Mount Hermon

Biblical References

Mount Hermon appears mainly in passages describing territorial boundaries and in the poetic books.

• Hermon as a boundary: Deuteronomy 3:8 describes the land Israel took from the kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan as extending "from the river of Arnon unto mount Hermon." Joshua 11:17 and 12:1 likewise name Mount Hermon as the northern limit of the land Israel conquered. The name "Baal-hermon" appears in Judges 3:3 and 1 Chronicles 5:23.
• Other names: Deuteronomy 3:9 records that the Sidonians called the mountain Sirion and the Amorites called it Shenir: "Which Hermon the Sidonians call Sirion; and the Amorites call it Shenir." Deuteronomy 4:48 speaks of "mount Sion, which is Hermon"; because the Hebrew spelling differs from that of Zion in Jerusalem, the two are distinct names.
• Poetic books: The mountain is mentioned in Psalms 42:6, 89:12, and 133:3, and in Song of Solomon 4:8. Psalm 133:3 celebrates the beauty of brethren dwelling together in unity: "As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion."

Name and Geography

The Hebrew name Hermon is commonly explained as related to a root meaning "to set apart, to devote." Rising to about 2,800 meters (roughly 9,200 feet), it is the highest mountain in the region surrounding the land of Israel. Its summit is covered with snow for much of the year. In Arabic it is known today as Jabal al-Shaykh ("Mountain of the Old Man"), a name said to liken its white snow to an old man's white hair. Snowmelt and rainwater from the mountain feed the sources of the Jordan River. Several ancient temple sites have been discovered on and around the mountain, and the name "Baal-hermon" is likewise understood to indicate that the mountain was associated from early times with the worship of Baal.

Significance in Scripture as a Whole

In the Old Testament, Hermon serves as a marker of how far north the Promised Land extended and as an emblem of the lofty majesty of the natural world. The mountain is not named in the New Testament. However, Caesarea Philippi, where Peter confessed Jesus as the Christ (Matthew 16:13–16), lay at the southern foot of Mount Hermon.

Interpretation and Debated Questions

• Location of the Mount of Transfiguration: The Gospels describe the site of the Transfiguration only as "an high mountain" (Matthew 17:1). Ancient church tradition has identified it with Mount Tabor in Galilee. In modern times, some scholars have proposed Mount Hermon instead, noting that the setting immediately preceding the event was Caesarea Philippi. Because the text does not name the mountain, neither identification has been established.
• The dew of Hermon: Many commentators read the image in Psalm 133:3 of the dew of distant Hermon descending upon Zion as a poetic picture of abundant grace.
• Extracanonical tradition: The noncanonical book of 1 Enoch states that the heavenly Watchers descended upon the summit of Mount Hermon. Because Genesis 6:1–4 does not mention a location, this account should be distinguished from the biblical text.

In the Korean Church

Psalm 133 is frequently used as a sermon text urging harmony and unity at gatherings such as united worship services, ordination services, and meetings of presbyteries and general assemblies. On such occasions, "the dew of Hermon" is cited as a figure for the grace and blessing that come down from above.