Josh 9:1-10:14
Gibeon (Heb. Gibbon, “hill”; appears in 33 Heb. inscriptions found at Gibeon). 1. Ancient Canaanite city, the main one of a confederation to which Caphira, Beerot and Quiriath-jearim also belonged (Jos 9:17). The first inhabitants of Gibeon were the Hivites* (11:19), “from the remnant of the Amorites” (2Sa 21:2). Using false appearances they succeeded in making a treaty of friendship with Joshua and the children of Israel. When the Israelites discovered the deception, they took them as slaves; however, they kept their pact and helped them militarily when they were attacked by other Canaanite cities (Jos 9:1-10:11). The city of Gibeon was in the territory of Benjamin (18:25), but was assigned to Aaron’s family (21:17). This was probably the reason why the tabernacle was there during the reign of David and Solomon before the construction of the temple (1Ch 16:39, 40; 21:29; 2Ch 1:3, 6, 13). Although his ancestors lived in Gibeon for some time (1Ch 8:29; 9:35), Saul unjustifiably murdered some of its inhabitants; consequently, 7 of his sons were executed in David’s time to satisfy the Gibeonites (2Sa 21:1-9). At Gibeon David fought a battle against Ishbosheth (2:8-17, 24; 3:30) and defeated the Philistines (1Ch 14:16); nearby Joab murdered Amasa (2Sa 20:8-10). In the sanctuary of Gibeon Solomon received a divine vision (1Ki 3:4-15). The city seems to have declined in importance later on; she is not mentioned again until the time after the exile (Neh 7:25). Its inhabitants helped Nehemiah build the wall of the city of Jerusalem (3:7). The site has been definitively identified with the modern village of ej-Jîb, about 9.5 km northwest of Jerusalem. It is a hill with steep slopes, with well-stratified layers of calcareous rock next to a wide valley; the village is on the top and slopes of the hill. Pritchard directed excavations at the site from 1956 to 1962. They found and cleared a huge shaft over 11.60m in diameter and some 25m deep, which had a remarkable 79-step staircase leading to the bottom (fig 231). . The debris removed from the pit brought to light a number of vase handles inscribed with Gibeon’s name. The bottom of the well gave access to a fountain or spring. There was communication with a 2nd source at the foot of the hill through a tunnel dug into the rock (51.20 m long), which Pritchard cleaned during the 1st excavation season. He also excavated parts of a massive city wall, 3.50m wide, from the Iron Age, the period of the judges of Israel, and tombs from the Middle and Late Bronze Ages (1800-1200 BC). . Map VI, E-3. 231. Removal of rubble in the huge pit found at ej-Jîb, ancient Gibeon. 2. Pool (2Sa 2:13), or “the great pool that is in Gibeon” (Jer 41:12). It could be identified with the deposit called el-Birkeh (3.30 x 2.10 m) cut into solid rock to the west of the hill. Others have identified it as a 2.5 to 3 ha lake that forms each year in the lower parts of the valley due to winter rains. 3. Wilderness (2Sa 2:24); it may have been the barren plain between Gibeon and Ramah or the desert to the Jordan Valley beyond. Bib.: JB Pritchard, EAEHL II:446-450. 4. High (1Ch 21:29); it may have been on the neighboring hill of Neb§-Samwîl, although this is not absolutely certain.
Source: Evangelical Bible Dictionary
hill. City northwest of Jerusalem, about 8 km, on the road to Joppa. The first inhabitants of G., according to Jos 11, 19, were the Hivites; in 2 Sam 21, 2, a remnant of the Amorites. That city fell to the tribe of Benjamin, Jos 18, 25, and chosen as a Levitical city, Jos 21, 17. When Joshua was in the conquest of Canaan, the Gibeonites, seeing what he had done with Jericho and Ay , and aware of the rules of holy war, they resorted to cunning and appeared before Joshua, pretending to be from a distant country, to make an alliance with him.
Discovered the stratagem three days after the pact was sealed, their lives were spared, but they were destined to serve as woodcutters and water carriers of the sanctuary, Jos 9, 3-27. After this, an alliance of five Amorite kings, commanded by Adoni Sédeq, king of Jerusalem, besieged and attacked G., which Joshua helped, defeating the allied kings, when the sun stood still, Jos, 10, 1- 27. Near the pool of G., the battle took place in which David’s veterans defeated Isbaal, son of Saul, 2 S 2, 12-32; 3, 30. In the reign of David there was a famine of three years. The king consulted Yahweh, who told him that it was due to those of G. that his predecessor Saul had killed. The Gibeonites asked David for seven descendants of Saul to throw them off the cliff and bless Israel, blood revenge that was fulfilled in Gibeah, 2 S 21, 1-14. David defeated the Philistines in G., 2 S 5, 25; 1 Cro 14, 16. On the top of G. the Dwelling was erected, the same Tent of the desert, and the priest Zadok was put in front to offer the sacrifices on the altar of holocausts, 1 Cro 16, 39-40; 21, 29; this high of G. was the main sanctuary in Solomon’s time, where the king had a dream in which Yahweh revealed to him what concerns his reign, 1 R 3, 4-15; 2 Cro 1, 3. Near the big stone G., Joab, David’s general, killed Amasa, commander of the army, when the Benjaminite Sheba rebelled against David, 2 S 20, 8.
Digital Bible Dictionary, Grupo C Service & Design Ltda., Colombia, 2003
Source: Digital Bible Dictionary
(Heb., giv†™on, pertaining to a hill). City of Benjamin (Jos 18:25) northwest of Jerusalem, given to the priests (Jos 21:17). At the time of the conquest, Joshua, without consulting the Lord, made a covenant with Gibeon, turned his people into woodcutters and water carriers, and then defended them (chapters 9-10). No other city made peace with Israel (Jos 11:19). Gibeon was the chief of four Hivite cities (Jos 9:17). Here Abner met Joab (2Sa 2:8-28; 2Sa 3:30), Joab murdered Amasa (2Sa 20:8-10), Zadok the priest ministered in the high place (1Ch 16:39-40; 1Ch 21:29) and Solomon sacrificed and received messages from God (1Ki 3:3-15; 1Ki 9:1-9; 2Ch 1:2-13).
Source: Hispanic World Bible Dictionary
(Hill). City whose inhabitants “when they heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Hai, used cunning” and deceived the Israelites by pretending that they had come from far away to ask for an alliance (Josh 9:3-27). †œG. it was a great city† at the time (Jos 10:1-2) and that alliance with the Israelites caused it to be attacked by †œ †¢Adonisedec king of Jerusalem† , but Joshua defended him in a battle in which †œJehovah threw from the sky great stones on† the enemies. It was on this occasion that Joshua commanded the sun to stand still (Jos 10:12-13). In the distribution of the land, G. corresponded to the tribe of Benjamin (Jos 21:17). Saul’s family originally came from G. (1Ch 8:29-33; 1Ch 9:35). But it seems that †¢Saul committed an injustice against the Gibeonites, according to the desire they later expressed to David to avenge them (2Sa 21:1-9). Next to a pool that was in this city a battle took place between †¢Abner, leading the troops of †¢Ish-bosheth, and †¢Joab, leading the troops of David (2Sa 2:12-23), and the latter were victorious, although Abner killed †¢Asael, Joab’s brother (2Sa 3:30). Near that same city, where there was a “large stone”, Joab killed Amasa (2Sa 20:8-10).
Solomon went to G. “because that was the main high place” and there “the Lord appeared to him … one night in a dream” (1Ki 3:3-5; 1Ki 9:2). The ark was in that place for a time, until the days of David (1Ch 16:39; 1Ch 21:29). †¢Hananias, false prophet who opposed Jeremiah, was from G. (Jer 28:1). “By the great pool that is in G.† †¢Johanan succeeded in becoming the leader of those escaping from the Chaldean authority, there defeating †¢Ishmael, who had †œkilled… †¢Gedaliah son of Ahicam, by which the king of Babylon had appointed to rule the earth† (Jer 41:12-18). Some Gibeonites are mentioned among those who returned from exile (Neh 3:7; Neh 7:25). Today G. is identified with el-Jib, 8 km NW of Jerusalem.
Source: Christian Bible Dictionary
type, CITY
sit, a2, 283, 400
vet, Capital of the Hivites, located 8 km northwest of Jerusalem, on the road to Jope. It was later a Levitical city within the territory of Benjamin (Josh. 21:17). The Gibeonites, using deception, achieved a treaty with Joshua and the elders of Israel (Josh. 9); When the deception was discovered, Joshua was already bound by an oath covenant to respect his life and they were assigned the task of cutting wood for the sanctuary. The Gibeonites’ treaty with the Israelites angered the neighboring kings of Gibeon, who attacked the city. Joshua ran to his defense, and there the miracle occurred in which the sun stopped over Gibeon (Josh. 9; 10). The Tabernacle was there for several years (1 Chron. 16:39). Gibeon was the scene of several other incidents that the Bible recounts, such as David’s victory over the Philistines (1 Chron. 14:16); the revenge of the Gibeonites by hanging Saul’s seven sons (2 Sam. 21:1-9). Right there Solomon received a divine revelation regarding his kingship (1 Kings 3: 5-15).
Source: New Illustrated Bible Dictionary
Gibeon was the royal city of the Horites and considered greater than the city of Ai, its men were giants (Joshua 8:17; 10:1, 2). Through strategy his people made an alliance with Joshua by which they saved their lives, but put themselves into bondage to Israel, Joshua 9. When the other Canaanites sought to take revenge on the Gibeonites for deserting and plotted to fight against their city, the army Joshua fell upon them suddenly, having come up by night, and defeated the Canaanites and delivered the city.
The city is represented today by Al-Jib, a village about 8,047 km northwest of Jerusalem. In 1956-57 excavations were made and a large number of archaeological treasures were found. To the east is a large spring-fed pond. Further down among the olive trees are the remains of a larger pond that took in the waters of another spring. This is probably the pool referred to in 2 Samuel 2:13 and Jeremiah 41:12. It is surrounded by a rich mountainous territory near the pass that goes down to the Ajalón valley.
Here Joshua defeated the five kings and saved the city, Joshua 10:1-14.
It was assigned to Benjamin (Joshua 18:25). Later it was given to the Levites, Joshua 21:17.
Abner defeated Joab and killed Asael, 2 Samuel 2:12-28.
Saul killed many Gibeonites, and when he had already died they killed seven of his sons in revenge, 2 Samuel 21.
Place of sacrifice and famous prayer and dream, 1 Kings 3:4-15; 9:2; 2 Chronicles 1:3-13.
Where the captives of Mizpah were delivered, Jeremiah…