גִּבְעָה (giv.ah)
giv.ah
Gibeah
N:N--LQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 44 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- N:N--L
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun giv’ah literally means "hill," but in Scripture it functions primarily as a proper name for specific elevated settlements. The lexicons identify three distinct locations bearing this title: one in the territory of Judah, another in Ephraim near Kirjath-jearim, and most notably, Gibeah of Benjamin. This third site is the focal point of the word’s biblical narrative, serving as the birthplace of King Saul and a key stronghold during the early monarchy.
While the term describes a physical geographic feature, its theological weight comes from its association with moral failure. The book of Judges records a horrific crime committed by the men of Gibeah against a Levite’s concubine (Judges 19), an event that triggered a civil war and symbolized the chaos of the period before kingship. Prophets like Hosea later used the city’s name as a shorthand for Israel’s corruption, recalling how "they have committed their worst deeds in Gibeah" (Hosea 10:9).
Translators consistently render giv’ah as "Gibeah" rather than translating it as "hill" to preserve its identity as a specific place. This distinction is crucial because the word appears frequently in historical accounts of Saul’s reign and the subsequent conflicts between Judah and Benjamin. The name reminds readers that a place named for its elevation can become a symbol of both royal promise and profound societal collapse.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The name Gibeah appears often in the Old Testament as a simple geographic marker for a hilltop settlement. Yet these places carry heavy stories about human failure and divine justice. When readers encounter this word, they are reminded that physical elevation does not guarantee moral integrity. The history of Benjamin’s Gibeah shows how quickly community can fracture when respect for others is abandoned.
At the same time, this location marks the beginning of Israel’s monarchy. It was here that Saul received his calling to lead God’s people. This duality offers a balanced view of leadership and place. A site can be associated with both terrible violence and holy appointment. The text invites us to look beyond surface appearances.
For your daily walk, this word encourages careful observation. We often judge environments by their height or prominence. Scripture shows that true character is found in how people treat strangers and uphold justice. God sees the heart behind every hilltop decision. This perspective helps us navigate our own communities with wisdom and grace.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 44 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- <the>/ Gibeah15×
- in <the>/ Gibeah5×
- Gibeah of5×
- <the>/ Gibeah/ towards5×
- at/ Gibeah of4×
- Gibeah3×
- to <the>/ Gibeah2×
- from/ Gibeah of2×
- Gibeah/ towards2×
- at <the>/ Gibeah1×
- [are] in <the>/ Gibeah1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- הַ/גִּבְעָ֖ה4×
- הַ/גִּבְעָ֔ה3×
- הַ/גִּבְעָ֑ה3×
- גִּבְעַ֣ת3×
- הַ/גִּבְעָֽה\׃2×
- הַ/גִּבְעָ֖תָ/ה2×
- גִּבְעַ֥ת2×
- בַּ/גִּבְעָ֑ה2×
- בְּ/גִבְעַ֖ת2×
- מִ/גִּבְעַת֙1×
- מִ/גִּבְעַ֖ת1×
- לַ/גִּבְעָ֜ה1×
Key Verses
-
Judges 19:12
His master said to him, “We won’t enter into the city of a foreigner that is not of the children of Israel; but we will pass over to Gibeah.”
This verse introduces Gibeah of Benjamin as a place where travelers seek shelter, setting the stage for the subsequent moral crisis that defines the city's legacy.
-
Judges 20:5
The men of Gibeah rose against me, and surrounded the house by night. They intended to kill me and they raped my concubine, and she is dead.
Here the word identifies the specific location of the atrocity against the Levite’s concubine, linking the place name directly to the collapse of social order in Israel.
-
I Samuel 10:5
“After that you will come to the hill of God, where the garrison of the Philistines is; and it will happen, when you have come there to the city, that you will meet a band of prophets coming down from the high place with a lute, a tambourine, a pipe, and a harp before them; and they will be prophesying.
This reference connects Gibeah to Saul’s prophetic encounter, highlighting its role as a pivotal site for the establishment of the Israelite monarchy.