HOR, MOUNT hôr (הֹ֥ר הָהָֽר, Hor, the mountain). A mountain on the border of the land of Edom at the foot of which the Israelites encamped on their journey from Kadesh to the Promised Land (Num 20:22, 23). It was at Mount Hor that God told Moses and Aaron that because of their sin at Meribah Aaron would die on Mount Hor in the sight of the people of Israel. The two men ascended the mount with Eleazar, Aaron’s son, and there Moses removed Aaron’s high priestly garments and put them on Eleazar; and Aaron died, 123 years old. This was in the fortieth year after Israel had come out of Egypt (Num 33:33-37). In Deuteronomy 10:6 it is said that Aaron died at Moserah, the site of which is unknown.

According to Josephus (Antiq. IV. 4, 7) Mount Hor was one of the mountains surrounding Petra, Jebel Neby Harun, a mountain 4,800 ft. high, c. half way between the S end of the Dead Sea and the N end of the Gulf of Akabah. It is the highest of the mountains in Edom. On the top is a tomb which is said to belong to Aaron, but the upper part at least is a Mohammedan tomb. Mohammedan tradition has it that this is the Mount Hor where Aaron is buried.

It is doubtful, however, that Jebel Neby Harun is Mount Hor. For one thing, it is in the middle of Edom and not on its border as was Mount Hor. It is also too far E of Kadesh. The mountain is moreover too high to witness from below what went on above and too rugged for the three men to ascend it. Moreover, since Edom denied the request of the Israelites to pass through its territory, and came out against Israel with a strong force of men, it is not likely that Israel would encamp at a mountain in the middle of Edom.

Jebel Madurah, a mountain c. fifteen m. NE of Kadesh, on the NW border of Edom, is a more likely site. Its topography is such that Israel could observe the ceremony on the top. It is on the direct route from Kadesh to Moab.

2. Another mountain peak with the same name (Num 34:7, 8). It was to mark the N boundary of Israel’s promised inheritance. Its exact location is unknown, but it was undoubtedly a prominent peak in the Lebanon range. Mount Hermon and Jebel Akkar, a NE spur of Lebanon, have been suggested. It was in N Pal. between the Mediterranean and the approach to Hamath.