GABAA

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

1. G. in the tribe of Judah (Jos. 15:17), residence of the Calebites, identified in agreement with the data of Eusebius's Onomasticon (70, 24) 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 (Jos. 18:24; 21:11; 1 Chr. 6:60), today Geba, 10 km northeast of Jerusalem near Ramah (er-Râm). Occupied by the Philistines, it was liberated by Jonathan, who, climbing the two steep crags of Bossa at Sene in the Wadi Suwejnit east of Geba and southeast of Michmash, managed to penetrate the enemy camp and throw it into confusion, thus freeing the region from the Philistines (1 Sam. 13:4; 14). Fortified by King Asa, it was the northern outpost of the Kingdom of Judah (1 Kgs. 15:22; 2 Kgs. 23:8; 2 Chr. 16:6). After the exile it was reoccupied by the Benjaminites (Neh. 12:19).

3. G. of Benjamin (1 Sam. 13:2; 23:20), destroyed to avenge the outrage of the Benjaminites against the Levite's concubine from 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 (1 Sam. 10:16; 22:6). Today Tell el-Ful, 6 km north of Jerusalem. Excavations from 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 B.C. and illustrated its history from the 8th century B.C. down to the time of Titus, who razed it to the ground (Flavius Josephus, Bell. Jud., V, 2, 1).

4. G. of Phinehas, on the mountain of Ephraim (Jos. 24:33), where Eleazar son of Aaron was buried. It is sought, according to Byzantine tradition, 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.