H1387 H1387
Geba — a Levitical city in Benjamin near the pass of Michmash, marking the northern border of Judah
Geba (geva') is a Levitical city in the tribal territory of Benjamin, situated at the strategic pass of Michmash northeast of Jerusalem. The name likely derives from the root g-b-' meaning 'hill,' appropriate for a settlement perched on elevated terrain overlooking the wadi. Its 18 occurrences span conquest, monarchic, and post-exilic texts. Joshua 18:24 lists it among Benjamin's allotted towns, and Joshua 21:17 assigns it to the Levites. The city gained military fame when Jonathan struck the Philistine garrison there, igniting Saul's war of liberation (1 Sam 13:3, 16; 14:5). Isaiah 10:29 traces the Assyrian advance past Geba on the march toward Jerusalem. The formulaic expression 'from Geba to Beersheba' (2 Kgs 23:8; Zech 14:10) defines the full north-south extent of the kingdom of Judah, with Geba as its northernmost point. Returning exiles resettled there after the Babylonian captivity (Ezra 2:26; Neh 7:30; 11:31; 12:29). Modern Jaba' preserves both the name and the location. Spanish 'Geba,' French 'Gueba,' and German 'Geba' all transliterate directly.
Senses
1. Geba (place name) — A Levitical city in Benjamin's territory, identified with modern Jaba' northeast of Jerusalem, perched near the strategically important pass of Michmash. Allocated to the Levites in Josh 21:17 (= 1 Chr 6:45) and listed among Benjamin's towns (Josh 18:24). Jonathan's attack on the Philistine garrison there triggered Israel's war of independence under Saul (1 Sam 13:3, 16; 14:5). The expression 'from Geba to Beersheba' marks the northern boundary of Judah proper (2 Kgs 23:8; Zech 14:10). Isaiah 10:29 places it on the route of the Assyrian advance toward Jerusalem. Post-exilic returnees resettled it (Ezra 2:26; Neh 7:30; 11:31; 12:29). Asa fortified it with stones carried from Ramah (1 Kgs 15:22; 2 Chr 16:6). 18×
AR["بِـ-جَبَع", "جَبعَ", "جَبَع", "جَبَعَ", "جَبَعُ", "جِبْعَ", "لِ-جِبْعَ", "مِنْ-جَبَعَ", "وَ-جَبَعَ", "وَ-جَبَعُ", "وَجَبَعَ"]·ben["-গেবায়", "আর-গেবার", "এবং-গাবা", "এবং-গেবার", "গেবা", "গেবা-থেকে", "গেবা-হইতে", "গেবায়", "গেবার"]·DE["Geba", "Geva", "Geva-von", "[גבע]", "[וגבע]", "[מגבע]", "in-Geva", "in-Geva-von", "und-Gava", "von-Geva", "zu-Geva"]·EN["Geba", "Geva", "Geva-of", "and-Gava", "and-Geba", "and-Geva", "from-Geva", "in-Geva", "in-Geva-of", "to-Geva"]·FR["Geba", "Geva", "Geva-de", "Guéba", "[גבע]", "dans-Geva", "dans-Geva-de", "de-Geva", "et-Gava", "et-Guéba", "à-Geva"]·heb["ב-גבע", "גבע", "ו-גבע", "ל-גבע", "מ-גבע"]·HI["और-गेबा", "गेबा", "गेबा-के", "गेबा-में", "गेबा-से", "मिन-गिबओन", "से-गेबा"]·ID["Geba", "dan-Geba", "dari-Geba", "di-Geba", "ke-Geba"]·IT["Geba", "Geva", "Geva-di", "Gheba", "[גבע]", "[מגבע]", "a-Geva", "da-Geva", "e-Gava", "e-Gheba", "in-Geva", "in-Geva-di"]·jav["Geba", "Gèba", "Gèbaʻ", "Géba", "dhateng-Géba", "ing-Gèba", "lan-Gaba", "lan-Geba", "saking-Geba", "saking-Géba"]·KO["~로부터-게바", "게바", "게바-에서", "게바는", "게바를", "게바에서", "게바와", "그리고-게바", "그리고-게바의", "길바에서", "에서-게바"]·PT["Geva", "Geva'-de", "Gueva", "a-Geva-de", "de-Geva", "de-Geva'", "desde-Geva", "e-Gava", "e-Geva", "em-Geva", "em-Geva-de"]·RU["Гева", "Геву", "Гевы", "в-Геве", "в-Геву", "и-Гева", "и-Гевы", "от-Гевы"]·ES["Geba", "Geva", "Gueba", "Gueva", "a-Guibeá-de", "desde-Geba", "desde-Geva", "desde-Gueba", "en-Gueba", "en-Gueba-de", "y-Geba", "y-Gueba"]·SW["Geba", "Geba-ya", "kutoka-Geba", "na-Geba"]·TR["-Giva'dan", "-de-Geva", "Geva", "Geva'dan", "Geva'nın", "Geva'ya", "Geva'yı", "Geva-nın", "ve-Gebanin", "ve-Geva", "ve-Geva'nın"]·urd["اور-جبع-کے", "اور-جبعہ", "جبع", "جبع-سے", "جبع-کو", "جبع-کے", "جبعہ", "جبعہ-سے", "جبعہ-میں", "جبعہ-میں-تھی", "جبعہ-کے", "سے-جبعہ"]
Josh 18:24, Josh 21:17, Judg 20:10, 1 Sam 13:3, 1 Sam 13:16, 1 Sam 14:5, 2 Sam 5:25, 1 Kgs 15:22, 2 Kgs 23:8, 1 Chr 6:60, 1 Chr 8:6, 2 Chr 16:6 (+6 more)
Related Senses
H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H4480a 1. source or separation (1198×)H5892b 1. city, town (1093×)G1519 1. direction: into, to, toward (1061×)H3427 1. Qal: to dwell, inhabit (937×)G1537 1. from, out of (source/origin) (886×)H8034 1. Name (designation / identifier) (856×)G3361 1. subjective negation (not) (834×)G1909 1. on, upon (spatial surface) (757×)H0369 1. existential negation: there is not (738×)H5869a 1. in the eyes/sight of (evaluative) (734×)H5650 1. Servant, attendant, subject (723×)H0408 1. prohibitive negation do-not (712×)G2443 1. so that, in order that (purpose/result) (665×)G0575 1. from (649×)G1223 1. through, by means of (582×)H3541 1. thus, so, in this manner (569×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† גֶּ֫בַע n.pr.loc.—ג׳ abs. Jos 21:17 +; cstr. Ju 20:10 +; גָּ֑בַע Jos 18:24 +;—Levitical city, in Benjamin Jos 21:17 = 1 Ch 6:45 Jos 18:24 cf. 1 Ch 8:6, 1 K 15:22 Ne 11:31; also 1 S 13:16 & Ju 20:10, 33 MT, in all three read (גִּבְעַת) גִּבְעָה, cf. context;—northernmost city in kingdom of Judah 2 K 23:8 from Geba to Beersheba, cf. Zc 14:10; situated S. of pass of Michmash Is 10:29 1 S 14:5 cf.…