Places in the Bible Today:

Gibbethon

Data

Translated NameGibbethon
Typesettlement
Geo Data KML (for Google Earth)
GeoJSON (for GIS applications)

4 Possible Identifications

  1. Tell Melat (modern): 55% confidence
    1. summit of Tell MelatTell Melat

  2. Ras Abu Hamid (modern): 20% confidence
    1. satellite view of the region around Ras Abu HamidRas Abu Hamid

  3. Aqir (modern): less than 10% confidence
    1. historical streetscape of AqirAqir

  4. Qibya (modern): less than 10% confidence
    1. cityscape of QibyaQibya

Verses (5)

Josh-Ruth (2)
Josh 19:44, 21:23
1Sam-Esth (3)
1Kgs 15:27, 16:15, 16:17

Linked Data Identifiers

SourceIdentifier
Biblemapper.com459
Logos FactbookGibbethon
OpenBible.info (2007)Gibbethon
OpenBible.infoa6f048c (Gibbethon)
TIPNRGibbethon@Jos.19.44
UBS Names Databaseot ID_679
WikidataQ25493256

Sources

  1. Aharoni, Land of the Bible (1979): page 435
  2. Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary (1992): Gibbethon (place)
  3. Archaeological Encyclopedia of the Holy Land (1990): Gibbethon
  4. Baker Illustrated Bible Dictionary (2013): Gibbethon
  5. Baly, Atlas of the Biblical World (1971): Gibbethon
  6. Carta Bible Atlas, 5th Edition (2011)
  7. Dorsey, Roads and Highways of Ancient Israel (1991): I10
  8. Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000): Gibbethon
  9. ESV Bible Atlas (2010)
  10. Expositor’s Bible Commentary (1984): Josh 19:44
  11. Grollenberg, Atlas of the Bible (1957): Gibbethon
  12. Hammond Atlas of the Bible Lands (2007): Gibbethon
  13. HarperCollins Bible Dictionary (2011): Gibbethon
  14. HarperCollins Concise Atlas of the Bible (1991)
  15. Hess, Joshua (1996): table 24
  16. Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary (2003)
  17. International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1979): Gibbethon
  18. IVP Atlas of Bible History (2006): Gibbethon
  19. IVP Old Testament Bible Background Commentary (2000): Josh 19:40-48; 1Kgs 15:27
  20. McKinny, Historical Geography of the Administrative Division of Judah (2014): page 146
  21. Nelson’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary (2014): Gibbethon
  22. New Bible Dictionary (1996): Gibbethon
  23. New Interpreter’s Bible Dictionary (2009)
  24. New Unger’s Bible Dictionary (1988)
  25. Oxford Bible Atlas, Fourth Edition (2007)
  26. Reader’s Digest Atlas of the Bible (1981): Gibbethon
  27. Tübingen Bible Atlas (2001): Gabbutunu
  28. Westminster Historical Atlas to the Bible (1956): Gibbethon
  29. Woudstra, Joshua (1981): 19:44
  30. Wycliffe Bible Encyclopedia (1975): Gibbethon
  31. Zondervan Atlas of the Bible (2010)
  32. Zondervan Encyclopedia of the Bible (2010)
  33. Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary (2009): 1Kgs 15:27
  34. Zondervan Pictorial Bible Atlas (1972): page 141

Confidence Trends over Time

This chart indicates how confidence in the identifications is changing over time. Each dot (connected by a dotted line) reflects the confidence of an identification over the preceding ten years (e.g., the 2009 dot reflects scholarship from 2000 to 2009), and the corresponding solid line reflects a best-fit line for the identification. Confidences that cluster near or below 0% indicate low confidence. Because of the small dataset, it's best to use this chart for general trends; if one identification is trending much higher than the others (in this case, Tell Melat), then you can probably have higher confidence in the identification. This chart only reflects the sources I consulted (listed above), not an exhaustive review of the literature.

Thumbnail Image Credits

Avi1111, Contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data 2019, Unknown author, יעקב

About

This page attempts to identify all the possible locations where this biblical place could be. The confidence levels add up to less than 100%, indicating that the modern location is uncertain. It's best to think about the confidences in relative rather than absolute terms. Often they reflect different schools of thought, each confident in their identifications.