Atomic Bible

Hivite city that tricked Joshua into a peace treaty.

Gibeon

Named in 44 verses across 10 books, first in Joshua 9:3.

גִּבְעוֹןGibeon

גִּבְעֹנִיGibeonite

גֶּ֫בַעGeba

גִּבָּרGibbar

בָּמָהBamah

Also called Gibeonite, Geba, Gibbar, Bamah.

The name means “hill; cup; thing lifted up.” Hitchcock's Bible Names, 1869

About Gibeon Written by AI

Gibeon was a significant city in ancient Israel, located in the territory of Benjamin, about 6 miles northwest of Jerusalem. It was inhabited by Hivites, a Canaanite people group. When Joshua led the Israelites into Canaan, the Gibeonites tricked them into making a peace treaty by pretending to be from a distant land (Joshua 9:3-15). Despite the deception, Joshua honored the treaty when the truth was discovered. Gibeon's importance is underscored by the fact that its king, Hoham, led a coalition of five Amorite kings against Israel (Joshua 10:1-5). In response, Joshua asked God for the sun to stand still during the ensuing battle, allowing Israel to defeat the coalition (Joshua 10:12-14). After the conquest, Gibeon was allotted to the tribe of Benjamin and designated as a Levitical city (Joshua 18:25, 21:17). The tabernacle was set up at Gibeon for a period, and it became a major worship center (1Ch.16.39, 21:29).

Drafted by an AI model for STEPBible's TIPNR (Tyndale House Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). Check it against the verses below.

Easton's Bible Dictionary, 1897

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).

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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).

M. G. Easton, Illustrated Bible Dictionary, third edition (1897), public domain, from CrossWire. Shown as written; its Scripture quotes are from older translations.

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GenesisMatthewRevelation

Where the Bible names it

  1. Joshua 9:3

    But the people of Gibeon, having heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai,

  2. Joshua 9:17

    So the Israelites set out and on the third day arrived at their cities—Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath-jearim.

  3. Joshua 10:1

    Now Adoni-zedek king of Jerusalem heard that Joshua had captured Ai and devoted it to destruction—doing to Ai and its king as he had done to Jericho and its king—and that the people of Gibeon had made peace with Israel and were living near them.

  4. Joshua 10:2

    So Adoni-zedek and his people were greatly alarmed, because Gibeon was a great city, like one of the royal cities; it was larger than Ai, and all its men were mighty.

  5. Joshua 10:4

    “Come up and help me. We will attack Gibeon, because they have made peace with Joshua and the Israelites.”

  6. Joshua 10:5

    So the five kings of the Amorites—the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon—joined forces and advanced with all their armies. They camped before Gibeon and made war against it.

  7. Joshua 10:6

    Then the men of Gibeon sent word to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal: “Do not abandon your servants. Come quickly and save us! Help us, because all the kings of the Amorites from the hill country have joined forces against us.”

  8. Joshua 10:10

    And the LORD threw them into confusion before Israel, who defeated them in a great slaughter at Gibeon, pursued them along the ascent to Beth-horon, and struck them down as far as Azekah and Makkedah.

  9. Joshua 10:12

    On the day that the LORD gave the Amorites over to the Israelites, Joshua spoke to the LORD in the presence of Israel: “O sun, stand still over Gibeon, O moon, over the Valley of Aijalon.”

  10. Joshua 10:41

    Joshua conquered the area from Kadesh-barnea to Gaza, and the whole region of Goshen as far as Gibeon.

  11. Joshua 11:19

    No city made peace with the Israelites except the Hivites living in Gibeon; all others were taken in battle.

  12. Joshua 18:25

    Gibeon, Ramah, Beeroth,

  13. Joshua 21:17

    And from the tribe of Benjamin they gave them Gibeon, Geba,

  14. 2 Samuel 2:12

    One day Abner son of Ner and the servants of Ish-bosheth son of Saul marched out from Mahanaim to Gibeon.

  15. 2 Samuel 2:13

    So Joab son of Zeruiah and the servants of David marched out and met them by the pool of Gibeon. And the two groups took up positions on opposite sides of the pool.

  16. 2 Samuel 2:16

    Then each man grabbed his opponent by the head and thrust his sword into his opponent’s side, and they all fell together. So this place, which is in Gibeon, is called Helkath-hazzurim.

  17. 2 Samuel 2:24

    But Joab and Abishai pursued Abner. By sunset, they had gone as far as the hill of Ammah opposite Giah on the way to the wilderness of Gibeon.

  18. 2 Samuel 3:30

    (Joab and his brother Abishai murdered Abner because he had killed their brother Asahel in the battle at Gibeon.)

  19. 2 Samuel 5:25

    So David did as the LORD had commanded him, and he struck down the Philistines all the way from Gibeon to Gezer.

  20. 2 Samuel 20:8

    And while they were at the great stone in Gibeon, Amasa joined them. Now Joab was dressed in military attire, with a dagger strapped to his belt. And as he stepped forward, he slipped the dagger from its sheath.

  21. 2 Samuel 21:1

    During the reign of David there was a famine for three successive years, and David sought the face of the LORD. And the LORD said, “It is because of the blood shed by Saul and his family, because he killed the Gibeonites.”

  22. 2 Samuel 21:2

    At this, David summoned the Gibeonites and spoke to them. (Now the Gibeonites were not Israelites, but a remnant of the Amorites. The Israelites had taken an oath concerning them, but in his zeal for Israel and Judah, Saul had sought to kill them.)

  23. 2 Samuel 21:3

    So David asked the Gibeonites, “What shall I do for you? How can I make amends so that you may bless the inheritance of the LORD?”

  24. 2 Samuel 21:4

    The Gibeonites said to him, “We need no silver or gold from Saul or his house, nor should you put to death anyone in Israel for us.” “Whatever you ask, I will do for you,” he replied.

  25. 2 Samuel 21:9

    And he delivered them into the hands of the Gibeonites, and they hanged them on the hill before the LORD. So all seven of them fell together; they were put to death in the first days of the harvest, at the beginning of the barley harvest.

  26. 1 Kings 3:4

    Now the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for it was the great high place. Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on the altar there.

  27. 1 Kings 3:5

    One night at Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream, and God said, “Ask, and I will give it to you!”

  28. 1 Kings 9:2

    the LORD appeared to him a second time, as He had appeared to him at Gibeon.

  29. 1 Chronicles 8:29

    Jeiel the father of Gibeon lived in Gibeon. His wife’s name was Maacah,

  30. 1 Chronicles 9:35

    Jeiel the father of Gibeon lived in Gibeon. His wife’s name was Maacah.

  31. 1 Chronicles 12:4

    Ishmaiah the Gibeonite, a mighty man among the Thirty and a leader over the Thirty; Jeremiah, Jahaziel, Johanan, and Jozabad the Gederathite;

  32. 1 Chronicles 14:16

    So David did as God had commanded him, and they struck down the army of the Philistines all the way from Gibeon to Gezer.

  33. 1 Chronicles 16:39

    And David left Zadok the priest and his fellow priests before the tabernacle of the LORD at the high place in Gibeon

  34. 1 Chronicles 21:29

    For the tabernacle of the LORD that Moses had made in the wilderness and the altar of burnt offering were presently at the high place in Gibeon,

  35. 2 Chronicles 1:3

    And Solomon and the whole assembly went to the high place at Gibeon because it was the location of God’s Tent of Meeting, which Moses the servant of the LORD had made in the wilderness.

  36. 2 Chronicles 1:13

    So Solomon went to Jerusalem from the high place in Gibeon, from before the Tent of Meeting, and he reigned over Israel.

  37. Ezra 2:20

    the descendants of Gibbar, 95;

  38. Nehemiah 3:7

    Next to them, repairs were made by Melatiah the Gibeonite, Jadon the Meronothite, and the men of Gibeon and Mizpah, who were under the authority of the governor of the region west of the Euphrates.

  39. Nehemiah 7:25

    the descendants of Gibeon, 95;

  40. Isaiah 28:21

    For the LORD will rise up as at Mount Perazim. He will rouse Himself as in the Valley of Gibeon, to do His work, His strange work, and to perform His task, His disturbing task.

And 4 more

Jeremiah 28:1, 41:12, 41:16

Ezekiel 20:29

From STEPBible's TIPNR, Tyndale House Cambridge (CC BY 4.0): names, family, references and the AI written article. Verse text is the BSB.