Bible Dictionary
Gibeonites, The
The Gibeonites were the people of Gibeon and its allied cities who obtained protection from Israel through a covenant with Joshua. They were assigned permanent service at the sanctuary, and their covenant was later violated by Saul.
Definition
The Gibeonites were the Hivite inhabitants of Gibeon and probably its allied cities, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kirjath-jearim. They obtained protection from Israel through a covenant made with Joshua.
Biblical Usage
By disguising themselves as travelers from a distant country, the Gibeonites induced Joshua and Israel’s leaders to make a covenant with them. Although their deception was discovered, the oath preserved their lives and made them perpetual servants at the sanctuary. Saul later violated the covenant by attacking them, and the matter was expiated during David’s reign.
Historical Background
Their assigned service was described as cutting wood and drawing water for the congregation, the house of God, and the altar of Jehovah.
Scripture References
Related Figures
Historical Bible Dictionaries
Smith's Bible Dictionary
the people of Gibeon, and perhaps also of the three cities associated with Gibeon, (Joshua 9:17)—Hivites; and who, on the discover of the stratagem by which they had obtained the protection of the Israelites, were condemned to be perpetual bondmen, hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation and for the house of God and altar of Jehovah. (Joshua 9:23,27) Saul appears to have broken this covenant, and in a fit of enthusiasm or patriotism to have killed some and devised a general massacre of the rest. (2 Samuel 21:1,2,5) This was expiated many years after by giving up seven men of Saul’s descendants to the Gibeonites, who hung them or crucified them “before Jehovah”—as a kind of sacrifice— in Gibeah, Saul’s own town. ch. (2 Samuel 21:4,6,9)