Bible Geography · Gibeon, Benjamin territory (modern el-Jib) · c. 1000 BC
Pool of Gibeon
Description
The Pool of Gibeon was a large circular pool cut into the rock at Gibeon, in the territory of Benjamin. Archaeological excavations in the 1950s–60s discovered the pool, a cylindrical shaft roughly 11.3 meters in diameter and 10.8 meters deep, with an internal staircase, confirming the biblical account. Gibeon itself was an important Hivite city and later a Levitical city.
Significance
The Pool of Gibeon stands as an example of how archaeology confirms the historical reliability of Scripture. The military encounter there also illustrates the tragic cost of the civil war following Saul's death, emphasizing the importance of God's anointed leadership in Israel's history.
Key Events
Joab's men of David and Abner's men of Ish-bosheth met by the pool of Gibeon, where a deadly contest resulted in the death of twelve warriors on each side (2 Samuel 2:12-17). Abner later killed Joab's brother Asahel nearby. The prophet Jeremiah also references the pool at Gibeon (Jeremiah 41:12).
Modern Context
The site of ancient Gibeon is identified with the modern village of el-Jib, northwest of Jerusalem. The large pool shaft discovered by archaeologist James Pritchard in the 1950s is one of the most dramatic confirmations of a biblical site ever found. Wine jar handles inscribed with 'Gibeon' were also discovered there.