גִּבְעָה (giv.ah)
giv.ah
Gibeath-(elohim)
H:N-FQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 57 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-F
Word Overview
The noun giv‘ah refers to a hill or hillock, a landform lower than a mountain but distinct enough to serve as a landmark. In the Hebrew Bible it describes both physical geography and specific settlements built upon elevated ground. The term appears in poetic imagery, such as Psalms 114:4, where mountains skip like rams and hills like lambs, emphasizing the smallness of these rises against divine power.
More significantly, giv‘ah often functions as a place name, most notably Gibeah of Benjamin. This town is infamous in Judges 19–20 for the violence committed there, yet it also serves as Saul’s hometown and a site where Samuel anoints him king (1 Samuel 10:5). The word thus carries dual weight: it marks ordinary terrain while simultaneously anchoring key moments of Israel’s political and moral history.
Translators typically render giv‘ah simply as “hill” or “little hill,” preserving its geographical neutrality. However, in contexts like Isaiah 31:4, where God compares Himself to a lion on Mount Zion (called the hill of Jehovah), the term gains theological resonance. It is not merely earth but a stage for divine presence and human action.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word giv‘ah describes a hill or small rise in the land. It is not a towering mountain, but a distinct landmark that stands above the surrounding ground. In the Bible, these hills are often places where people pause to see further or to encounter God. They mark boundaries, serve as watchpoints, and hold memories of significant events.
For your faith, this word reminds us that God meets us in ordinary places. He was present on the hill where Moses held up his rod during battle, showing that victory comes from Him. He appeared on the hills of Benjamin when Saul was anointed king, guiding Israel’s history. Even in poetry, the hills are described as skipping before God, highlighting His great power over all creation.
When you face a decision or a difficult season, remember that God is not distant. He is near, just like the presence on the hill. You can look to Him for strength and guidance, trusting that He sees what lies ahead and walks with you through every valley and rise.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 57 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- the/ hills10×
- hill6×
- [the] hill of5×
- hills4×
- and/ hills4×
- on/ [the] hill of3×
- the/ hill2×
- more than/ [the] hills2×
- hills of2×
- and/ the/ hills2×
- a hill2×
- [was] on the/ hill2×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- הַ/גְּבָע֖וֹת4×
- גִּבְעָ֣ה3×
- גִּבְעַ֖ת3×
- מִ/גְּבָע֑וֹת2×
- וּ/גְבָע֖וֹת2×
- הַ/גִּבְעָֽה\׃2×
- הַ/גְּבָע֑וֹת2×
- גִּבְעַ֣ת2×
- גְּ֝בָע֗וֹת2×
- גְבָע֣וֹת2×
- בַּ/גִּבְעָ֑ה2×
- בְּ/גִבְעַ֣ת2×
Key Verses
-
Exodus 17:9
Moses said to Joshua, “Choose men for us, and go out to fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with God’s rod in my hand.”
This verse shows the hill as a place of spiritual authority where Moses’ posture directly influenced the battle’s outcome.
-
I Samuel 7:1
The men of Kiriath Jearim came and took Yahweh’s ark, and brought it into Abinadab’s house on the hill, and consecrated Eleazar his son to keep Yahweh’s ark.
This occurrence marks the hill as a sacred resting place for the Ark of the Covenant, connecting geography with divine presence.
-
Psalms 114:4
The mountains skipped like rams, the little hills like lambs.
Here the hills are personified as reacting to God’s presence, illustrating His overwhelming majesty over the earth.
-
Deuteronomy 12:2
You shall surely destroy all the places in which the nations that you shall dispossess served their gods: on the high mountains, and on the hills, and under every green tree.
This verse highlights the hill as a site of both true worship and idolatry, showing how elevated places can be used for either purpose.