GABAON (Heb. Gibh'ôn). - A fortified city in the land of Canaan (Ios. 10, 2), the chief city of the Hivite confederation (Ios. 9, 2). By a stratagem of its leaders, it was spared extermination during the Israelite invasion (Ios. 9). Giosuè recognized its sovereignty and defended it against the attack of the Amorite kings in the epic day of G. (Ios. 10).
It is identified with the village of el-Gib, which preserves the beginning of the ancient name, situated on the summit of a conical hill (710 m.) formed by a series of natural concentric terraces in the midst of a fertile countryside. It is watered by 8 springs.
A Levitical city (Ios. 21, 17) of the tribe of Beniamin (Ios. 18, 25), it was the scene of fierce fighting between the partisans of Saul and those of David (II Sam. 12, 16), near the great pool—“the great waters of G.” (Ier. 41, 46)—still recognizable today, although covered over, south of the village amid olive groves. It was perhaps supplied by an artificial underground channel, similar to that of Gerusalemme and Gezer (şimûr), from a spring that rises at the bottom of a cave.
Near the “great rock of G.” occurred the treacherous killing of Amasa (II Sam. 20, 8). After the exile, the Gabaonites took part in the rebuilding of the walls of Gerusalemme.
“The high place of the Lord at G.,” where the descendants of Saul were killed (II Sam. 21, 6), visited by Salomone to offer sacrifices there before the tabernacle (I Reg. 3, 4; I Par. 16, 39; 21, 29), probably corresponds to Nebi Simeuil which, two km. to the south, dominates the plain of el-Gib from its summit 150 m. high.