 | Gibeah | |
A hill or hill-town, "of Benjamin" (1 Samuel 13:15), better known as "Gibeah of Saul" (11:4; Isaiah 10:29). It was here that the terrible outrage was committed on the Levite's concubine which led to the almost utter extirpation of the tribe of Benjamin (Judges 19; 20), only six hundred men surviving after a succession of disastrous battles. This was the birthplace of Saul, and continued to be his residence after he became king (1 Samuel 10:26; 11:4; 15:34). It was reckoned among the ancient sanctuaries of Palestine (10:26; 15:34; 23:19; 26:1; 2 Samuel 21:6-10), and hence it is called "Gibeah of God" (1 Samuel 10:5, R.V. marg.). It has been identified with the modern Tell el-Ful (i.e., "hill of the bean"), about 3 miles north of Jerusalem.
Gibeah of Judah
(Joshua 15:57), a city in the mountains of Judah, the modern Jeba, on a hill in the Wady Musurr, about 7 1/2 miles west-south-west of Bethlehem.
Gibeah of Phinehas
(Joshua 15:57, R.V. marg.), a city on Mount Ephraim which had been given to Phinehas (24:33 "hill, " A.V.; R.V. marg. and Hebrews, "Gibeah."). Here Eleazar the son of Aaron was buried. It has been identified with the modern Khurbet Jibia, 5 miles north of Guphna towards Shechem.
