take with thee ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun? And I will draw unto thee to the river Kishon Sisera, the captain of Jabin's army, with his chariots and his multitude; and I will deliver him into thine hand. And Barak said unto her, If thou wilt go with me, then I will go: but if thou wilt not go with me, then I will not go. And she said, I will surely go with thee: notwithstanding the journey that thou takest shall not be for thine honour; for the Lord shall sell Sisera into the hand of a woman. And Deborah arose, and went with Barak to Kedesh." (Jud.4:6-9)

And so Deborah sat under her palm tree, a spirit of victory in her heart. "And she sent and called Barak, the son of Abinoam, out of Kadesh-naphtali", and she said a very significant thing to Barak: "Hath not the Lord God of Israel commanded, saying, Go and draw toward Mount Tabor, and take with thee ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun? And I will draw unto thee, to the river Kishon, Sisera, the captain of Jabin's army, with his chariots and his multitude; and I will deliver him into thine hand" (vv.6-7). Now there is not a single evidence of doubt, uncertainty, or hesitancy in this message from Deborah, it is as clear and distinct as it is possible to be. She said, 'The Lord has commanded you Barak to go with those two tribes, Zebulun and Naphtali. He has even indicated the precise number who are to be called out of those tribes, and you are to go and fight, and the battle is won. The Lord will deliver him into thine hand'. Now that is a very wonderful message for anyone to receive, she was a prophetess, she had received it from the Lord, and now she was directing a man, and he had the right to be there, this is where the man should have been, in the leadership, directing affairs, and it really was an indictment against the manhood of Israel that a woman was giving this message.

(d) From thence the psalmist looks round upon nature, to claim it all for Him. The sea is the very type of unruled strength and pride; but He stills the tossing of its angry waves. Rahab, that name of pride, Egypt — and here history furnishes him with the experience, — lay before His might crushed and as if slain: enemies to Him, He scattered them. The heavens too are His, — the earth yea, the inhabited world with all that men count to be their treasures: the north with its darkness, and frost; the south with its teeming plenty: they are His as Creator of them. And they exult — Tabor and Hermon, the visible types before the eyes of Israel — sing for joy in His Name.

"The heavens are Yours, the earth also is yours, the world and all its fullness, You have founded them" (v. 11). This was true long before men existed, but will be recognized by all mankind in that day when the Lord asserts His sovereign rights. North and south are mentioned, — north with its cold winds of adversity and often mystery; and south with its pleasant circumstances, both being clearly known in a coming day as under the control of the living God. Tabor (meaning, "You will purge," and Hermon ("devoted") sing for joy at his name (v. 12). When God's purging has taken place this is accompanied by the devotion that sings together in harmony. How different from the woeful depression of Israel during so much of her history!

In Ps. 88 the saint, for he is one, freely expresses to God all that he is feeling (3-5), but takes all from the hand of his God (6-18). Surely we get here one walking in darkness, and having no light, yet fearing the Lord. (Isa. 1. 10). In the other (89) the Psalmist would celebrate the mercies of the Lord and His faithfulness, making mention of them to all generations. David's throne must be restored. God has promised, and bound Himself by covenant and by oath, not to lie to David (3, 4). And God is Almighty. He had taken up the cause of His people in Egypt, then breaking Rahab in pieces. The God of heaven He is, and the God of the earth also. All has been founded by Him (11). North and south, Tabor (i.e. the west) and Hermon (i.e. the east), shall rejoice in His name (12). And the joyful sound of the trumpet gathering together the people shall yet be heard. To this verse 15 points, we believe. But that cannot be without the presence of the King. Would any question His appearing? God's promise to David will not fail, and that promise is here remembered and recited (19-37).

The site of the Transfiguration has been supposed to be Mount Tabor, but much evidence militates against this view. We do not know the place except that it was in the Land of Promise, and Moses was there with Jesus, in the company of the blessed Son of God. And Elijah, the prophet-reformer, who had gone up without dying, was there too. Moses and Elias are there as the companions of the Lord, and you have thus a picture of the coming kingdom, the heavenly side as well as the earthly. What is the heavenly side? The Son of Man in glory, and at His side, sharing that glory, one who had died and been raised, and another who had been taken up without dying. That is just what will be manifested shortly. The kingdom of the Father gives us the heavenly side, while the kingdom of the Son of Man presents the earthly side.

A word indicating the change which took place in the appearance of Jesus in the vision on the holy mount. The Lord, speaking to His disciples prior to the transfiguration, said that some should see "the Son of man coming in his kingdom;" "the kingdom of God come with power;" and Matthew records that Christ "was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light." Peter says he was an eyewitness of His majesty. It was therefore a short glimpse of the Lord Jesus invested with glory, as He is now on high, and as he will be in His kingdom. The law and the prophets were represented by Moses and Elias; but when Peter proposed to make three tabernacles, he was silenced by a voice from heaven, saying "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased: hear ye him." Matt. 17:1-8; Mark 9:2; Luke 9:28; 2 Peter 1:16. The same Greek word is applied to the Christian as being 'transformed' in Rom. 12:2, and as being 'changed' in 2 Cor. 3:18: metamorphosed.

Early writers fixed on Mount Tabor as the Mount of Transfiguration; but it is more probable that it was on some part of Mount Hermon, which would have been more private. The Lord was also in that locality.