In 20^', however, another Gibeah seems to be referred to by the narrator. After twice sufl'ering defeat at the hands of the Benjamites, the men of Israel lay an ambush against Gil/eah, and then entice the Benjamites into ' the highways, ot
^/KoCXot/, iiix^* *T0 '■*'► '\tpoiro\C{jM> erw aire TpioLX£>Ta r-reiitafp
GIBEAH
GIBEAH
169
which one goeth up to Bethel, and the other to Gibeah, in the field.' From this passage it has been concluded that tliere was another place called Gibeali in the immediate neighbourhood, which was distinguished by tlie addition of ' in the field.' But this view is opposed by tlie accentuation, according to which ' in the field ' is parallel to ' in the highways' (so RV). It is evident that Gibeah i« a nii.stake for Geba (Jeha), the road to which branches oil' just N. of Tell el-FCil ; Moore thinks it probable that the author had ' no clear concep- tion of the toiiograiihy ' {Jtn/i/e.i, p. 436).
Again in v.-*^ it is stated that tiie Israelite liers- in wait ' brake out of tlieir place, even out of Maareh-geba.' AV and KVm give 'even out of the meadow of Gibeah,' tlieir translation being based on that of the Targuin. The rendering 'meadow' (for nny;;), however, is very question- able, and it has l)een proposed to follow the I'esh., and render, with a change of tlie vowel points, 'cave.' The correct reading is doubtless that pre- served by one large group of Greek MSS and Jerome, viz. ' from the W. of G.' (n;;^:^) m;'i;n, cf. Jos 8»' '-). See Moore, Ju</f/i:s, pp. 437, 438.'
(2) From 1 S lU-" * we learn that Gibeah was the native village of Saul, to which he returned after his election as king ; from this time onwards it is frequentlv called 'G. of Saul.' (The identity of the two places is sufficiently clear from the narra- tive of 1 S 13 and 14). It was here that Saul, while pursuing his ordinary occnjiations, heard of the grievous plight of .laliesli-gilcad in consequence of the attack of Nahash the Ammonite (11''). The occasion foreshadowed by Samuel (10') had now arrived, and Saul, following the promptings of the divine spirit, at once took action. He .slew a yoke of oxen, and sent portions of them throughout the borders of Israel, bidding the people follow after him. The summons was promptly obeyed, and by means of a forced march Saul ellected the release of .labesh-gilead. From the account of the war with the I'hilistines (I S 13. 14), which occupied the greater part of Saul's reign, Gibeah would seem to have been of considerable strategic importance. The e.xact sequence of events, however, is not quite clear, chiefly owing to tlie corruptness of the text, and the confusion wliicli clearly ])re- vails witli regard to the two places tielia and Gibeah. According to the more probable view, Saul, with 20110 men, took uji his position at Michmash {MOkhmds), on the N. side of the Wady Stiweinit, from which he commanded the heights of Bethel, while Jonathan, with 1000 men, remained at Gibeah, some three miles farther south (13-). The signal for revolt was given by Jonathan, who destroyed the|iillart of the I'hilistines at Gibeah (emending v.' ' and the I'hilistines heard saying. The Hebrews have revolted. And Saul blew the trumpet,' etc. ; cf. Driver, iVnu. ail loc.) ; the Phil, at once mustered in great force, and marched against the Israelites. Unable to withstand the ailviince of the enemy, Saul retreated down the eastern jiasses to Gilgal in the Jordan Valley, while the I'hilistines seized the deserted camp at Michmash (vv.*'°). For a time the cause of Israel seemed hopeless, but Saul, having collected some 600 men, the remnant of his forces, ellected a junction with Jonathan at Gibeah (v." following tli(^ LXX ; in v." Geba must be a mistake for Gibeah). In the meantime the Philistines overran tie country in three direi'tions (for 'the border' l^iijnj, v.", the LXX has >'3M ; we should probably
• 1 S 1036-w haa been clearly shown by Budde {Richter wid
Samiii't. p. 174 f.) to he ahnrmonistic insortionof the editor ; but tlilB fad (lot's not alTcct the point lit it*.suc.
f So Driver. Wellh., Th. ; IJV i-ives 'Knrrison.' The 3"V} »m
grobahly a pillnr erected in token of rhilisline domination, ee liriver, .S'ni/i. p. ttl.
read njin:.-! Gibeah, since it would be meaningless to talk of a companj' of spoilers starting from Michmash in the direction of Geba, situateil on the opposite side of the W/idy Suweinit). Hostilities between the opposing forces were again initiated by Jonathan. On this second occasion, accom- panied only by his armour-bearer, he apparently proceeded from Gibeah to (ieba, and thence (cf. 14' 'that is on yonder side') made his des|ierate elfort against the Philistine "arrison at Michmash. The latter, believing, no doubt, that the two warriors were supported by a large force, oll'ered but little resistance, and no fewer than twenty were slain at the first onset (14'''). The panic caused by this sudden attack rapidly spread throughout the Philistine camp, which soon became the scene of the wildest confusion. The news was conveyed to Saul at Gibeah by his scouts or outposts (v.'*), and a general onslaught on the terrified Philistines, in which the whole country joined, was success- fully carried out. It does not seem, however, that the Israelitish victory on this occasion had more than a temporary eltect, for we are t<dd later on that ' there was sore war against the Philistines all the days of Saul' [W'^).