Smith's Bible Dictionary.pdf - Online Christian Library

Smith's Bible Dictionary
Tabitha
(gazelle), also called Dorcas by St. Luke, a female disciple of Joppa, “full of good works”
among which that of making clothes for the poor is specifically mentioned. While St. Peter was at
the neighboring town of Lydda, Tabitha, died; upon which the disciples at Joppa sent an urgent
message to the apostle begging him to come to them without delay. Upon his arrival Peter found
the deceased already prepared for burial, and laid out in an upper chamber, where she was surrounded
by the recipients and the tokens of her charity after the example of our Saviour in the house of
Jairus, (Matthew 9:25; Mark 5:40) “Peter put them all forth,” prayed for the divine assistance, and
then commanded Tabitha to arise. Comp. (Mark 5:41; Luke 8:51) She opened-her eyes and sat up,
and then, assisted by the apostle, rose from her couch. This great miracle, as we are further told
produced an extraordinary effect in Joppa, and was the occasion of many conversions there. (Acts
9:38-42) The name “Tabitha” is an Aramaic word signifying a “female gazelle.” St. Luke gives
“Dorcas” as the Greek equivalent of the name.
Tabor
is mentioned in the lists of 1Chr 6 as a city of the Merarite Levites, in the tribe of Zebulun. ver.
(1 Chronicles 6:77) The list of the towns of Zebulun. Josh 19 contains the name of Chisloth-tabor.
ver. (Joshua 19:12) It is, therefore, possible, either that Chisloth-tabor is abbreviated into Tabor by
the chronicler, or that by the time these later lists were compiled the Merarites had established
themselves on the sacred mountain, and that Tabor is Mount Tabor.
(a mound), or Mount Tabor, one of the most interesting and remarkable of the single mountains
in Palestine. It rises abruptly from the northeastern arm of the plain of Esdraelon, and stands entirely
insulated, except on the west where a narrow ridge connects it with the hills of Nazareth. It presents
to the eye, as seen from a distance, a beautiful appearance, being symmetrical in its proportions
and rounded off like a hemisphere or the segment of a circle, yet varying somewhat as viewed from
different directions. The body of the mountain consists of the peculiar limestone of the country. It
is now called Jebel-et-Tur . It lies about six or eight miles almost due east from Nazareth. The
ascent is usually made on the west side, near the little village of Deburieh—probably the ancient
Daberath, (Joshua 19:12)—though it can be made with entire ease in other places. It requires three
quarters of an hour or an hour to reach the to the top. The top of Tabor consists of an irregular
platform, embracing a circuit of half an hour’s walk, and commanding wide views of the subjacent
plain from end to end. Tabor does not occur in the New Testament, but makes a prominent figure
in the Old. The book of Joshua (Joshua 19:22) mentions it as the boundary between Issachar and
Zebulun, See ver. 12. Barak, at the command of Deborah, assembled his forces on Tabor, and
descended thence, with “ten thousand men after him,” into the plain, and conquered Sisera on the
banks of the Kishon. (Judges 4:6-15) The brothers of Gideon each of whom “resembled the children
of a king,” were murdered here by Zebah and Zalmunna. (Judges 8:18,19) There are at present the
ruins of a fortress round all the summit of Tabor. The Latin Christians have now an altar here at
which their priests from Nazareth perform an annual mass. The Greeks also have a chapel, where,
on certain festivals they assemble for the celebration of religious rites. The idea that our Saviour
was transfigured on Tabor prevailed extensively among the early Christians, and still reappears
often in popular religious works. It is impossible, however, to acquiesce in the correctness of this
opinion. It can be proved from the Old Testament and from later history that a fortress or town
existed on Tabor from very early times down to B.C. 53 or 50; and as Josephus says that he
strengthened the fortifications there about A.D. 60, it is morally certain that Tabor must have been
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William Smith