Gibeon

Gibeon was a significant city in ancient Israel, located in the territory of Benjamin, about 6 miles northwest of Jerusalem. It was inhabited by Hivites, a Canaanite people group.

When Joshua led the Israelites into Canaan, the Gibeonites tricked them into making a peace treaty by pretending to be from a distant land (Joshua 9:3-15). Despite the deception, Joshua honored the treaty when the truth was discovered.

Gibeon's importance is underscored by the fact that its king, Hoham, led a coalition of five Amorite kings against Israel (Joshua 10:1-5). In response, Joshua asked God for the sun to stand still during the ensuing battle, allowing Israel to defeat the coalition (Joshua 10:12-14).

After the conquest, Gibeon was allotted to the tribe of Benjamin and designated as a Levitical city (Joshua 18:25, 21:17). The tabernacle was set up at Gibeon for a period, and it became a major worship center (1 Chronicles 16:39, 21:29).