gibeon

1 definition found

gibeon - Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary :

  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).