Gilboa in the Bible — Hidden Meaning & Symbolism

Gilboa, g;l-bo'-a (Heb.)-- boiling springs; bubbling fountains; agitated pools; swelling with emotion. A mountain in Palestine. There Israel under Saul encamped against the Philistines, and there Saul and his three sons were slain (I Sam. 28:4; 31:8). Meta. A great turmoil in consciousness, a great agitation of the life forces--it might be called chemicalization--brought about by the willful dominance of the personal will (Saul); if persisted in, it leads to disruption of the consciousness (Saul and his sons were slain in Gilboa, by the Philistines, and the Israelites were defeated and scattered for the time being). After an experience of this nature, only love (David) can restore peace and wholeness, and lead to victory over the error (Philistines).