Gibeon

2 definitions found

From Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary [easton]:

  Gibeon
     hill-city, "one of the royal cities, greater than Ai, and all
     the men thereof were mighty" (Josh. 10:2). Its inhabitants were
     Hivites (11:19). It lay within the territory of Benjamin, and
     became a priest-city (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 (Josh. 9;17), 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 (Ex. 23:32; 34:12;
     Num. 33:55; Deut. 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
     (Josh. 9:23).
     
       The most remarkable incident connected with this city was the
     victory Joshua gained over the kings of Palestine (Josh.
     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 Sam. 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 Sam. 21:2, 5)
     of the covenant with the Gibeonites (Josh. 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 Sam. 21:9); and there the bodies hung for six months
     (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 (21:12, 13).
     
       Here, "at the great stone," Amasa was put to death by Joab (2
     Sam. 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 Chr.
     1:3). On this occasion the Lord appeared to him in a memorable
     dream, recorded in 1 Kings 3:5-15; 2 Chr. 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).
     

From Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary (late 1800's) [hitchcock]:

  Gibeon, hill; cup; thing lifted up