GABAON (Heb. Gibh'ôn). - A fortified city of the land of Canaan (Josh. 10:2), the chief city of the Hivite confederation (Josh. 9:2). It was spared, through a stratagem of its leaders, from the extermination during the Israelite invasion (Josh. 9). Joshua acknowledged its sovereignty and defended it against the attack of the Amorite kings on the epic day of G. (Josh. 10).
It is identified with the village of el-Gib, which preserves the beginning of the ancient name, nestled on the summit of a conical hill (710 m.) formed by a series of natural concentric steps in the center of a fertile countryside. It is watered by 8 springs.
A Levitical city (Josh. 21:17) of the tribe of Benjamin (Josh. 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." (Jer. 41:46) - still recognizable today, though covered over, south of the village amid olive groves. It was perhaps supplied by means of an artificial underground channel, similar to that of Jerusalem and of Gezer (şimûr), from a spring that gushes forth at the bottom of a cave.
Near the "great stone 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 Jerusalem.
The "high place of the Lord in G.," where the descendants of Saul were killed (II Sam. 21:6), visited by Solomon to offer sacrifices there before the tabernacle (I Kings 3:4; I Chron. 16:39; 21:29), probably corresponds to Nebi Simeuil which, two km. to the south, dominates the plain of el-Gib with its 150 m. summit.
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Donato Baldi