Mount Tabor

Mount Tabor in the north of Israel

Mount Tabor (Hebrew: הר תבור Har Tavor; Arabic جبل طابور Jabal aṭ-Ṭābūr or جبل الطور Jabal aṭ-Ṭūr) is located in northern Israel on the eastern edge of the gently sloping Jezreel Valley, 18 kilometres (11 mi) west of the Sea of Galilee. With a height of 588 metres, it towers over the surrounding landscape as an inselberg ("island mountain") visible from afar. It is not of volcanic origin and, despite its proximity to the mountain formations of Nazareth, forms an independent geological formation.

According to Old Testament tradition, it is considered a world mountain and the "navel of the world" (Hebrew: טבור ṭabbur "navel"). Mount Tabor is mentioned for the first time in Joshua 19:22:

„17 The fourth lot came out for Issachar, for the people of Issachar, according to their clans. 18 Their territory included Jezreel, Chesulloth, Shunem, 19 Hapharaim, Shion, Anaharath, 20 Rabbith, Kishion, Ebez, 21 Remeth, En-gannim, En-haddah, Beth-pazzez. 22 The boundary also touches Tabor, Shahazumah, and Beth-shemesh, and its boundary ends at the Jordan—sixteen cities with their villages. 23 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the people of Issachar, according to their clans—the cities with their villages.“

– Joshua 19:17–23

According to Christian tradition, the Transfiguration of Christ took place on the summit of Mount Tabor, during which the Christ revealed himself to his most trusted disciples Peter, James and John through the Tabor light in his transfiguration form, which corresponds to the Sambhogakaya of the Buddha. The Transfiguration is mentioned only in the Synoptics, but not in John: Matthew 17:1–13, Luke 9, Mark 9:2–13. In Luke it says:

„28 Now about eight days after these sayings he took with him Peter and John and James and went up on the mountain to pray. 29 And as he was praying, the appearance of his face was altered, and his clothing became dazzling white. 30 And behold, two men were talking with him, Moses and Elijah, 31 who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. 32 Now Peter and those who were with him were heavy with sleep, but when they became fully awake they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. 33 And as the men were parting from him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah”—not knowing what he said. 34 As he was saying these things, a cloud came and overshadowed them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. 35 And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him!” 36 And when the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and told no one in those days anything of what they had seen.“

– Luke 9

See also

• Mount Tabor - Article in the English Wikipedia