Dibon, also known as Dibon-gad, was a Moabite city allotted to the tribe of Gad, later repossessed by Moab.
Also known as Dimon · Dibon-gad · Dibon Gad
Dibon, also called Dibon-gad, was a city located in the region of Moab, north of the Arnon River. It was originally inhabited by the Moabites (Numbers 21:30) but was later conquered by the Israelites and allotted to the tribe of Gad (Numbers 32:3, 34; Joshua 13:9, 17). The Gadites rebuilt and fortified the city (Numbers 32:34). However, Dibon was later repossessed by the Moabites (Isaiah 15:2; Jeremiah 48:18, 22). The city is mentioned in the famous Mesha Stele (Moabite Stone), which records the victories of King Mesha of Moab against Israel. Dibon is also associated with the "waters of Dimon" in Isaiah 15:9, possibly referring to a nearby river or stream. The city was one of the stopping points during the Israelites' wilderness wanderings (Numbers 33:45-46).
Approximate location: 31.497, 35.783 · view on a map · on the Bible atlas
DI'BON (wasting), the name of two towns. 1. Dibon in Moab. Num 21:30; Gen 15:2. It was built by Gad, Num 34, and hence called Dibon-gad; was assigned to Reuben, Josh 13:9 was also called Dimon. Isa 15:9 afterward returned to Moab, Isa 15:9; Jer 48:18, Josh 11:22; now called Dhiban, about 12 miles east of the Dead Sea and 3 miles north of the Amon. Its ruins are extensive, covering the tops of two adjacent hills. The famous Moabite Stone, bearing an inscription of Mesha, a king of Moab, about 900 b.c, was found here within the gateway by Rev. F. A. Klein (a German missionary at Jerusalem) in 1868. The stone is of black
basalt, 3 feet 8 1/2 inches high, 2 feet 3 1/2 inches wide, and 1 foot 1.78 inches thick. It has 34 lines of Hebrew-Phoenician writing, and contains a most remarkable corroboration of the Scripture history in 2 Kgs 3. Translations have The Moabite Stone. been made by Dr. Ginsburg, M. Ganneau, and Prof, Schlottmann. The latter's translation is as follows: I Mesa, son of Chamos-nadab, the king of Moab [son of] Yabni. My father ruled over Moab [ . . years], and I ruled after my father. And I made this high place of sacrifice to Chamos in Korcha, a high place of deliverance, for he saved me from all [who fought against Moab]. Omri, king of Israel, allied himself with all his (Moab's) haters, and they oppressed Moab [many days]; then Chamos was irritated [against him and against] his land, and let it go over [into the hand of his haters], and they oppressed Moab very sore. In my days spoke Ch[amos], I will therefore look upon him and his house, and Israel shall perish in eternal ruin. And Omri took possession of the town of Medeba, and sat therein [and they oppressed Moab, he and] his son, forty years. [Then] Chamos looked upon Moab in my days. And I built…
Easton (1897), Smith (1863), Hitchcock (1869), Hastings (1898) and Schaff are in the public domain. Parsed text: neuu-org/bible-dictionary-dataset (CC BY 4.0). Headwords and whitespace normalised for this site.
11 verses in 4 books · English text: BSB (change it from the menu at the top) · Strong’s H1769
But we have overthrown them; Heshbon is destroyed as far as Dibon. We demolished them as far as Nophah, which reaches to Medeba.”
“Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sebam, Nebo, and Beon,
And the Gadites built up Dibon, Ataroth, Aroer,
They set out from Iyim and camped at Dibon-gad.
They set out from Dibon-gad and camped at Almon-diblathaim.
The area from Aroer on the rim of the Arnon Valley, along with the city in the middle of the valley, the whole plateau of Medeba as far as Dibon,
to Heshbon and all its cities on the plateau, including Dibon, Bamoth-baal, Beth-baal-meon,
Dibon goes up to its temple to weep at its high places. Moab wails over Nebo, as well as over Medeba. Every head is shaved, every beard is cut off.
The waters of Dimon are full of blood, but I will bring more upon Dimon— a lion upon the fugitives of Moab and upon the remnant of the land.
Come down from your glory; sit on parched ground, O daughter dwelling in Dibon, for the destroyer of Moab has come against you; he has destroyed your fortresses.
upon Dibon, Nebo, and Beth-diblathaim,
Names, family links and references: STEPBible TIPNR (Tyndale House Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). Short descriptions were drafted with AI assistance by STEPBible. Family links follow STEPBible’s scholarly decisions where genealogies are ambiguous.