GABAA. - Name of several biblical localities situated on hills (Heb. Gibh'ah, construct state Gibh'ath, Vulgate Gabaa, Gabaath "hill").

1. G. in the tribe of Judah (Josh. 15, 17), residence of the Calebites, identified in agreement with the data of the Onomasticon (70, 24) of Eusebius with the village of el-Geba', 12 km southwest of Bethlehem and 20 km northwest of Beit-Gibrin (Eleutheropolis).

2. G. in the tribe of Benjamin (Josh. 18, 24; 21, 11; I Chron. 6, 60), today Geba', 10 km northeast of Jerusalem in the vicinity of Ramah (er-Ram). Occupied by the Philistines, it was liberated by Jonathan who, climbing up the two rocky peaks of Bozez and Seneh in the Wadi Suweinit east of Geba and southeast of Michmash, managed to penetrate into the enemy camp, throwing it into confusion and freeing the region from the Philistines (I Sam. 13, 4; 14). Fortified by King Asa, it was the northern outpost of the Kingdom of Judah (I Kings 15, 22; II Kings 23, 8; II Chron. 16, 6). After the exile it was reoccupied by the Benjaminites (Neh. 12, 19).

3. G. of Benjamin (I Sam. 13, 2; 23, 20), destroyed to avenge the outrage of the Benjaminites against the concubine of the Levite of Ephraim (Judg. 19, 14; 20, 4). After its rebuilding it was called "G. of Saul," in memory of the birth and residence of the king (I Sam. 10, 16; 22, 6). Today Tell el-Ful, 6 km north of Jerusalem. The excavations of 1922 to 1933 brought to light a fine example of an Israelite citadel built on the ruins of a village burned in the 11th century and illustrated its history from the 8th century B.C. down to the time of Titus, who razed it to the ground (Fl. Josephus, Bell. Iud., V, 2, 1).

4. G. of Phinehas, on the mountain of Ephraim (Josh. 24, 33), where Eleazar son of Aaron was buried. According to Byzantine tradition it is sought in the village of Gibjah or Hirbet Si'ah, 6 km south of Hirbet et-Tibneh, where the tomb of Joshua was venerated, and in Nebi Saleh, 2 km closer to et-Tibneh.

Bibliography2 works

BIBL.: K. Galling, Biblisches Reallexikon, Tübingen 1937, col. 101; F-M. Abel, Géographie de la Palestine, II, Paris 1938, p. 314.

Donato Baldi

@incollection{ec5_gabaa, author = {Baldi, Donato}, title = {Gabaa}, booktitle = {Enciclopedia Cattolica}, volume = {V}, pages = {1831}, note = {Cited by column}, publisher = {Ente per l’Enciclopedia Cattolica e per il Libro Cattolico}, address = {Città del Vaticano}, year = {1950}, url = {https://azioneromana.com/article/gabaa} }

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