Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin. . . And the Philistines gathered themselves together to fight with Israel . . and they came up and pitched in Michmash, eastward from Beth-aven. . . . And Saul, and Jonathan his son, and the people that were present with them, abode in Gibeah of Benjamin, but the Philistines encamped in Michmash. . . . And the garrison of the Philistines went out to the passage of Michmash."1 Sam. xiii. 2, 5, 16, 23. (Read whole chapter.) "Now it came to pass upon a day, that Jonathan the son of Saul said unto the young man that bare his armour, Come, and let us go over to the Philistines' garrison that is on the other side. . . . And between the passages, by which Jonathan sought to go over unto the Philistines' garrison, there was a sharp rock on the one side, and a sharp rock on the other side . . . the fore-front (or tooth, marg.) of the one was situate northward over against Michmash, and the other southward over against Gibeah. And Jonathan said to the young man that bare his armour, Come, and let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised: it may be that the Lord will work for us: for there is no restraint to the Lord to save by many or by few And Jonathan climbed up upon his hands and upon his feet, and his armour-bearer after him and they fell before Jonathan . . . And the watchman of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked; and behold, the multitude melted away and Saul and all the people that came to the battle: . . . and the were with him : battle passed over unto Bethaven . . . and they smote the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon."1 Samuel xiv. 1, 4-6, 13, 16, &c. "At Michmash he hath laid up his carriages: they are gone over the passage "-Isaiah x. 28, 29. [See also Ezra ii. 27, xi. 31.] "We left Jeba for Mŭkmâs. The descent into the valley was (steep and long.).... We reached the bottom in half an hour. It is called Wady, (or, valley) esSuweinît. It begins in the neighbourhood of (Bethel and Beer ;) and as it breaks through the ridge below these places, its sides form precipitous walls. On the right,. below where we crossed, it again contracts and passes off between high perpendicular precipices, which (our guide said) continue a great way down and increase in grandeur. In one of them is a large cavern "This steep precipitous valley is probably the passage of Michmash mentioned in Scripture. In the valley, just at the left of where we crossed, are two hills of a conical or rather spherical form, having steep rocky sides, with small (valleys) running up behind each so as almost to isolate them. One is on the side towards (Gibeah,) and the other towards (Michmash.) These would seem to be the two rocks mentioned in connexion with Jonathan's adventure; they are not indeed so sharp as the language of Scripture would seem to imply, but they are the only rocks of the kind in the vicinity. The northern one is connected towards the west with an eminence still more distinctly isolated. This valley appears to have been, at a later time, the dividing line between the tribes of Benjamin and Ephraim: Geba, on the south side of this valley, was the northern limit of Judah and Benjamin, (2 Kings xxiii. 8,) while Bethel on its north side, further west, was on the southern border of Ephraim. (Josh. xvi. 1, 2 ; xviii. 13; Judges i. 22-26.) 66 Crossing the valley. . and ascending with difficulty for fifteen minutes, we came upon the slope on which Michmash stands, a low ridge between two small valleys, running south into the Suweinît. We reached the village at 12 o'clock. It was even more desolate than Anathoth, but bears marks of having been a much larger and stronger place than any of the others we had passed. There are many foundations of large hewn stones; and some columns were lying among them. . . We could look back upon Gibeah."ROBINSON'S Researches, vol. ii. pp. 115—117. GIBEON, OR GEBA. (EL-JÎB.) SCRIPTURE NOTICES. "And when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done unto Jericho and to Ai, they did work wilily, . . . and they went to Joshua unto the camp to Gilgal, and said unto him, . . . We be come from a far country: now therefore make ye a league with us And Joshua made peace with them, and made a league with them, to let them live." Joshua, ix. 3, &c. (Read whole chapter.) ... ... "Now it came to pass, when Adonizedek, king of Jerusalem, had heard how Joshua had taken Ai, and how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel . . . that they feared greatly, because Gibeon was a great city, as one of the royal cities, . . . and all the men thereof were mighty. . . . Therefore the five kings of the Amorites.. gathered themselves together, and went up, they and all their hosts, and encamped before Gibeon, and made war against it. And the men of Gibeon sent unto Joshua to the camp to Gilgal, saying, Slack not thy hand from thy servants; come up to us quickly, and save us, and help us. So Joshua ascended from Gilgal, he and all the people of war with him. . . and the Lord discomfited them before Israel, and slew them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, and chased them along the way that goeth up to Bethhoron, and smote them to Azekah, and unto Makkedah. And it came to pass, as they fled from before Israel, and were in the going down to Bethhoron, that the Lord cast down great stones from heaven upon them, unto Azekah, and they died. . . . Then spake Joshua to. the Lord in the day when the Lord delivered up the ... Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, moon, in the valley of Ajalon. And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed.". —Joshua x. 1, &c. (Read whole chapter.) "There was not a city that made peace with the children of Israel, save the Hivites, the inhabitants of Gibeon: all other they took in battle.”—Joshua xi. 19. "And Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ishbosheth the son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon. And Joab. . . and the servants of David went out, and met together by the pool of Gibeon, and they sat down, the one on the one side of the pool, and the other on the other side of the pool. . . . Then there arose, and went over . . . twelve of Benjamin, which pertained to Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of David. And they caught every one his fellow by the head, and thrust his sword in his fellow's side, so they fell down together. . . . And there was a very sore battle that day: and Abner was beaten, and the men of Israel, before the servants of David. And Asahel (the brother of Joab) pursued after Abner ... wherefore Abner . . . smote him and he fell down there, and died in the same place.". . . 2 Samuel ii. 12-23, iii. 30. "When they were at the great stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa went before them. ... And Joab said to Amasa, Art thou in health, my brother? And Joab took Amasa by the beard. . . to kiss him. But Amasa took no heed to the sword that was in Joab's hand: so he smote him therewith and he died." 2 Samuel xx. 8-12. (Read whole passage.) "Then there was a famine in the days of David three years ... and David inquired of the Lord, and the Lord answered, It is for Saul, and for his bloody house, because he slew the Gibeonites. . . . Wherefore David said unto the Gibeonites, What shall I do for you? . . . And they answered the king, The man that consumed us let seven men of his sons be delivered unto us, and we will hang them up unto the Lord in Gibeah of Saul. . . . And he delivered them into the hands of the Gibeonites, and they hanged them in the hill before the Lord." (See GIBEAH.)-2 Samuel xxi. 1-9. ... ... "And they smote the host of the Philistines from Gibeon even to Gazer."-1 Chronicles xiv. 16; 2 Samuel v. 25. "And Zadok the priest, and his brethren the priests, before the tabernacle of the Lord in the high place that was at Gibeon, to offer burnt-offerings unto the Lord upon the altar of the burnt-offering continually, morning and evening." 1 Chronicles xvi. 39, 40. (See whole chapter.) “For the tabernacle of the Lord, which Moses made in the wilderness, and the altar of the burnt-offering, were at that season in the high place at Gibeon."1 Chronicles xxi. 29. and . In "So Solomon, and all the congregation with him, went to the high place that was at Gibeon Solomon . . . offered a thousand burnt-offerings. that night did God appear unto Solomon, and said unto him, Ask what I shall give thee."-2 Chronicles i. 3, &c. (See also 1 Kings iii.) ... "And next unto them repaired Melatiah, the Gibeonite .. (and) the men of Gibeon."--Nehemiah iii. 7. "The Lord shall be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon.' -Isaiah xxviii. 21. "Then they... went to fight with Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and found him by the great waters that are in Gibeon."-Jeremiah xli. 12. [See also Joshua xviii. 25, xxi. 17; 1 Kings ix. 2; 1 Chron. viii. 29, ix. 35, xii. 4; Neh. vii. 25.] "Gibeon is celebrated in the Old Testament; but is not mentioned in the New. It was a great city, as one of the royal cities;' and to its jurisdiction belonged F |