Gibeon: Hill-city, "one of the royal cities, greater than Ai, and all the men
thereof were mighty"
(Joshua 10:2) Its inhabitants were Hivites
(Joshua 11:19) It lay within the territory of Benjamin, and became a
priest-city
(Joshua 18:25; 21:17) Here the tabernacle was set up after the
destruction of Nob, and here it remained many years till the temple
was built by Solomon. It is represented by the modern el-Jib, to the
south-west of Ai, and about 5 1/2 miles north-north-west of Jerusalem.
A deputation of the Gibeonites, with their allies from three other
cities
(Joshua 9:1)ff
(Joshua 17:1)ff visited the camp at Gilgal,
and by false representations induced Joshua to enter into a league
with them, although the Israelites had been specially warned against
any league with the inhabitants of Canaan
(Exodus 23:32; 34:12; Numbers 33:55)
(Deuteronomy 7:2) The deception practised on Joshua was detected three days
later; but the oath rashly sworn "by Jehovah God of Israel" was kept,
and the lives of the Gibeonites were spared. They were, however, made
"bondmen" to the sanctuary
(Joshua 9:23) The most remarkable incident
connected with this city was the victory Joshua gained over the kings
of Palestine
(Joshua 10:16-27) The battle here fought has been regarded
as "one of the most important in the history of the world." The kings
of southern Canaan entered into a confederacy against Gibeon (because
it had entered into a league with Joshua) under the leadership of
Adoni-zedec, king of Jerusalem, and marched upon Gibeon with the view
of taking possession of it. The Gibeonites entreated Joshua to come to
their aid with the utmost speed. His army came suddenly upon that of
the Amorite kings as it lay encamped before the city. It was
completely routed, and only broken remnants of their great host found
refuge in the fenced cities. The five confederate kings who led the
army were taken prisoners, and put to death at Makkedah (q.v.). This
eventful battle of Beth-horon sealed the fate of all the cities of
Southern Palestine. Among the Amarna tablets is a letter from
Adoni-zedec (q.v.) to the king of Egypt, written probably at Makkedah
after the defeat, showing that the kings contemplated flight into
Egypt. This place is again brought into notice as the scene of a
battle between the army of Ish-bosheth under Abner and that of David
led by Joab. At the suggestion of Abner, to spare the effusion of
blood twelve men on either side were chosen to decide the battle. The
issue was unexpected; for each of the men slew his fellow, and thus
they all perished. The two armies then engaged in battle, in which
Abner and his host were routed and put to flight
(2 Samuel 2:12-17) This
battle led to a virtual truce between Judah and Israel, Judah, under
David, increasing in power; and Israel, under Ish-bosheth, continually
losing ground. Soon after the death of Absalom and David's restoration
to his throne his kingdom was visited by a grievous famine, which was
found to be a punishment for Saul's violation
(2 Samuel 21:2,5) of the
covenant with the Gibeonites
(Joshua 9:3-27) The Gibeonites demanded
blood for the wrong that had been done to them, and accordingly David
gave up to them the two sons of Rizpah (q.v.) and the five sons of
Michal, and these the Gibeonites took and hanged or crucified "in the
hill before the Lord"
(2 Samuel 21:9) and there the bodies hung for six
months
(2 Samuel 21:10) and all the while Rizpah watched over the
blackening corpses and "suffered neither the birds of the air to rest
on them by day, nor the beasts of the field by night." David
afterwards removed the bones of Saul and Jonathan at Jabeshgilead
(2 Samuel 21:12,13) Here, "at the great stone," Amasa was put to death
by Joab
(2 Samuel 20:5-10) To the altar of burnt-offering which was at
Gibeon, Joab
(1 Kings 2:28-34) who had taken the side of Adonijah, fled
for sanctuary in the beginning of Solomon's reign, and was there also
slain by the hand of Benaiah. Soon after he came to the throne,
Solomon paid a visit of state to Gibeon, there to offer sacrifices
(1 Kings 3:4; 2 Chronicles 1:3) On this occasion the Lord appeared to him in a
memorable dream, recorded in
(1 Kings 3:5-15; 2 Chronicles 1:7-12) When the
temple was built "all the men of Israel assembled themselves" to king
Solomon, and brought up from Gibeon the tabernacle and "all the holy
vessels that were in the tabernacle" to Jerusalem, where they remained
till they were carried away by Nebuchadnezzar
(2 Kings 24:13)
