The meaning of Gibeath (1) in the Bible
(From International Standard Bible Encyclopedia)
gib'e-ath (gibh'ath): This is the status constructus of the foregoing (Gibeah). It is found in several compound place-names.
(1) Gibeath-ha-araloth (gibh'ath ha'araloth). English Versions of the Bible tanslations literally, "hill of the foreskins"; but the margins suggest the proper name. Here the Israelites were circumcised after the passage of the Jordan (Joshua 5:3). The place was therefore between that river and Jericho.
(2) Gibeath Phinehas (gibh'ath pinechac), the burial place of Eleazar the son of Aaron in Mt. Ephraim (Joshua 24:33 the King James Version "a hill that pertained to Phinehas," the Revised Version (British and American) "the hill of Phinehas," the Revised Version, margin "Gibeah of Phinehas"). Conder would identify it with 'Awertah in the plain of Makhneh, not far from Nablus, where "the Samaritans show the tombs of Phinehas and Eleazar, Abishuah and Ithamar" (Tent Work, 41 f.). The "tomb of Eleazar" is 18 ft. long, plastered all over and shaded by a splendid terebinth." Guerin places it at Jibia, 3 miles North of Qaryat el-'Anab (Judee, III, 37 f.; Samarie, 106 ff.). There is no certainty.
(3) Gibeath hammoreh (gibh'ath hamoreh), a hill on the North side of the valley from the camp of Gideon, beside. which lay the Midianites (Judges 7:1, English Versions of the Bible "the hill of Moreh"; the Hebrew is literally, "hill of the teacher"). It is probably identical with Jebel Duchy, which rises on the North of the Vale of Jezreel. Moore (Judges, 200) mistakenly calls the mountain Nabi Dachi. This is, of course, the name of the "prophet" whose shrine crowns the hill.
See MOREH.
(4) Gibeath ha-Elohim (gibh'ath ha-'elohim), the place where Saul, after leaving Samuel, met the company of prophets, and prophesied with them (I Samuel 10:5, I Samuel 10:10). It is defined as the place "where is the garrison (or pillar) of the Philistines." This may be intended to distinguish it from GIBEAH (2), with which it is often identified. In this case it may be represented by the modern Ramallah, about 10 miles North of Jerusalem.
See also TABOR.
(5) Gibeath ha-Hachilah (I Samuel 23:19; I Samuel 26:1) is identical with HACHILAH (which see).
(6) Gibeath Ammah (II Samuel 2:24) is identical with AMMAH (which see).
(7) Gibeath Gareb (Jeremiah 31:39) is identical with GAREB (which see).
W. Ewing
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