Mount Gilboa, from the Hebrew word meaning bubbling (named after a fresh spring located there), is a section of desolate hills in north-central Israel. It's perhaps most famous as the location where Saul, Israel's first human king, and his son Jonathan, a very close friend of David, were killed in battle against the Philistines.

• Mount Gilboa is located on the eastern side of the valley of Esdraelon, or Valley of Jezreel (see Armageddon).

• Galilee is to the north, Samaria is to the south, the Jordan Valley is to the east.

• Jesus Christ lived much of His early life working with Joseph as a carpenter in nearby Nazareth, about 15 miles (24 kilometers) to the northwest.

• Before his battle with the Philistines, Saul consulted with a witch at Endor, a small town north of Mount Gilboa (1 Samuel 28:1-25).

• Saul's end came on Mount Gilboa:

  "Now the Philistines fought against Israel; and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain in Mount Gilboa.

  And the Philistines followed hard upon Saul and upon his sons, and the Philistines slew Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchishua, Saul's sons.

  And the battle went sore against Saul, and the archers hit him, and he was sore wounded of the archers.

  Then said Saul unto his armor-bearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith, lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and abuse me. But his armor-bearer would not; for he was sore afraid. Therefore Saul took a sword, and fell upon it.

  And when his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell likewise upon his sword, and died with him.

  So Saul died, and his three sons, and his armor-bearer, and all his men, that same day together." (1 Samuel 31:1-6).