גֶּבַע
𐤂𐤁𐤏
Geva
H1387 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Gebaʻ is a toponym primarily denoting a specific settlement in the central hill country north of Jerusalem. Its meaning relates to a physical feature: a hill, hillock, or elevation. When used as a proper noun, it refers to a city assigned to the tribe of Benjamin, located near the northern border of their territory. The term can, in archaic contexts, also mean 'hill' generically, but in the Hebrew Bible it consistently refers to a specific location.
Semantic Range
hill, hillock, elevation (physical feature); Gebaʻ, a specific Israelite town (proper noun); locality on the Benjaminite border; place of historical events
Root / Etymology
From the root ג-ב-ע, with the core meaning 'to be high, rise, be elevated.' The noun גֶּבַע derives from this root and denotes an elevated landform. Lexical development led to its use as a place-name, likely due to its geographic situation atop a hill or elevated site.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Gebaʻ is consistently presented in the biblical text as a Benjaminite town, serving as a strategic location in various historical narratives, especially in the books of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles. Its recurrence in boundary descriptions (e.g., Joshua 18:24; 21:17) and war accounts (1 Samuel 13:3) suggests it was a well-known settlement notable for its position. The use of 'Geba' in English Bible translations obscures its direct association with the Hebrew term for 'hill,' and can lead to confusion with another toponym, Gibeah (גִּבְעָה), which is a related but distinct site. In post-exilic and Second Temple texts, the area continued to be identified, though the population and boundaries may have shifted. English renderings like 'Gaba' or 'Gibeah' in some versions reflect later Greek and Latin transliterations. The meaning remains descriptive of a geographic feature, but the proper noun usage dominates biblical occurrences. There is no evidence that the term implies any ethnic, political, or religious identity beyond the settlement itself.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from the same as גְּבִיעַ, a hillock; Geba, a place in Palestine; Gaba, Geba, Gibeah.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.
Root Family
גבע (Geva) — to collect, to gather
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1360 | גֶּבֶא | from a collecting-pool |
| H1375 | גְּבִיעַ | goblet of |
| H1388 | גִּבְעָא | Hill-Town |
| H1389 | גִּבְעָה | in the hill-height |
| H1390 | גִּבְעָה | in the Hill |
Word Forms
7 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1387-03 |
גֶּ֤בַע | geva | HNp |
Geba | Geba Hill-town | Geva | 7 |
H1387-06 |
מִ/גֶּ֖בַע | migeva | HR/Np |
from Geba | from Geba | from Geva | 3 |
H1387-07 |
וָ/גָ֔בַע | vagava | HC/Np |
and Geba | and Geba | and Geva | 3 |
H1387-01 |
בְּ/גֶ֔בַע | begeva | HR/Np |
in Geba | in Gebaʿ | in Geva | 2 |
H1387-02 |
גָּֽבַע | gava | HNp |
Geba | he expired | Geva | 1 |
H1387-04 |
לְ/גֶ֣בַע | legeva | HR/Np |
to-Gibeah | to Gebaʿ | to Geva | 1 |
H1387-05 |
מִ/גָּ֑בַע | migava | HR/Np |
from Geba | from Gebaʿ | from Geva | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
18 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1387-07 |
Joshua 18:24 | וָ/גָ֑בַע | vagava | HC/Np |
and-Geba | and Geba | and Geva |
H1387-03 |
Joshua 21:17 | גֶּ֖בַע | geva | HNp |
Geba | Geba Hill-town | Geva |
H1387-04 |
Judges 20:10 | לְ/גֶ֣בַע | legeva | HR/Np |
to-Gibeah | to Gebaʿ | to Geva |
H1387-01 |
1 Samuel 13:3 | בְּ/גֶ֔בַע | begeva | HR/Np |
was in Geba | in Gebaʿ | in Geva |
H1387-01 |
1 Samuel 13:16 | בְּ/גֶ֣בַע | begeva | HR/Np |
in Geba | in Gebaʿ | in Geva |
H1387-02 |
1 Samuel 14:5 | גָּֽבַע | gava | HNp |
Geba | he expired | Geva |
H1387-06 |
2 Samuel 5:25 | מִ/גֶּ֖בַע | migeva | HR/Np |
from Geba | from Geba | from Geva |
H1387-03 |
1 Kings 15:22 | גֶּ֥בַע | geva | HNp |
Geba | Geba Hill-town | Geva |
H1387-06 |
2 Kings 23:8 | מִ/גֶּ֖בַע | migeva | HR/Np |
from Geba | from Geba | from Geva |
H1387-03 |
Isaiah 10:29 | גֶּ֖בַע | geva | HNp |
Geba | Geba Hill-town | Geva |
H1387-06 |
Zechariah 14:10 | מִ/גֶּ֣בַע | migeva | HR/Np |
from Geba | from Geba | from Geva |
H1387-07 |
Ezra 2:26 | וָ/גָ֔בַע | vagava | HC/Np |
and Geba | and Geba | and Geva |
H1387-07 |
Nehemiah 7:30 | וָ/גָ֔בַע | vagava | HC/Np |
and Geba | and Geba | and Geva |
H1387-05 |
Nehemiah 11:31 | מִ/גָּ֑בַע | migava | HR/Np |
from Geba | from Gebaʿ | from Geva |
H1387-03 |
Nehemiah 12:29 | גֶּ֖בַע | geva | HNp |
Geba | Geba Hill-town | Geva |
H1387-03 |
1 Chronicles 6:45 | גֶּ֤בַע | geva | HNp |
Geba | Geba Hill-town | Geva |
H1387-03 |
1 Chronicles 8:6 | גֶ֔בַע | geva | HNp |
Geba | Geba Hill-town | Geva |
H1387-03 |
2 Chronicles 16:6 | גֶּ֖בַע | geva | HNp |
Geba | Geba Hill-town | Geva |