Mt. Gilboa
by Shalom Pollack

Samuel II 1:21 "Ye mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew, neither let there be rain, upon you, nor fields of offerings: for there the shield of the mighty is vilely cast away, the shield of Saul, as though he had not been anointed with oil.."

"Woe how the mighty have fallen! Let not frain or dew fall on the site where the beloved and annointed ones have fallen"

Thus lamented David upon hearing of the deaths of King Saul and his sons on mount Gilboa.

It was particularly Jonathan's desperate suicide rather than fall into the hands of the cruel Philistines, that moved David to curse the very mountain, stained with the blood of his beloved.

Today indeed despite the efforts of modern Israeli farming and forestation by the Jewish National Fund, huge bald gaps confirm David's curse.

Today Mt Gilboa is safely out of Philistine hands, (though it does border the latter day Philistine or Palestinian Authority ) and is a magnet for visitors seeking nature, picnics,vistas and to be where the Bible comes alive. Each spring, nature lovers from all parts of the country. flock to see the beautiful Gilboa Iris in bloom

When driving along the scenic road on the ridge one sees the multi colored carpet that is the Jezre'al Valley spread like a quilt below. To the south are the Galilee mountains and to the east the Mountains of Moab beyond the Jordan River Valley.

One can flip the pages of the books of Samuel, of Judges and of Kings sitting atop the mountain and point to where the most dramatic events took place in the times of the Bible.

At the very base of the mountain gushes the spring of Ein Harod. The same waters quenched the thirst of the Gideon's three hundred chosen fighters set to defeat the vast army of Midianites. Across theh valley whee the town of Afula ( best falafel in Israel) is today.

In the Jezre'al Valley King Ahab was confronted by the accusing prophet Elijah after he had Navot executed at the advice of his evil Queen Jezebel.

One can see the lone round Mt Tabor across the valley where the Debrah the Judge and Barak led the Israelites to victory over the Cananite general Cisro and his massive army of nine hundred iron chariots

Yes the Bible jumps out of the stones and earth where ever you look from this mountain.

In the early twentieth century Yehoshua Henkin appointed by the Zionist movement . scoured the land for real estate opportunities for the returning sons and daughters. .Neglected, depleted land often malaria marshes and stony fields were sold by absentee Arab owners for top dollar and then in came the young pioneers.

Since the children of Israel were exiled from the land until their decendents returned to it , the land ,as Mark Twain described in the 1860's.."was a desolate country, a sullen mournful expanse..."

The earliest kibbutzim set down roots first amongst spartan tents and tower and stockades that have eventually become country club like communities. The "sullen mournful expanse.." is today the bread basket of Israel and perhaps the entire Mid East. Yes, here the prophesies of the deserts blooming jump right out at you

One of those who was absolutely taken by the Bible prophesies about the Land and the People of Israel was the very colorful and dashing . Charles Orde Wingate. was an officer serving during the British occupation. A war hero and highly decorated officer, Wingate, unlike most of his colleagues. Did not harbor anti Jewish leanings .In fact. as a devout Christian he long felt a love for the people of the bible and now did what he could to help them as they he witnessed their return to the Promised land. From the same spring that Gideon planed his attack against the Midianites, Wingate trained his Jewish unit and used the Bible as his battle map.

The famous night squads included some of Israel's early military leaders . They employed the unorthodox training that they received as commanders in the IDF.

So successful was he in helping Jews defend themselves from Arab terror that he was expelled from the country by his superiors. The British government had a different agenda. General Wingate saved the British colony of India from Japanese invasion and died in a plane crash over the Burma mountains. In his diary he lamented the fact that he would be bared from celebrating the rebirth of the Jewish nation

He is still know as "the friend" in Israel today.

Mt Gilboa has seen a lot.. But it is still waiting - for you to visit.

Written by :

Ray