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).
 Gibeon, hill; cup; thing lifted up