Hermón (Heb. Jermôn, perhaps “protruding peak”). Southern portion of the Anti-Lebanon mountain range, the easternmost of the 2 Syrian mountain ranges. One of its peaks was apparently called Zion (Deu 4:48). This majestic system is about 24 km long and rises to about 2,815 m asl; its summit is covered with snow most of the year (fig 251) and it can be seen from many parts of northern Palestine. Its summit allows wonderful views of Lebanon, Galilee, the Jordan Valley with the Sea of Galilee, the Hauran and the region around Damascus (figs 148, 226). It formed the northeast limit of the Israelite conquest of Canaan under Moses and Joshua (Deu 3:8, 9; Josh 11:3, 17; 12:1; 13:5, 11; 1Ch 5:23). The Hebrew poets mention it together with Mount Tabor (Psa 89:12), with Mount Zion (Psa 133:3), and with Lebanon (Son 4:8). Several small streams flow down the slopes of Mount Hermon to form the Jordan River. Map II, A-3. 251. Snow-capped Mount Hermon. In Amo 4:3 a “Hermon” (Heb. Harmônâh; BJ, DHH, LPD) is mentioned, which according to some scholars would be a place of an unknown locality. The RVR, for some with insufficient linguistic justification, says “palace.” See Senir.
Source: Evangelical Bible Dictionary
mountain north of Palestine, in Transjordan, the southernmost peak of the Anti-Lebanon mountain range and the highest, 2,814 meters above the level of the Mediterranean Sea. The Israelites defeated two Amorite kings, Sihon, king of Heshbon, and Og, king of Bashan, and took possession of the territory that goes from the torrent of the Arnon to Mount H., which the Sidonians called Syryon and the Amorites, Senir. ; the H. was the northern limit of the Israelites to the east of the Jordan, Dt 3, 8-9; Josh 12, 1; 13, 11.
Digital Bible Dictionary, Grupo C Service & Design Ltda., Colombia, 2003
Source: Digital Bible Dictionary
(Heb., hermon, sacred mount). The mountain that marks the southern boundary of the ante-Lebanon region. If a line were drawn from Damascus to Tyre, it would pass through the middle of Mount Hermon and practically coincide with the northern border of Palestine. The hill of Hermón has about 33 km. long. It has three peaks, two of them rise above 2,813 m. Mount Hermon has had various names: the ancient Amorites called it Shenir or Senir (Deu 3:9; see Psa 29:6; Eze 27:5, where it is said to have been a source of cypress trees for Tyre); the Sidonians called it Sirion (Deu 3:9, though Psa 29:6 seems to make a difference between the two); and the Arabs called it Jebel-esh-Sheikh, or Old Man’s Mountain, perhaps because of its white head, but more probably because of its dignity.
It is almost certain that the Lord’s transfiguration occurred on the slopes of this mountain, because he was in Caesarea Philippi, south of the mountain, only a week before. Mount Hermon is once called Zion (Deu 4:48; see note in KJV).
Source: Hispanic World Bible Dictionary
The two main mountains of central Syria are Lebanon, to the west (3066 m altitude), and Anti-Lebanon, to the east. Both are separated by a depression plain (el-Beka). Anti-Lebanon was called †œSiryon† in Phoenician, which in literature has sometimes given rise to confusion with †œZion† ; the Hebrews called him Hermon. And although this term was really the name of the highest peaks of southern Anti-Lebanon, since it designated the highest ridges, and visible from Canaan, of Anti-Lebanon, in fact it indicated the whole mountain. When Hermon was spoken of as the northern border of Canaan, only the southern ridges (up to 2,759 m in altitude) were in fact thought of. In modern Arabic these peaks covered with eternal snow are called dyebel et-Telds (snowy mountain) and dyebel es-Seh (gray mountain).
The peaks of Hermon were ancient Syrian high places, that is, heights dedicated to worship, on which perhaps a Baal-Hermon was venerated (1Ch 5:23). The name means something like †œanathematized† (jeram = anathema), in the sense of †œsanctified† ; that is, it would be a “sacred mountain.” The Baal-Hermon would simply be the Baal of that holy mountain.
Source: Dictionary of Bible Geography
(Holy Mountain). Mountain of about 2,814 m of height in the extreme S of the Antilíbano, a group of mountainous massifs to the E of the mounts of the Lebanon. Its summit, always capped with snow, can be seen from more than 100 km away. The Jordan River is born on its slopes. The dew that descended from Mount H. was considered a blessing (Ps 133:3). The site was a sacred place for its Amorite inhabitants, from whose hands Joshua took it. †œThe Sidonians call H., †¢Sirion; and the Amorites, †¢Senir† (Deu 3:8-9; Josh 12:1).
After the conquest, it became the limit of the territory of the tribe of Manasseh (Jos 13:8, Jos 13:11, Jos 13:15). In the Psalms, Mount H. is poetically mentioned several times (Ps 29:6; Ps 42:6-7; Ps 89:12). Formerly the H. abounded in trees, which were used for the construction of boats (Eze 27:5). The NW and W part of Mount H. belongs to the country of Lebanon, while the NE corresponds to Syria. The rest is from Israel.
Source: Christian Bible Dictionary
type, MOUNT
see, TRANSFIGURATION sit,a1, 575, 48
vet, “sacred mount”. Mount called Sirion by the Sidonians and Senir by the Amorites (Dt. 3:8, 9), the latter name especially designating a part of the chain (1 Chron. 5:23). Hermon was sometimes called “Mount Zion” (Deut. 4:48). Under Moses and Joshua this summit constituted the northeastern limit of Israel’s conquests (Deut. 3:8, 9; Josh. 11:3, 17; 12:1; 13:5, 11; 1 Chron. 5:23). Hebrew poetry associates it with Tabor (Ps. 89:13), Zion (Ps. 133:3), Lebanon (Song 4:8), but Hermon surpasses them all. Located at the southern end of the Anti-Lebanon chain, it rises to more than 2,800 meters in height. From its summit, which can be seen from many places in Palestine, a wonderful panoramic view is seen, reaching Lebanon, the Damascus plain, Tyre, Carmel, the mountains and plains of Upper and Lower Galilee, Lake Hulé and the sea of galilee Hermon has three summits. The highest is the one to the southeast. The full translation of Ps. 42:6, 7 is: “It is of you that I think, from the country of the Jordan, from the Hermons.” This plural probably designates the entire mountain range. The top is crowned with perpetual snow; from it descend, towards numerous valleys, the elongated glaciers. The transfiguration of our Lord probably took place in one of the areas removed from him, rather than on the top of the mountain. The Arabic name for Hermon is Djebel es-Sheikh. (See TRANSFIGURATION.)
Source: New Illustrated Bible Dictionary
(Dedicated Thing; Forbidden Thing).
Mount Hermon is the highest mountain in the vicinity of Palestine. The Arabs have given it the name Jebel esh-Sheikh (possibly meaning ‘Mountain of the Old Man’) or Jebel eth-Thalj (meaning ‘Snow Mountain’). These names are due to the fact that the summit of Hermon is covered with snow almost all year round. It could be said that the snowy top resembles the white hair of an old man. In ancient times this mountain was known to the Sidonians as ‘Sirion’ and was called ‘Senir’ by the Amorites. (De 3:8, 9) It seems that the latter name was also used to refer to a part of the Anti-Lebanon range. (1Ch 5:23) Another name given to this mountain was “Siyon” (not Zion). (De 4:47, 48) The psalmist figuratively said that Hermon and Tabor cried out joyfully at Jehovah’s name. (Ps 89:12)
Mount Hermon rises to 2,814 m. above sea level and extends along more or less 30 km from N. to S., forming the southern end of the Anti-Lebanon mountain range. Its summits are joined by a plateau. (Ps 42:6) It is composed primarily of limestone, although some basalt outcrops on its eastern and western slopes. The top is completely barren except for the low bushes that dot it, but below there are firs, fruit trees and bushes. In its lower part, the western and southern slopes are occupied by vineyards.
On a clear day, the summit of Mount Hermon provides a splendid panorama of much of Palestine. Towards the O. the mountains of Lebanon, the plain of Tire and the Mediterranean Sea can be seen; to the SW., Mount Carmel; to the S., the Jordan Valley, with the Huleh basin and the Sea of Galilee and to the E., the plain of Damascus.
The snowy summit of Mount Hermon condenses the night vapors and produces abundant dew. “We have never experienced,” observed the nineteenth-century naturalist HB Tristram, “such copious dew. It soaked everything, and even tents did not offer much protection.† (The Land of Israel, London, 1866, pp. 608, 609.) Hermon’s cooling dew preserves vegetation during the long dry season. (Ps 133:3; see ROCí O.) The waters of the Jordan have their origin in the snows of Hermon.
Formerly on Mount Hermon lions, leopards and other wild animals were sheltered. (Ca 4:8) In recent times, foxes, wolves, leopards, and Syrian bears have been seen there.
Mount Hermon became the northern limit of the Promised Land. (Jos 12:1; 13:2, 5, 8, 11) Joshua defeated the Hivites, who resided at the foot of that mountain. (Jos 11:1-3, 8, 16, 17) The transfiguration of Jesus Christ may have taken place on Mount Hermon (Mt 17:1; Mr 9:2; Lu 9:28; 2Pe 1:18), since he was nearby, at Caesarea Philippi, shortly before this event. (Mr 8:27; see BAAL-HERMIN; TRANSFIGURATION.)
The snow of Mount Hermon favors the condensation of night vapors, which produces an abundance of dew for the earth
Source: Dictionary of the Bible
(heb. ḥermon, ‘sanctuary’). Mountain in the Anti-Lebanon chain, easily the highest (2,814 m) in the vicinity of Palestine. It is also called mte. Sirion (Heb. Zion, Dt. 4.48), and was known by the Amorites as Senir (Dt. 3.9). Note, however, that Cnt. 4.8 and 1 Chr. 5.23 explicitly distinguish between Hermon and *Senir (cf. °GTT, pp. 41; DOTT, pp. 49).
The original inhabitants of Canaan considered it sacred (cf. “Baal-hermon”, Judges 3.3; “Baal-gad”, Josh. 13.5, etc.). It formed the northern limit of the lands that Israel took from the Amorites (Dt. 3.8; Jos. 11.17, etc.). Normally, the summit remains snowy all year round, which causes copious dews that contrast with the parched land of the region (this is probably where the allusion of the Psalmist in Ps. 133.3 arises), and the melting of the ice is one of the sources main streams of the Jordan River. Hermon is considered to be present-day Jebel es-Sheikh, “the Sheikh’s mountain,” 48 km SW of Damascus (but on this point see °GTT, pp. 83). Its proximity to Caesarea Philippi has led some to suggest that Hermon is the “high mountain” (Mark 9.2, etc.) of the *transfiguration.
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