GIBEON
(Gibʹe·on) [from a word meaning “hill”], Gibeonites (Gibʹe·on·ites).
The city of Gibeon is today linked with el-Jib, about six miles (10 kilometers) N-NW of Jerusalem. Numerous earthenware jar handles, bearing the name “Gibeon” in ancient Hebrew characters, have been found there. Located on a hill that rises some two hundred feet (61 meters) above the surrounding plain, the ancient site covers about sixteen acres (6.5 hectares).
The site has in recent years been the scene of archaeological diggings. Excavators cleared a 167-foot (51-meter) tunnel cut through solid rock. This tunnel was anciently lighted by means of lamps placed in niches at regular intervals along its walls. With its ninety-three rock-cut steps, the tunnel led from just within Gibeon to a man-made cave reservoir fed by a spring about eighty-two feet (25 meters) below the city wall. This ensured the Gibeonites a safe water supply even in time of siege. Excavators also uncovered a round, rock-cut pit or pool having a diameter of more than thirty-seven feet (11 meters). A circular stairway, with steps measuring about 4.9 feet (1.5 meters) wide, leads downward in a clockwise direction around the edge of the pit. From the bottom of the pit, at a depth of about thirty-five feet (10.7 meters), the steps continue for some forty-five feet (13.7 meters) through a tunneled stairwell leading to a water chamber. Whether this pit or pool is to be identified with the Biblical “pool of Gibeon” is uncertain.—2 Sam. 2:13.
DEALINGS WITH JOSHUA
In Joshua’s time Gibeon was inhabited by Hivites, one of the seven Canaanite nations in line for destruction. (Deut. 7:1, 2; Josh. 9:3-7) The Gibeonites were also called “Amorites,” as this designation appears at times to have been applied generally to all the Canaanites. (2 Sam. 21:2; compare Genesis 10:15-18; 15:16; see AMORITE.) Unlike the other Canaanites, the Gibeonites realized that, despite their military strength and the greatness of their city, resistance would fail, because Jehovah was fighting for Israel. Therefore, after the destruction of Jericho and Ai, the men of Gibeon, apparently also representing the three other Hivite cities of Chephirah, Beeroth and Kiriath-jearim (Josh. 9:17), sent a delegation to Joshua at Gilgal to sue for peace. The Gibeonite ambassadors, dressed in worn-out garments and sandals and having burst wine skin-bottles, worn-out sacks and dry, crumbly bread, represented themselves as being from a distant land, hence not in the way of Israel’s conquests. They acknowledged Jehovah’s hand in what had earlier befallen Egypt and the Amorite kings Sihon and Og. But wisely they did not mention what had happened to Jericho and Ai, as such news could not have reached their “very distant land” before the supposed departure. Israel’s representatives examined and accepted the evidence and covenanted with them to let them live.—Josh. 9:3-15.
Shortly thereafter the ruse was uncovered. But the covenant remained in force; breaking it would have called Israel’s trustworthiness into question and brought Jehovah’s name into contempt among the other nations. When Joshua confronted the Gibeonites about their craftiness, they again acknowledged Jehovah’s dealing with Israel and then placed themselves at his mercy, saying: “Now here we are, in your hand. Just as it is good and right in your eyes to do to us, do.” They were then constituted gatherers of wood and drawers of water for the assembly and for Jehovah’s altar.—Josh. 9:16-27.
Although Joshua and the other chieftains had been tricked into making a covenant with the Gibeonites, this was evidently in harmony with Jehovah’s will. (Josh. 11:19) Proof of this is seen in the fact that, when five Amorite kings sought to destroy the Gibeonites Jehovah blessed Israel’s rescue operation, even showering down great hailstones upon the foe and miraculously extending the daylight for battle. (Josh. 10:1-14) Also, both in seeking a covenant of peace with Israel and in appealing to Joshua for help when threatened, the Gibeonites manifested faith in Jehovah’s ability to fulfill his word and to effect deliverance, something for which Rahab of Jericho was commended and that resulted in the preservation of her life and that of her household. Moreover, the Gibeonites had a wholesome fear of Israel’s God.—Compare Joshua 2:9-14; 9:9-11, 24; 10:6; Hebrews 11:31.
UNDER ISRAEL’S CONTROL
Gibeon afterward came to be one of the cities in the territory of Benjamin assigned to the Aaronic priests. (Josh. 18:21, 25; 21:17-19) The Benjamite Jeiel apparently ‘fathered’ or founded a house there. (1 Chron. 8:29; 9:35) One of David’s mighty men, Ishmaiah, was a Gibeonite (1 Chron. 12:1, 4), and the false prophet Hananiah, a contemporary of Jeremiah, was from Gibeon.—Jer. 28:1.
In the eleventh century B.C.E., Gibeon and its vicinity witnessed a conflict between the army of Ish-bosheth under the command of Abner and that of David under the leadership of Joab. Initially, doubtless to settle the issue as to who should be king over all Israel, a combat with twelve men from each side was staged. But this decided nothing, for each warrior transfixed his opponent with the sword so that all twenty-four perished. Thereafter fierce fighting erupted, with Abner losing eighteen times as many men as Joab. All together there were 380 casualties, including Joab’s brother Asahel, killed by Abner in self-defense. (2 Sam. 2:12-31) In revenge over Asahel, Joab later murdered Abner. (2 Sam. 3:27, 30) Sometime after this, near the great stone in Gibeon, Joab also killed his own cousin, Amasa, the nephew of David whom David had appointed army chieftain.—2 Sam. 20:8-10.
Throughout the centuries the original Gibeonites continued to exist as a people, although King Saul schemed to destroy them. The Gibeonites, however, patiently waited on Jehovah to reveal the injustice. This he did by means of a three-year famine in David’s reign. Upon inquiring of Jehovah and learning that bloodguilt was involved, David interviewed the Gibeonites to ascertain what should be done to make atonement. The Gibeonites rightly answered that it was not a “matter of silver or gold,” because, according to the Law, no ransom could be accepted for a murderer. (Num. 35:30, 31) They also recognized that they could not put a man to death without legal authorization. Therefore, not until David’s further questioning did they request that seven “sons” of Saul be handed over to them. The fact that bloodguilt was upon both Saul and his household suggests that, although Saul probably took the lead in the murderous action, the “sons” of Saul may directly or indirectly have shared in it. (2 Sam. 21:1-9) In that event this would not be a case of sons dying for the sins of their fathers (Deut. 24:16), but would involve the administration of retributive justice in harmony with the law “soul for soul.”—Deut. 19:21.
During David’s lifetime, the tabernacle was moved to Gibeon. (1 Chron. 16:39; 21:29, 30) It was there that Solomon sacrificed early in his reign. Also at Gibeon Jehovah appeared to him in a dream, inviting him to request anything that he might desire.—1 Ki. 3:4, 5; 9:1, 2; 2 Chron. 1:3, 6, 13.
Years later the prophet Isaiah (28:21, 22), in foretelling Jehovah’s strange deed and unusual work of rising up against his own people, parallels this with what happened in the low plain of Gibeon. Likely the allusion is to David’s God-given victory over the Philistines (1 Chron. 14:16), if not also to the much earlier defeat of the Amorite league in the time of Joshua. (Josh. 10:5, 6, 10-14) The prophecy had a fulfillment in 607 B.C.E., when Jehovah allowed the Babylonians to destroy Jerusalem and its temple.
At Mizpah, not long after the foretold destruction, Ishmael murdered Gedaliah, the governor appointed by Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon. The assassin and his men also took the remaining people of Mizpah captive. But Johanan, with his men, overtook Ishmael by the abundant waters in Gibeon and recovered the captives.—Jer. 41:2, 3, 10-16.
Men of Gibeon were among those returning from Babylonian exile in 537 B.C.E., and certain ones later shared in repairing Jerusalem’s wall.—Neh. 3:7; 7:6, 7, 25.
[Picture on page 651]
Rock-cut pit sometimes identified with the “pool of Gibeon”