Location and Setting
- Gibeon is located at present-day el-Jib, six miles northwest of Jerusalem, in the
Central Benjamite Plain, at an elevation of 2,400 feet above sea level. Gibeon lay six
miles southwest of Bethel and Ai, on the route leading down the Aijalon Valley to the
coast.
- A distinctive feature of Gibeon was its extensive water system built to provide water
during a siege of the city. It included a thirty-seven foot diameter pool that was
eighty-two feet deep. The pool was never used to hold water but steps carved into the rock
around its perimeter provided access to the 167-foot tunnel that led to the cistern. The
cistern was fed by a spring that was outside the city wall.
Historical and Biblical Significance
- With an attack on Gibeon imminent after the destruction of Jericho and Ai, its
ambassadors deceived Joshua and the people of Israel into making a treaty with them. They
believed that the Gibeonites, who had come to them for protection, were from a distant
land, as they claimed. Without consulting the Lord, they made an agreement to defend them
if attacked. When Joshua discovered that he had been deceived, he kept his covenant with
the Gibeonites but forced them to forever be woodcutters and water-carriers for Israel
(Josh 9:3-27).
- When they heard of Gibeon’s defection to Israel, Adoni-zedek, king of Jebus
(Jerusalem), and the kings of Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon mobilized to attack
Gibeon. Gibeon called on to Joshua to defend them. He agreed, and after an all-night,
4000-foot uphill march from Gilgal, Israel attacked these kings. The Lord fought for
Israel and the enemy was thrown into confusion. Joshua and his army drove the Amorites
westward down the Ascent of Beth-horon. There, the Lord killed more of the enemy with
hailstones than Joshua did with the sword. Joshua asked God to prolong the daylight so
that he could completely rout the Amorites. The Lord answered by making the sun and moon
stand still for about a day until victory was accomplished. The five kings of the Amorites
were later trapped in the cave at Makkedah where Joshua killed them. The Israelites then
went on to destroy the cities of the five kings (Josh 10:1-43). Through this incident, the
Lord enabled Joshua to defeat the kings of southern region quickly on the open field of
battle, rather than to be drawn into a campaign in which each city would have been
besieged individually.
- Gibeon was in the tribal territory of Benjamin and was made a Levitical city (Josh
18:25; 21:17).
- After the death of Saul and the ascension of David to the throne, the Central Benjamite
Plain, where Gibeon was located, served as a political frontier between the tribes of
northern Israel and Judah. At the pool of Gibeon, Abner, representing Israel, and Joab,
representing David, held a contest between twelve of the best men from each side. When
Abner’s men lost, Asahel, son of Zeruiah, pursued Abner. Abner turned and killed
Asahel. Joab continued pursuing Abner until they gave up the chase in the wilderness of
Gibeon (2 Sam 2:12-28; 3:30).
- Gibeon was a great "high place" where Solomon offered one thousand burnt
offerings. Here, the Lord asked Solomon in a dream what he wanted to receive from Him.
Solomon requested a wise and discerning heart. Pleased with Solomon’s desire for
wisdom instead of wealth, God provided him with both (1 Kgs 3:4-15; 2 Chr 1:3-13).
Bibliography
- Alden, R.L. "Gibeon" The Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible.
Ed. Merrill C. Tenney. 5 vols. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1976.
- Millard, A.R. "Gibeon" The New Bible Dictionary. 2nd ed. Ed.
J.D. Douglas. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1982.
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