Gibeon was an important city located in the territory of Benjamin, about 6 miles northwest of Jerusalem. Though not mentioned extensively, it has significance in a few key biblical events.
The Treaty Between Gibeon and Israel
Soon after Israel entered the Promised Land, the people of Gibeon devised a clever scheme to make peace with Israel instead of facing attack. They pretended to be from a distant land and proposed a treaty with Joshua and the Israelites. Joshua sought the Lord, but “did not ask counsel from the Lord” (Joshua 9:14). So Joshua made peace with them and confirmed it with an oath.
Three days later, Joshua learned that Gibeon was nearby and that the Israelites had been deceived. But since they had sworn an oath, the treaty remained binding. This led to conflict later when five Amorite kings attacked Gibeon for making peace with Israel. Joshua honored the treaty and went to defend Gibeon, and the Lord delivered a powerful victory for Israel (Joshua 10).
This illustrates the importance of seeking God’s guidance before making decisions and keeping one’s word even when inconvenient. Though deceived, Joshua kept his oath, trusting God to work through the situation.
Gibeon as a Levitical City
After the conquest, Gibeon was designated as one of the Levitical cities where the Levites lived and ministered (Joshua 21:17). God had instructed that 48 cities be set aside for the Levites across the territories of Israel (Numbers 35:1-8). This gave the Levites cities to live in and pasturelands for their livestock since they did not receive a designated region of land like the other tribes.
Gibeon was one of the cities given to the descendants of Aaron. This reflects Gibeon’s strategic importance near the central sanctuary at Jerusalem. The Levites had the special role of ministering at the tabernacle and later the temple. Locating them in key cities allowed them to teach the Law to the people and carry out their duties.
The Tabernacle at Gibeon
The tabernacle and original bronze altar were located at Gibeon during the early years after entering Canaan (1 Chronicles 16:39, 21:29). The ark of the covenant had been captured by the Philistines and was not returned to Israel until later. So the tabernacle service continued at Gibeon until Solomon built the temple in Jerusalem to permanently house the ark.
Having the tabernacle at Gibeon established it as a central place for sacrifices and worship during this transitional period when the Israelites were still battling enemies in the Promised Land. Locating it in the territory of Benjamin may have also helped unite the tribes after the recent civil war.
Solomon’s Encounter with God
One key event took place at Gibeon early in Solomon’s reign – his famous encounter with God. One night, God appeared to Solomon in a dream and said “Ask what I shall give you” (1 Kings 3:5).
Solomon humbly asked for wisdom, which pleased God. So God blessed him with a wise and discerning heart, as well as riches and honor. This divine wisdom became a hallmark of Solomon’s reign.
This pivotal encounter happened as Solomon offered sacrifices at Gibeon, which was still the “great high place” since the temple was not yet built. This highlights Gibeon’s ongoing religious importance up to that time.
The Pool of Gibeon
The “great waters that are in Gibeon” (Jeremiah 41:12) were noteworthy as well. This large, rock-cut pool likely supplied water to the city. Excavations uncovered a sophisticated water system fed by tunnel from the pool.
When Ishmael slaughtered a group of Jews at Mizpah after the fall of Jerusalem, Johanan recovered the survivors at Gibeon around the large pool. This pool was a defendable location and fresh water source, revealing the city’s strategic advantages. Ancient water systems were feats of engineering, supplying cities through dry seasons and sieges.
The City Overrun by Babylon
During Babylon’s invasion of Judah, the mighty city of Gibeon fell with Jerusalem and other fortified cities (Jeremiah 39:5). Nebuchadnezzar overpowered Gibeon early in the siege, cutting off support for Jerusalem and eliminating strategic strongholds.
This ended Gibeon’s role as a Levitical city and regional fortress. Excavations of Gibeon revealed a layer of ash and debris consistent with Babylon’s destructive conquest. Though sparsely mentioned after this period, Gibeon eventually recovered but never regained its former importance.
Archaeological Evidence
Extensive archaeological excavations at el-Jib uncover evidence of a large, fortified city matching the biblical descriptions of Gibeon. Findings include:
– Massive walls, gates, and water tunnel dating to the Iron Age
– Winery with huge storage jars for winemaking on a large scale
– Sophisticated water conveyance system with rock-cut channels
– Thick destruction layer signaling catastrophic burning of the city
These findings confirm that a prominent city existed at el-Jib during the appropriate periods, matching the biblical timeline regarding Joshua conquering Gibeon and Babylon later destroying it. The evidence corroborates the biblical accounts.
Summary of Biblical Significance
Though passing mentions, Gibeon had an interesting place in several key events:
– The deceptive treaty incident revealed Joshua’s character
– Designation as a Levitical city gave it a key role after the conquest
– The tabernacle was located there until Solomon’s temple was built
– Solomon had a pivotal encounter with God at Gibeon early in his reign
– The city highlights strategic water engineering in the ancient world
– Its destruction by Babylon ended Gibeon’s prominence in Judah
This influential city’s remains continue to reveal insights into biblical history today. Though brief, Gibeon’s mentions in Scripture color in important context about the regional terrain, politics, and archaeology of the Promised Land during this dynamic era of biblical history.