Mount Gilboa is a mountain in northern Israel. It sits on the east side of the plain of Esdraelon. This plain lies between Galilee in the north and Samaria in the south. Today, people call it Jebel Fuqu’ah.
Mount Gilboa rises about 518 meters (1,700 feet) above sea level. It is made of limestone and has been shaped by wind and rain over time.
Many battles happened near Mount Gilboa. One early battle took place during the time of the judge Deborah. She and Barak defeated the army of Sisera. Heavy rain made the nearby Kishon River flood, which helped them win the battle (Judges 5:21). The Kishon River starts in the area around Gilboa.
Later, Gideon may have set up his camp in this area before fighting the Midianites (6:33).
The Bible names Mount Gilboa when it talks about the last battle of King Saul. The Philistines fought against Israel. Saul’s sons died in the battle. After that, Saul killed himself (1 Samuel 31:1, 8; 2 Samuel 1:6, 21; 21:12; 1 Chronicles 10:1, 8).