GIBEON (gfb'e-on), (Heb. ghib-hon', hill city).
A town celebrated in the Old Testament, but not mentioned in the New. ( ) It was `a great city,' as one of the royal cities ; and to its juris diction originally belonged Beeroth, Chephirah, and Kirjath-jearim (Josh. ix :17; x :2). It is first mentioned in connection with the deception prac ticed by the inhabitants upon Joshua, by which, al though Canaanites (Hivites), they induced the Jewish leader not only to make a league with them, and to spare their lives and cities, but also, in their defense, to make war upon the five kings by whom they were besieged. (2) It was in the great battle which followed that 'the sun stood still upon Gibeon' (Josh. x :12, f-I4)• (3) The place after wards fell to the lot of Benjamin and became a Levitical city (Josh. xviii :25 ; xxi :17), where the tabernacle was set up for many years under David and Solomon (1 Chron. xvi :39; xxi :29; 2 Ghr011. i :3), the ark being at the sante time at Jeru salem (2 Citron: i :4). (4) It was here, as be ing the place of the altar, that the young Solomon offered a thousand burnt-offerings, and was re warded by the vision which left him the wisest of men ( Kings iii :4-15 ; 2 G111'011. i :3-13). (5) This was the place where Abner's challenge to Joab brought defeat upon hintelf, and death upon his brother Ashael (2 Sam. ii :12-32), and where Amasa was afterwards slain by Joab (2 Sam. xx :8-12). (6) None of these passages mark the site of Gibeon ; but there are indications of it in Josephus (De Bell. Ind. ii:19. 11, who places it
fifty stadia northwest front Jerusalem ; and in Jerome (Ep. 86, ad Eusloeh.): which leave little doubt that Gibeon is to be identified with the place which still bears the name of EI-Jib. (7) EI-Jib is a moderately sized village, seaied on the summit of a hill, five miles north by west from Jerusalem. The houses stand very irregu larly and unevenly, sometimes almost above one another. They seem to be chiefly rooms in old massive ruins, which have fallen down in every direction. (8) One large building still remains, probably a former castle or tower of strength. Towards the east the ridge of the hill sinks a little, and here, a few rods from the village, just below the top of the ridge towards the north, is a fine fountain of water. It is in a cave, ex cavated in and under the high rock, so as to form a large subterranean reservoir. Not far below it, among olive-trees, are the remains of an open reservoir, about one hundred and twenty feet in length by one hundred in breadth. It was doubt less designed to receive the superfluous waters of the cavern, and there can be little question but that this was `the Pool of Gibeon' mentioned such, and preferably employed upon the shipping which formed the glory and strength of Tyre. The term is Gebalites in the R. V.