the Third Week of Advent
Click here to join the effort!
Bible Dictionaries
Gebal
Fausset's Bible Dictionary
or (See SEIR, MOUNT) "a line", namely, of mountain boundary (Psalms 83:7). An Idumean clan, on the right of Ammon, as Amalek was on the left; for in the psalm it is coupled with Moab, Ammon, Amalek, and Edom. Probably the modern Djebal, mountainous region S. of the Dead Sea; the Gebalene of the Romans, the Gobolitis of Josephus. A portion of the range of Edom. The psalm, probably by Jahaziel of the sons of Asaph, is a thanksgiving for the victory anticipated by faith over the hordes of invaders who sought to root Israel out of his inheritance, and who, marching S. round the Dead Sea, let no tidings reach Jehoshaphat until he heard that a great multitude was within his territory at Engedi (2 Chronicles 20:2; 2 Chronicles 20:7-11; 2 Chronicles 20:14; 2 Chronicles 20:18-19).
Smith's Bible Dictionary identifies the Gebal of Psalm 83 with Gebal in Ezekiel 27:9, "the ancients of Gebal and the wise men thereof were in thee thy caulkers" (stoppers of chinks in ships), evidently the Phoenician city and region between Beyrut and Tripoli, famed for skilled workmen, "the Giblites" (stone carvers) (1 Kings 5:18 margin). So "the inhabitants of Phoenician, Tyre" are numbered with the invaders (Psalms 83:7). But the collocation of Gebal between the "Hagarenes" and "Ammon" favors the men of Gebal being Idumeans. "The Giblites" in Joshua 13:5 were from the region of Lebanon; the Septuagint term them Biblians, namely, of Byblus, on the Phoenician borders, N. of the river Adonis, afterwards a Christian see.
These files are public domain.
Fausset, Andrew R. Entry for 'Gebal'. Fausset's Bible Dictionary. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/fbd/g/gebal.html. 1949.
