243. Aznoth Tabor

Lexical Summary

Aznoth Tabor: Aznoth Tabor

Original Word: אַזְנוֹת תָּבוֹר
Part of Speech: Proper Name Location
Transliteration: Aznowth Tabowr
Pronunciation: az-NOTH tah-BOHR
Phonetic Spelling: (az-noth' taw-bore')
KJV: Aznoth-tabor
NASB: Aznoth-tabor
Word Origin: [from H238 (אָזַן - give ear) and H8396 (תָּבוֹר - Tabor)]

1. flats (i.e. tops) of Tabor (i.e. situated on it)
2. Aznoth-Tabor, a place in Israel

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

Aznoth-tabor

From 'azan and Tabowr; flats (i.e. Tops) of Tabor (i.e. Situated on it); Aznoth-Tabor, a place in Palestine -- Aznoth-tabor.

see HEBREW 'azan

see HEBREW Tabowr

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from azan and Tabor
Definition
a place in Naphtali
NASB Translation
Aznoth-tabor (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

אַזְנוֺת תָּבוֺר proper name, of a location (peaks of Tabor ? plural) Joshua 19:34 place in Naphtali compare Di.

Topical Lexicon

Biblical Placement

Aznoth Tabor appears once in Scripture, marking a point on the northern boundary of Naphtali: “Then the border turned westward to Aznoth-tabor and went out from there to Hukkok; it reached Zebulun on the south, Asher on the west, and the Jordan on the east” (Joshua 19:34).

Geographical Context

Situated on or near the slopes that radiate from the well-known Mount Tabor, the site commands a view of the Jezreel Valley to the south and the upper Jordan basin to the east. Its placement at a bend in the tribal border suggests a ridge or spur whose twin heights functioned as a natural landmark. Close proximity to the Via Maris would have given it strategic value for trade and defense, while its elevation afforded clear lines of sight for signaling among towns of Naphtali, Zebulun, and Asher.

Historical Significance

1. Tribal Identity: By furnishing a fixed point in Naphtali’s allotment, Aznoth Tabor helped secure the inheritance promised to that tribe (Joshua 19:32-39). Every boundary stone underscored God’s faithfulness in delivering the land sworn to the patriarchs (Genesis 15:18-21).
2. Military Value: Mount Tabor later hosted Barak and the forces of Naphtali and Zebulun in their victory over Sisera (Judges 4:6-15). Although Aznoth Tabor itself is not cited in that narrative, its nearby ridges would have formed part of the staging ground for the troops whom Deborah marshaled.
3. Prophetic Backdrop: The uplands of Naphtali became the scene for Isaiah’s promise that “in the future He will honor the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations” (Isaiah 9:1), a word fulfilled when Jesus dwelt at Capernaum (Matthew 4:13-16). Aznoth Tabor thus indirectly shares in the redemptive history that unfolded in Galilee.

Theological Themes

• Covenant Fulfillment: The single reference to Aznoth Tabor participates in Joshua’s broader testimony that “not one word of all the good promises that the LORD had made… failed” (Joshua 21:45). Physical borders preached the certainty of divine oath.
• Unity within Diversity: Although the tribes received distinct territories, shared markers such as Aznoth Tabor knit them together. The mountain’s twin summits rising over multiple tribal lines illustrate how God’s people, while dispersed, are oriented toward common high places of worship and remembrance.
• Watchfulness and Witness: Elevated boundary points served as lookouts. In ministry application, the believer is called to stand on spiritual heights, guarding the inheritance and heralding the coming deliverance, just as ancient sentinels scanned the horizon from Aznoth’s crest.

Archaeological and Traditional Notes

The precise contour of the site remains debated, but surveys locate it on the north-western shoulder of Mount Tabor, near modern Daburiyya or Kafr Kanna. Potsherds from Iron Age settlements attest to occupation that fits the period of the Judges and early monarchy. Pilgrimage itineraries from the Byzantine era place shrines on adjacent knolls, indicating continued recognition of the locale.

Applications for Contemporary Ministry

1. Remembering Boundaries: Congregations are strengthened when they rehearse the lines God has drawn—doctrinal, ethical, and missional—and when they celebrate His fidelity in placing them.
2. Strategic Heights: Leaders should identify spiritual “high ground” in prayer and teaching, keeping watch over the flock and sounding clear signals in times of conflict or confusion.
3. Anticipating Fulfillment: Just as an obscure ridge became part of the larger salvation story, seemingly minor roles or ministries today may lie on the direct path of God’s unfolding plan.

Key References for Further Study

Joshua 19:32-39; Judges 4:4-15; Isaiah 9:1-2; Matthew 4:13-16; Hebrews 11:32-34 (for the faith of Barak and the tribes associated with Tabor).

Forms and Transliterations

תָּב֔וֹר תבור tā·ḇō·wr tāḇōwr taVor

Englishman's Concordance

Joshua 19:34
HEB: יָ֙מָּה֙ אַזְנ֣וֹת תָּב֔וֹר וְיָצָ֥א מִשָּׁ֖ם
NAS: westward to Aznoth-tabor and proceeded
KJV: westward to Aznothtabor, and goeth out
INT: the border westward to Aznoth-tabor and proceeded there

1 Occurrence

Strong's Hebrew 243
1 Occurrence

tā·ḇō·wr — 1 Occ.