the capital city of the Gibeonites, who took advantage of the
oaths of Joshua, and of the elders of Israel, procured by an artful
representation of their belonging to a very remote country, Joshua ix.
Joshua and the elders had not the precaution to consult God on this
affair, but inconsiderately made a league with these people. They soon
discovered their mistake, and, without revoking their promise of saving
their lives, they condemned them to labour in carrying wood and water
for the tabernacle; and to other works, as slaves and captives; in which
state of servitude they remained, till the entire dispersion of the
Jewish nation, A. M. 2553; B. C. 1451. Three days after the Gibeonites
had surrendered to the Hebrews, the kings of Canaan being informed of
it, five of them came and besieged the city of Gibeon. The Gibeonites
sent to Joshua, and desired speedy help. Joshua attacked the five kings
early in the morning, put them to flight, and pursued them to Bethoron,
Josh. x, 3, &c. The Gibeonites were descended from the Hivites, the old
inhabitants of the country, and possessed four cities: Cephirah,
Beeroth, Kirjath-jearim, and Gibeon, their capital; all afterward given
to Benjamin, except Kirjath-jearim, which fell to Judah. The Gibeonites
continued subject to those burdens which Joshua imposed on them, and
were very faithful to the Israelites. Nevertheless, Saul destroyed a
great number of them, 2 Sam. xxi, 1; but God, in the reign of David,
sent a great famine, which lasted three years, A. M. 2983; B. C. 1021;
and the prophets told David that this calamity would continue while
Saul’s cruelty remained unavenged. David asked the Gibeonites what
satisfaction they desired. They answered, “Seven of Saul’s sons we will
put to death, to avenge the blood of our brethren.” The Gibeonites
crucified them. From this time there is no mention of the Gibeonites as
a distinct people. But they were probably included among the Nethinim,
appointed for the service of the temple, 1 Chron. ix, 2. Afterward,
those of the Canaanites who were subdued, and had their lives spared,
were added to the Gibeonites. We see in Ezra viii, 20; ii, 58; 1 Kings
ix, 20, 21, that David, Solomon, and the princes of Judah, gave many
such to the Lord; these Nethinim being carried into captivity with Judah
and the Levites, many of them returned with Ezra, Zerubbabel, and
Nehemiah, and continued, as before, in the service of the temple, under
the priests and Levites. We neither know when, nor by whom, nor on what
occasion, the tabernacle and altar of burnt sacrifices, made by Moses in
the wilderness, were removed to Gibeon; but this we certainly know,
that, toward the end of David’s reign, and in the beginning of
Solomon’s, they were there, 1 Chron. xxi, 29, 30. David, seeing an angel
of the Lord at Araunah’s threshing floor, was so terrified, that he had
not time or strength to go so far as Gibeon to offer sacrifice; but
Solomon, being seated on the throne, went to sacrifice at Gibeon, 1
Kings iii, 4.
oaths of Joshua, and of the elders of Israel, procured by an artful
representation of their belonging to a very remote country, Joshua ix.
Joshua and the elders had not the precaution to consult God on this
affair, but inconsiderately made a league with these people. They soon
discovered their mistake, and, without revoking their promise of saving
their lives, they condemned them to labour in carrying wood and water
for the tabernacle; and to other works, as slaves and captives; in which
state of servitude they remained, till the entire dispersion of the
Jewish nation, A. M. 2553; B. C. 1451. Three days after the Gibeonites
had surrendered to the Hebrews, the kings of Canaan being informed of
it, five of them came and besieged the city of Gibeon. The Gibeonites
sent to Joshua, and desired speedy help. Joshua attacked the five kings
early in the morning, put them to flight, and pursued them to Bethoron,
Josh. x, 3, &c. The Gibeonites were descended from the Hivites, the old
inhabitants of the country, and possessed four cities: Cephirah,
Beeroth, Kirjath-jearim, and Gibeon, their capital; all afterward given
to Benjamin, except Kirjath-jearim, which fell to Judah. The Gibeonites
continued subject to those burdens which Joshua imposed on them, and
were very faithful to the Israelites. Nevertheless, Saul destroyed a
great number of them, 2 Sam. xxi, 1; but God, in the reign of David,
sent a great famine, which lasted three years, A. M. 2983; B. C. 1021;
and the prophets told David that this calamity would continue while
Saul’s cruelty remained unavenged. David asked the Gibeonites what
satisfaction they desired. They answered, “Seven of Saul’s sons we will
put to death, to avenge the blood of our brethren.” The Gibeonites
crucified them. From this time there is no mention of the Gibeonites as
a distinct people. But they were probably included among the Nethinim,
appointed for the service of the temple, 1 Chron. ix, 2. Afterward,
those of the Canaanites who were subdued, and had their lives spared,
were added to the Gibeonites. We see in Ezra viii, 20; ii, 58; 1 Kings
ix, 20, 21, that David, Solomon, and the princes of Judah, gave many
such to the Lord; these Nethinim being carried into captivity with Judah
and the Levites, many of them returned with Ezra, Zerubbabel, and
Nehemiah, and continued, as before, in the service of the temple, under
the priests and Levites. We neither know when, nor by whom, nor on what
occasion, the tabernacle and altar of burnt sacrifices, made by Moses in
the wilderness, were removed to Gibeon; but this we certainly know,
that, toward the end of David’s reign, and in the beginning of
Solomon’s, they were there, 1 Chron. xxi, 29, 30. David, seeing an angel
of the Lord at Araunah’s threshing floor, was so terrified, that he had
not time or strength to go so far as Gibeon to offer sacrifice; but
Solomon, being seated on the throne, went to sacrifice at Gibeon, 1
Kings iii, 4.