Geba

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

GEBA (Heb. geba’ , ‘a hill’). A city of Benjamin, on the N.E. frontier (  Joshua 18:24 ), assigned to the Levites (  Joshua 21:17 ,   1 Chronicles 6:60 ). It stands for the N. limit of the kingdom of Judah (  2 Kings 23:8 ‘from Geba to Beersheba’). In   2 Samuel 5:25 we should probably read ‘Gibeon’ as in   1 Chronicles 14:16 . The position of Geba is fixed in   1 Samuel 14:5 S. of the great Wâdy Suweinît , over against Michmash, the modern Mukhmâs . This was the scene of Jonathan’s famous exploit against the Philistines. Everything points to its identity with Jeba‘ , a village 6 miles N. of Jerusalem. It occupied an important position commanding the passage of the valley from the north. It was fortified by Asa (  1 Kings 15:22 ). It appears in Isaiah’s picture of the approach of the Assyrian upon Jerusalem (  1 Kings 10:28 ff.). It is mentioned also as occupied after the Exile (  Nehemiah 11:31 ,   Ezra 2:26 etc.). It seems to be confused with the neighbouring Gibeah in   Judges 20:10; Jdg 20:33 ,   1 Samuel 13:8;   1 Samuel 13:16 . In   Judges 20:31 ‘Gibeah’ should be ‘Geba.’ 2 . A stronghold in Samaria, between which and Scythopolis Holofernes pitched his camp ( Jdt 3:10 ). Perhaps Jeba‘a is intended, about 2 miles S. of Sanûr , on the road to Jenîn .

W. Ewing.

Fausset's Bible Dictionary

("the hill".) A town of Benjamin, on its northern boundary, from whence "from Geba to Beersheba" expresses all Judah from N. to S. as "from Dan to Beersheba" expresses all Israel and Judah from N. to S. ( 2 Kings 23:8.) Close to Ramah ( Nehemiah 7:30). As an eastern limit it stands opposed to Gazer ( 2 Samuel 5:25); Gibeon in  1 Chronicles 14:16. Geba was garrisoned by the Philistines at, the beginning of Saul's reign ( 1 Samuel 13:3). Jonathan dislodged them in a gallant assault with his armor-bearer alone (1 Samuel 14). Geba was on the S. and Michmash on the N. of the ravine.

Now the village Jeba, crowning the steep hill on the edge of the wady Suweinit, facing Mukmas on the N. side. So in  Isaiah 10:28-32, "he (Sennacherib) hath laid up his carriages at Michmash," i.e., the "carriages" (i.e. heavy baggage) could not be got across the wady at Michmash. Then "they are gone over the passage," i.e., the lighter part of the army pass the ravine which might have been easily guarded against them, and" lodge" Malown , "rest for the night," bivouac) at Geba on the S. side. Asa fortified it, as commanding the pass ( 1 Kings 15:22;  2 Chronicles 16:6). KJV has rendered "Geba" into "Gibeah" rightly  Judges 20:10;  Judges 20:33;  1 Samuel 13:16.

Morrish Bible Dictionary

Levitical city in Benjamin.  Joshua 21:17;  2 Samuel 5:25;  2 Kings 23:8;  1 Chronicles 6:60;  1 Chronicles 8:6;  Nehemiah 11:31;  Nehemiah 12:29;  Isaiah 10:29;  Zechariah 14:10 . Apparently while Saul was king the Philistines had a garrison there, which Jonathan smote.  1 Samuel 13:3 . The city was built or rebuilt long afterwards by Asa.  1 Kings 15:22;  2 Chronicles 16:6 . It is called GABA in  Joshua 18:24;  Ezra 2:26;  Nehemiah 7:30; and GIBEAH in  1 Samuel 13:2-16;  1 Samuel 14:2-16 . In  2 Samuel 5:25 Geba should probably be read Gibeon: cf.   1 Chronicles 14:16 . Identified with Jeba, 31 52' N, 35 15' E .

People's Dictionary of the Bible

Geba ( Gç'-Bah ), Hill. A Levitical city of Benjamin,  Joshua 21:17;  1 Chronicles 6:60; also called Gaba.  Joshua 18:24. It was held by the Philistines, but taken by Jonathan,  1 Samuel 13:3 : was a northern landmark of Judah,  2 Kings 23:8; was rebuilt by Asa,  1 Kings 15:22; held by the Assyrians,  Isaiah 10:29; peopled by Benjamites after the captivity,  Ezra 2:26. Geba and Gibeah appear to be sometimes confounded in the English Version (see  1 Samuel 14:5), though they were separate towns. Geba was near Michmash and on the south side of the ravine. It has been identified with Jeba, a deserted village 6 miles north of Jerusalem.

Holman Bible Dictionary

 Joshua 18:24 Joshua 21:17 1 Samuel 13:16-14:18 1 Kings 15:22 2 Kings 23:8 Isaiah 10:29 Zechariah 14:10 1 Chronicles 8:6 Ezra 2:26 Nehemiah 11:31 Nehemiah 12:29

Geba is variously located, some scholars going so far as to locate a southern Geba of Benjamin at Jeba across the wadi Suweinit from Michmash, about five and a half miles north of Jerusalem, and a northern Geba ( Joshua 18:24 ) at khirbet et-Tell, seven miles north of Bethel. At neither of these places has archaeology yet shown evidence to correlate with the biblical materials.

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

A Levitical town of Benjamin,  Joshua 18:24   21:17   1 Chronicles 8:6 , near Ramah,  Nehemiah 7:30   Isaiah 10:29 , and not far from the northern border of the kingdom of Judah,  2 Kings 23:8   Zechariah 14:10 . Near Geba David defeated the Philistines,  2 Samuel 5:25 . Asa renewed it from the ruins of Ramah,  1 Kings 15:22 . It was six or seven miles from Jerusalem, and was separated from Michmash on the north by a deep valley. See Gibeah .

Easton's Bible Dictionary

 2 Samuel 5:25  1 Chronicles 14:16 2 Kings 23:8 Nehemiah 11:31 1 Kings 15:22 1 Samuel 13:16 14:5 Isaiah 10:29 Joshua 18:24,28 2 Kings 23:8 Joshua 18:24 Ezra 2:26 Nehemiah 7:30

Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary

Benjamite, ( 2 Samuel 16:5) from Gera, pilgrimage.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

gē´ba ( גּבע , gebha‛ , "hill"):

(1) A town on the Northeast boundary of the territory of Benjamin ( Joshua 18:24 ), given to the Levites ( Joshua 21:17;  1 Chronicles 6:60 ). It stood on the northern frontier of the kingdom of Judah, Geba and Beersheba marking respectively the northern and southern limits ( 2 Kings 23:8 ). In  2 Samuel 5:25 "Geba" should be altered to "Gibeon," which stands in the corresponding passage,   1 Chronicles 14:16 . In  Judges 20:10 ,  Judges 20:33;  1 Samuel 13:3 ,  1 Samuel 13:16 , the Hebrew reads "Geba," the translation "Gibeah" being due to confusion of the two names. From  1 Samuel 14:5 we gather that Geba stood to the South of the great gorge, Wādy Suweinı̄t , commanding the pass at Michmash. This was the scene of Jonathan's daring enterprise against the Philistines, when, accompanied by his armor-bearer, he accomplished an apparently impossible feat, climbing the rocky steeps of the gorge to the North and putting the enemy to flight. There can be no doubt that the modern village of Jeba‛ occupies the ancient site. It stands to the South of Wādy Suweinı̄t , looking toward Michmash - modern Mukhmās - with Seneh, the crag on the southern lip of the gorge, in front of it. The distance from Jerusalem is about 6 miles. It was fortified by Asa with materials that his enemy Baasha had used to fortify Ramah against him ( 1 Kings 15:22 ). It is named by Isaiah in his description of the terrifying march of the Assyrians upon Jerusalem from the North ( Isaiah 10:28 ). It appears among the cities which were reoccupied by Israel after the Exile ( Ezra 2:26 , etc.;  Nehemiah 11:31 ).

(2) ( Γαιβαί , Gaibaı́ ): Between a fortress so named and Scythopolis ( Beisān ), Holofernes pitched his camp (  Judith 3:10 ). On the high road that runs through Jenı̄n , and down the Vale of Jezreel to Beisān , about 2 miles to the South of Sanūr , stands the village of Jeba‛ , with which this fortress may be identified.

Kitto's Popular Cyclopedia of Biblial Literature

Ge´ba It is often stated that Geba and Gibeah were names of the same place. The two names are indeed only masculine and feminine forms of the same word, signifying 'hill;' but that they were two different places is evident from; comp.; , comp.; . Geba belonged to the tribe of Benjamin , and was assigned to the priests . The Philistines were smitten from Geba unto Gazer by David Asa rebuilt Geba and Mizpeh with the stones of Ramah . 'From Geba (in the north) to Beersheba' (in the south) , expressed the whole extent of the separate kingdom of Judah, just as 'from Dan to Beersheba' expressed the whole length of Palestine. It would seem, from the manner in which Geba (Gaba) and Ramah are coupled in , that they were very near each other; but the site of Geba is now unknown.