1 Samuel 10:3

“Then shall thou go on forward from thence, etc.] From Zelzah and Rachel’s sepulchre there: and thou shall come to the plain of Tabor; not that which lay at the bottom of the famous and well known mountain Tabor; for that was in the tribe of Zebulun, at a great distance from hence: but a plain, so called perhaps from the name of the owner of it: and there shall meet thee three men going up to God to Bethel: the same with Luz, where Jacob built an altar, and called upon God; and so Elohimbethel here is the same with Elbethel, (<013506>Genesis 35:6,7). Here was an high place as at Ramah, whither in those times, when there was no fixed place for worship, the tabernacle at one place, and the ark…”

“the plain--or, "the oak of Tabor," not the celebrated mount, for that was far distant. three men going up to God to Beth-el--apparently to offer sacrifices there at a time when the ark and the tabernacle were not in a settled abode, and God had not yet declared the permanent place which He should choose. The kids were for sacrifice, the loaves for the offering, and the wine for the libations.”

“The plain of Tabor - It should be “the oak or terebinth”” of Tabor” (Judges 4:11 note). It has been ingeniously conjectured that “Tabor” is either a different form of “Deborah,” or a corruption of it, and that the “oak,” or “terebinth of Tabor,” is the same as “Allon-bachuth,” the oak under which Deborah was buried, and which lay “beneath Bethel” Genesis 35:8. The terebinth, where the three men came upon Saul, must have been at some point previous to that where the road leading northward from Jerusalem branches; when they reached that point they would go on with their offerings to Bethel, he would pursue his journey to Gibeah. return to 'Top of Page'”

“Plain - Not that at the foot of mount Tabor, which was far from these parts; but another belonging to some other place. Bethel - Properly so called, which was in Ephraim, where there was a noted high - place, famous for Jacob's vision there, Gen 28:19, where it is probable they offered sacrifices, in this confused state of things, when the ark was in one place, and the tabernacle in another. 1 Kings (1 Samuel) 10:5”

“10:3 oak of Tabor: This location, somewhere in Benjamin, is not to be confused with the village of the same name in Zebulun (1 Chr 6:77). • Bethel: See study note on 1 Sam 7:16.”

“Tabor: Jos 19:12, Jos 19:22; Jdg 4:6, Jdg 4:12, Jdg 8:18; Psa 89:12 Bethel: Gen 28:19, Gen 28:22, Gen 35:1, Gen 35:3, Gen 35:6, Gen 35:7 three kids: Lev 1:10, Lev 3:6, Lev 3:12, Lev 7:13, Lev 23:13; Num 15:5-12 1 Kings (1 Samuel) 10:4”