Hor

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Hor. (mountain). Mount Hor.

1. The mountain on which Aaron died. Numbers 20:25; Numbers 20:27. It was "on the boundary line," Numbers 20:23, or "at the edge," Numbers 33:37, of the land of Edom. It was the halting-place of the people, next after Kadesh, Numbers 20:22; Numbers 33:37, and they quitted it for Zalmonah, Numbers 33:41, on the road to the Red Sea. Numbers 21:4. It was during the encampment at Kadesh that Aaron was gathered to his fathers.

Mount Hor is situated on the eastern side of the great valley of the Arabah, the highest and most conspicuous of the whole range of the sandstone mountains of Edom, having close beneath it on its: eastern side the mysterious; city of Petra. It is now the Jebel Nebi-Harim, "the mountain of the prophet Aaron". Its height is 4800 feet above the Mediterranean; that is to say, about 1700 feet above the town of Petra, 4800 above the level of the Arabah, and more than 6000 above the Dead Sea.

The mountain is marked far and near by its double top, which rises like a huge castellated building from a lower base, and is surmounted by a circular dome of the tomb of Aaron, a distinct white spot on the dark red surface of the mountain. The chief interest of Mount Hor consists in the prospect from its summit, the last view of Aaron - that view which was to him, what Pisgah was to his brother.

2. A mountain, entirely distinct from the preceding, named in Numbers 34:7-8 only, as one of the marks of the northern boundary of the land, which the children of Israel were about to conquer. This Mount Hor is the great chain of Lebanon itself.

Fausset's Bible Dictionary

1. The mount in which Aaron died (Numbers 20:22-23; Numbers 20:25-28). An archaic form of har , "mountain." The only instance in which the proper name comes first, "Hor the mountain," the mount upon the mountain. It "rises like a huge castellated building from a lower base" (Stanley, Sinai and Palestine, 86). Now Jebel Harun" by the coast (or 'edge') of the land of Edom" (Numbers 33:37-38). On the E. side of the Arabah, close to Petra. The white chalk summit rises on a dark red sandstone bore rock, 5,300 feet above the Mediterranean. On the northernmost of its two summits is shown a square building with dome, called the tomb of Aaron. A flight of steps cut in the rock leads up a precipice to it. The roof is decorated with ostrich shells and such like ornaments.

It is an ordinary Moslem weh; over the door is an inscription stating that the building was restored by Es Shimani, son of Mohammed Calain, sultan of Egypt, by his father's orders, in the year 739 of the Hegira; square almost, 28 ft. by 33 ft., having two chambers one above the other. The host encamped in the Arabah below at Moseroth (Numbers 33:30), or Mosera (Deuteronomy 10:6). (See AARON.) His death resembled Moses' in being on a mountain, but differed from it in being in the presence of Moses and Eleazar on the mount to which they ascended "in the sight of all the congregation." Moses' death was in solitude, but with Gilead's heights, and Benjamin's hills, and the rich Jordan valley in view; whereas Aaron's last looks rested on rugged Edom, and chalky mount Seir, and the red sandstone rocks round Petra, and the dreary Arabah.

2. The name Hor is applied to the whole western crest of Lebanon, 80 miles long from the E. of Sidon to the entering in of Hamath (Kalat el Husn close to Hums, i.e. ancient Hamath); the northern boundary appointed to Israel (Numbers 34:8).

People's Dictionary of the Bible

Hor (hôr), mountain, Mount. 1. The mountain on which Aaron died. Numbers 20:25-27; Numbers 33:37. It was on the" boundary line," or "at the edge" of the land of Edom. It was the halting-place of the people next after Kadesh, Numbers 20:22; Numbers 33:37, and they quitted it for Zalmonah, Numbers 33:41, in the road to the Red sea. Numbers 21:4. It was during the encampment at Kadesh that Aaron died. Mount Hor is on the western side of the great valley of the Arabah, the highest and most conspicuous of the whole range of the sandstone mountains of Edom, having close beneath it on its eastern side the strange city of Petra. It is now called Jebel Nebi-Harûn, "the mountain of the prophet Aaron." Its height is 4800 feet above the Mediterranean; or about 1700 feet above the town of Petra, and more than 6000 above the Dead sea. The mountain is marked far and near by its double top, which rises like a huge castellated building from a lower base and is now surmounted by a circular dome of the tomb of Aaron, a distinct white spot on the dark red surface of the mountain. The chief interest of Mount Hor consists in the prospect from its summit, the last view of Aaron—that view which was to him what Pisgah was to Moses. 2. A mountain, distinct from, the preceding, named in Numbers 34:7-8, only, as one of the marks of the northern boundary of the land which the children of Israel were to conquer. This Mount Hor is the great chain of Lebanon itself.

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

HOR. 1. A mountain ‘in the edge of the land of Edom’ ( Numbers 33:37 ), where Aaron died. Constant tradition, at least since Josephus, sees Mount Hor in Jebel Harûn , ‘the Mountain of Aaron,’ above Petra. This is regarded by the Arabs as the mountain sacred to the great high priest, and his tomb is shown and reverenced under a small dome on its summit. Some modern writers, especially H. C. Trumbull, have doubted the tradition and endeavoured to fix other sites, such as Jebel Madâra , N. W. of ‘Ain Kadis. Jebel Harûn rises 4780 ft. above the sea-level. Its western side is an unscalable precipice; it is ascended from the pass leading into Petra. A very wide view over the Arabian desert, down to the Red Sea and up to the Ghôr, is commanded from the summit. 2. A mountain mentioned in Numbers 34:7-8 , as in the northern boundary of the Promised Land. In all probability this is meant for Hermon .

R. A. S. Macalister.

Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary

This mountain, in its general acceptation, is probably the same with Mount Seir, Hor being the name by which that mountainous tract was denominated before it was exchanged for Seir. But one particular mountain of this region retained the name of Hor long after; as it was a mountain of this name, "by the coast of the land of Edom," that Aaron was commanded to ascend, in order to die there, Numbers 20:23 . This mountain, or at least the one to which tradition assigns the tomb of Aaron, was visited by Burckhardt; from whose account it appears to form a conspicuous object in the chain of the Djebel Shera, or Mount Seir, rising abruptly from the valley of El Araba, or desert of Zin, about fifty miles north of Akaba, or Ezion-Geber.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

One of the marks of the northern boundary of Palestine ( Numbers 34:7,8 ). Nowhere else mentioned. Perhaps it is one of the peaks of Lebanon.

Copyright StatementThese dictionary topics are from M.G. Easton M.A., D.D., Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Third Edition, published by Thomas Nelson, 1897. Public Domain.

Bibliography InformationEaston, Matthew George. Entry for 'Hor'. Easton's Bible Dictionary. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/ebd/h/hor.html. 1897.

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

A mountain of a conical form in the range of mount Seir, on the east side of the Arabah, or great valley running from the Dead sea to the Elanitic gulf. It is an irregularly truncated cone, with three rugged peaks, overlooking a wilderness of heights, cliffs, ravines, and alone with his brother and son, Numbers 20:22-29; 33:38 . It is still called Jebel Neby Haroon, mount of the prophet Aaron; and on its summit stands a Mohammedan tomb of Aaron, on the site of a still more ancient structure, and marking perhaps the place of his burial.

Holman Bible Dictionary

har Numbers 20:22-29Numbers 33:38-39Numbers 20:22-23Deuteronomy 10:6 Numbers 21:4Numbers 33:41

2. Mountain marking northern boundary of Promised Land (Numbers 34:7-8 ). The location is unknown, though some would see Hor as a variant name for Mount Hermon.

Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary

The mountain where Aaron died, the fortieth year of Israel's departure from Egypt. The name of Hor means, who conceives.

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

Bibliography InformationMcClintock, John. Strong, James. Entry for 'Hor'. Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature. https://www.studylight.org/encyclopedias/eng/tce/h/hor.html. Harper & Brothers. New York. 1870.