Gibeah

Easton, 1897

A hill or hill-town, "of Benjamin" (1 Samuel 13:15), better known as "Gibeah of Saul" (1 Samuel 11:4; Isaiah 10:29). It was here that the terrible outrage was committed on the Levite's concubine which led to the almost utter extirpation of the tribe of Benjamin (Judges 19; Judges 20), only six hundred men surviving after a succession of disastrous battles. This was the birthplace of Saul, and continued to be his residence after he became king (1 Samuel 10:26; 1 Samuel 11:4; 1 Samuel 15:34). It was reckoned among the ancient sanctuaries of Palestine (1 Samuel 10:26; 1 Samuel 15:34; 1 Samuel 23:19; 1 Samuel 26:1; 2 Samuel 21:6-10), and hence it is called "Gibeah of God" (1 Samuel 10:5, R.V. marg.). It has been identified with the modern Tell el-Ful (i.e., "hill of the bean"), about 3 miles north of Jerusalem.