Geba, a Levitical city in the territory of Benjamin, was located on the northern border of the kingdom of Judah (Joshua 18:24; 1Ki.15.22).
Also known as Gibeah
Geba was a city located in the territory of the tribe of Benjamin, situated on the northern border of the kingdom of Judah. It was assigned to the Levites as one of their cities (Joshua 21:17; 1Ch.6.60).
Geba is first mentioned in the Bible during the time of King Saul, when Jonathan, Saul's son, attacked a Philistine garrison stationed there (1Sa.13.3). Later, during the reign of King Asa of Judah, Geba was fortified using materials from Ramah, which Asa had destroyed (1Ki.15.22; 2Ch.16.6).
After the Babylonian exile, Geba was one of the cities resettled by the returning Israelites (Ezra 2:26; Nehemiah 7:30). It was also mentioned as a city inhabited by the Levites and singers (Nehemiah 11:31; 12:29).
The prophet Isaiah mentions Geba in a prophecy concerning the advance of the Assyrian army towards Jerusalem (Isaiah 10:29). In a future prophecy, Zechariah declares that the land will be inhabited from Geba to Rimmon, south of Jerusalem, indicating the extent of the restored land (Zechariah 14:10).
Geba's location on the northern border of Judah made it a strategically important city throughout Israel's history, serving as a defensive outpost and a Levitical city.
Approximate location: 31.858, 35.260 · view on a map · on the Bible atlas
The hill, (2 Sam. 5:25 [1 Chr. 14:16, “Gibeon”]; 2 Kings 23:8; Neh. 11:31), a Levitical city of Benjamin (1 Kings 15:22; 1 Sam. 13:16; 14:5, wrongly “Gibeah” in the A.V.), on the north border of Judah near Gibeah (Isa. 10:29; Josh. 18:24, 28). “From Geba to Beersheba” expressed the whole extent of the kingdom of Judah, just as “from Dan to Beersheba” described the whole length of Palestine (2 Kings 23:8). It has been identified with Gaba (Josh. 18:24; Ezra 2:26; Neh. 7:30), now Jeb’a, about 5 1/2 miles north of Jerusalem.
(a hill), a city of Benjamin, with “suburbs,” allotted to the priests. (Joshua 21:17; 1 Chronicles 6:60) It is named amongst the first group of the Benjamite towns—apparently those lying near to and along the north boundary. (Joshua 18:24) Here the name is given as Gaba. During the wars of the earlier part of the reign of Saul, Geba was held as a garrison by the Philistines, (1 Samuel 13:3) but they were ejected by Jonathan. It is now the modern village of Jeba, which stands picturesquely on the top of its steep terraced hill, six miles north of Jerusalem, on the very edge of the great Wady Suweinit, looking northward to the opposite village of ancient Michmash, which also retains its old name of Mukhmas .
GE'BA (kill), a Levitical city of Benjamin, Josh 21:17; 1 Chr 6:60; also called Gaba. Josh 18:24. In the reign of Saul it was held by the Philistines, but taken by Jonathan, 1 Sam 13:3; was a northern landmark of Judah, 2 Kgs 23:8; was rebuilt by Asa, 1 Kgs 15:22; held by the Assyrians, Isa 10:29; peopled by Benjamites after the Captivity. Ezr 2:26. Geba and Gibeah appear to be sometimes confounded in the English Version (see 1 Sam 14:5), though they were separate towns. Geba was near Michmash and on the south side of the ravine. It has been identified with Jeba, a deserted village 6 miles north of Jerusalem, and 1 mile from Michmash. The ravine now called Wady Suweinit is the ancient pass of Michmash. 1 Sam 14:5, 1 Sam 14:31.
GE'BA (kill), a Levitical city of Benjamin, Josh 21:17; 1 Chr 6:60; also called Gaba. Josh 18:24. In the reign of Saul it was held by the Philistines, but taken by Jonathan, 1 Sam 13:3; was a northern landmark of Judah, 2 Kgs 23:8; was rebuilt by Asa, 1 Kgs 15:22; held by the Assyrians, Isa 10:29; peopled by Benjamites after the Captivity. Ezr 2:26. Geba and Gibeah appear to be sometimes confounded in the English Version (see 1 Sam 14:5), though they were separate towns. Geba was near Michmash and on the south side of the ravine. It has been identified with Jeba, a deserted village 6 miles north of Jerusalem, and 1 mile from Michmash. The ravine now called Wady Suweinit is the ancient pass of Michmash. 1 Sam 14:5, 1 Sam 14:31.
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.
16 verses in 10 books · English text: BSB (change it from the menu at the top) · Strong’s H1387
Chephar-ammoni, Ophni, and Geba—twelve cities, along with their villages.
And from the tribe of Benjamin they gave them Gibeon, Geba,
Then Jonathan attacked the Philistine outpost at Geba, and the Philistines heard about it. So Saul blew the ramʼs horn throughout the land, saying, “Let the Hebrews hear!”
Now Saul and Jonathan his son and the troops with them were staying in Geba of Benjamin, while the Philistines camped at Michmash.
One cliff stood to the north toward Michmash, and the other to the south toward Geba.
Then King Asa summoned all the men of Judah, with no exceptions, and they carried away the stones of Ramah and the timbers Baasha had used for building. And with these materials King Asa built up Geba of Benjamin, as well as Mizpah.
Then Josiah brought all the priests from the cities of Judah and desecrated the high places, from Geba to Beersheba, where the priests had burned incense. He tore down the high places of the gates at the entrance of the gate of Joshua the governor of the city, which was to the left of the city gate.
And from the tribe of Benjamin they were given Gibeon, Geba, Alemeth, and Anathoth, together with their pasturelands. So they had thirteen cities in all among their families.
These were the descendants of Ehud who were the heads of the families living in Geba and were exiled to Manahath:
Then King Asa brought all the men of Judah, and they carried away the stones of Ramah and the timbers Baasha had used for building. And with these materials he built up Geba and Mizpah.
the men of Ramah and Geba, 621;
the men of Ramah and Geba, 621;
The descendants of Benjamin from Geba lived in Michmash, Aija, and Bethel with its villages;
from Beth-gilgal, and from the fields of Geba and Azmaveth, for they had built villages for themselves around Jerusalem.
They have crossed at the ford: “We will spend the night at Geba.” Ramah trembles; Gibeah of Saul flees.
All the land from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem will be turned into a plain, but Jerusalem will be raised up and will remain in her place, from the Benjamin Gate to the site of the First Gate to the Corner Gate, and from the Tower of Hananel to the royal winepresses.
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.