Judges 20:29 — Word Study
WLCוַיָּ֤שֶׂם יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ אֹֽרְבִ֔ים אֶל־ הַגִּבְעָ֖ה סָבִֽיב׃ פ
BSASo IsraelYisrâʼêl [the descendants of Jacob, God's chosen people] set upsûwm▸ [placed, positioned, to lie in wait] an ambushʼârab [liars in wait, surprise attack] aroundçâbîyb [surrounding, encompassing] GibeahGibʻâh [the city of Saul, a place of significance]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וַיָּ֤שֶׂם | and it set | Verb, Qal, sequential imperfect third person masculine singular |
| יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ | Israel | Noun proper |
| אֹֽרְבִ֔ים | ambushers | Verb, Qal, participle (active) masculine plural |
| אֶל־ | to | Preposition |
| הַגִּבְעָ֖ה | Gibeah | Particle, noun proper |
| סָבִֽיב׃ פ | round about | Noun common, both singular absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | So Israel set up an ambush around Gibeah. |
| KJV | And Israel set liers in wait round about Gibeah. |
| ASV | And Israel set liers-in-wait against Gibeah round about. |
| YLT | And Israel setteth liers in wait against Gibeah, round about, |
| WEB | Israel set ambushes all around Gibeah. |
| BBE | So Israel put men secretly all round Gibeah to make a surprise attack on it. |
Where they part company is אֹֽרְבִ֔ים — see How Translations Differ.
One main clause with a prepositional phrase indicating the location of the ambush.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
subjectיִשְׂרָאֵל
verbשׂים
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Judges 20:29
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — The Battle Against the Benjamitesgenerated
Judges 20:29 describes how Israel prepared for battle against the Benjamites by setting up an ambush around Gibeah. This strategic move was part of a larger conflict where Israel sought to reclaim justice after a grievous wrong had been done. The ambush indicates a tactical approach to warfare, highlighting the seriousness of the situation and Israel's determination to prevail.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Judges 20:34 | Then 10,000 select men from all Israel made a frontal assault against Gibeah, and the battle was fierce. But the Benjamites did not realize that disaster was upon them. |
| 2 | Joshua 8:4 | with these orders: “Pay attention. You are to lie in ambush behind the city, not too far from it. All of you must be ready. |
| 3 | 2 Samuel 5:23 | So David inquired of the LORD, who answered, “Do not march straight up, but circle around behind them and attack them in front of the balsam trees. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 3 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — שׂים, vai.Ya.semgenerated
The verb שׂים (sum) means to set or place something, indicating an action of establishing or positioning. It has a broad range of applications in the Hebrew Bible, from appointing leaders to creating boundaries. In this verse, it conveys the act of arranging an ambush, which is a deliberate and strategic placement.
As a sequential imperfect verb, it shows that this action was taken as part of an ongoing narrative. It emphasizes the proactive role of Israel in the unfolding events, demonstrating their initiative in the battle.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses set up for the action of Israel.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb וַיָּ֤שֶׂם (and it set) governs the sentence, with the subject יִשְׂרָאֵל (Israel) performing the action. The phrase אֹֽרְבִ֔ים (ambushers) serves as the direct object, while סָבִֽיב (round about) functions as an adverbial phrase indicating the location of the ambush.
The structure highlights the action of setting up an ambush, with Israel actively engaging in military strategy. The order of the Hebrew words emphasizes the centrality of the action taken by Israel.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates שׂים as ἔθηκαν (they placed), which conveys a similar meaning of setting or positioning. This choice maintains the action's intent but shifts the focus slightly from the Hebrew's directness to a more narrative style.
The translation of אֹֽרְבִ֔ים as ἔνεδρα (ambush) aligns closely with the Hebrew meaning, reinforcing the idea of a surprise attack.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Judges 20:29 tells us that Israel set up an ambush around Gibeah. This action was part of their strategy in a battle against the Benjamites, showing their determination to win. The ambush was carefully planned to catch the enemy by surprise.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It means that Israel strategically positioned themselves to surprise their enemy, the Benjamites, during the battle.
Gibeah was the city of Saul and held importance in the history of Israel, making it a key location in this conflict.
The ambush was part of a larger battle strategy, and it played a crucial role in Israel's efforts to defeat the Benjamites.
It shows that Israel was not only relying on strength but also on strategy and cunning in their military actions.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What strategies can we learn from Israel's approach to conflict in this passage?
- How do we prepare ourselves for challenges we face, similar to how Israel prepared for battle?
- What significance do places like Gibeah hold in our understanding of history and identity?
- In what ways can we apply the concept of setting up an ambush in our lives, perhaps in a positive or metaphorical sense?
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Judges 20:29 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleAnd Israel set liers in wait round about Gibeah. For though they were assured of success and victory, yet they thought proper to make use of means: and though their numbers were very great, they had
Read John Gill on Judges 20 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryAnd Israel set liers in wait round about Gibeah. Israel set liers in wait round about Gibeah. A plan was formed of taking that city by stratagem, similar to that employed in the capture of Ai.
Read Robert Jamieson on Judges 20 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleThough they were assured of the success by a particular and absolute promise, yet they do not neglect the use of means; as well knowing that the certainty of God’ s purposes or promises doth not excuse, but rather require man’ s diligent use of all fit means for the accomplishment of them. Round about Gibeah, i.e. on several sides of it, as may be gathered from the following verses.
Read Matthew Poole on Judges 20 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsJudges 20:29 And Israel set liers in wait round about Gibeah.Ver. 29. And Israel set liers in wait.] See the like strategem used at Ai.
Read John Trapp on Judges 20 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(29) Set liers in wait.—This exceedingly simple and primitive stratagem had also been successful against Ai (Joshua 8:4) and against Shechem (Judges 9:43). Here, as in Judges 20:22-23, the narrative follows a loose-order, the general fact being sometimes stated by anticipation, and the details subsequently filled in.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Judges 20 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 29. Israel set liers in wait] Though God had promised them success, they knew they could expect it only in the use of the proper means. They used all prudent precaution, and employed all their military skill.
Read AdamClarke on Judges 20 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges29. From the narrative A, which describes, not the two battles and Jehovah’s direct interference (Judges 20:23; Judges 20:28; Judges 20:35), but the stratagem by which the Israelites captured the city; cf. Joshua 8:4-8 JE. This v. continues Judges 20:19. liers in wait] Plural, while Judges 20:33; Judges 20:36-38 use the sing. collect., the ambush. The plural may refer to the various parties posted round about the city.
Read Cambridge on Judges 20 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleThe stratagem described is exactly that by which Joshua took Ai (marginal reference).
Read Albert Barnes on Judges 20 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
So Israel set up an ambush around Gibeah.
Israel set ambushes all around Gibeah.
So Israel set up an ambush around Gibeah.
So Israel hid men in ambush outside Gibeah.
Tyndale line
And Israel set liers in wait round about Gibeah.
And Israel set liers-in-wait against Gibeah round about.
And Israel set liers in wait against Gibeah round about.
And Israel set liers in wait around Gibeah.
And Israel set men to lie in waite round about Gibeah.
Strictly literal
And Israel set liers in wait against Gibeah, round about.
And Israel setteth liers in wait against Gibeah, round about,
And Israel sets ones lying in wait against Gibeah, all around,
And Israel sent men to lie in wait round about Gib'ah.
So Israel set men in secret places around Gibeah.
From the Latin
And the children of Israel set ambushes round about the city of Gabaa:
Simplified
Then the Israelites set up an ambush around Gibeah.
So Israel put men secretly all round Gibeah to make a surprise attack on it.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text reads: וַיָּ֤שֶׂם יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ אֹֽרְבִ֔ים אֶל־ הַגִּבְעָ֖ה סָבִֽיב׃ פ. The Septuagint matches five of the six words, indicating a strong agreement between the two texts on the core elements of the verse.
וַיָּ֤שֶׂם יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ אֹֽרְבִ֔ים אֶל־ הַגִּבְעָ֖ה סָבִֽיב׃ פ
5 of the 6 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Judges 20:29
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
The Hebrew word שׂוּם (sum) is a verb meaning to put, place, or set, with a wide range of applications including appointing, establishing, and making. It can also refer to laying something upon or directing it. There is a related noun שׂוּמָה (sumah), which may denote a token of unluckiness. The entries do not present any significant disagreement.
שׂוּם, שִׂים 582 vb. put, place, set
Qal
put, set, in a place
put something upon
put, lay, set
put, c. בֵּין
set, direct
set, ordain, in a place
set, establish a law, statute
set, found a nation
set, appoint (as ruler, official)
set, constitute, make
set, determine, fix, bounds
set, station, at a post
put in position, sacred bread, sword, staves, bars
set up altars
= plant, wheat
set, fix (countenance)
make a thing, or pers. (acc.), for, transform into
make, constitute
work, bring to pass
appoint, give
set, fix (countenance)
Hiph. I will make him for a sign
Hoph. there was set before him
base
שׂוּמָה perhaps n. f. token of unluckiness, scowl;—2 S 13:32
ref
H7760a שׂוּם, שִׂים put, place, set .. . put, set, in a place
. put something upon
. put, lay, set
. put, c. בֵּין
. set, direct
. . set, ordain, in a place
. set, establish a law, statute
. set, found a nation
. set, appoint (as ruler, official)
. set, constitute, make
. set, determine, fix, bounds
. . set, station, at a post
. put in position, sacred bread, sword, staves, bars
. set up altars
. = plant, wheat
. set, fix (countenance)
. . make a thing, or pers. (acc.), for, transform into
. make, constitute
. work, bring to pass
. appoint, give
. set, fix (countenance)
. I will make him for a sign
. there was set before him
H7760b שׂוּמָה perhaps n. f. token of unluckiness, scowl
7760 suwm soom
or siym {seem}; a primitive root; to put (used in a great
variety of applications, literal, figurative, inferentially,
and elliptically):--X any wise, appoint, bring, call (a
name), care, cast in, change, charge, commit, consider,
convey, determine, + disguise, dispose, do, get, give, heap
up, hold, impute, lay (down, up), leave, look, make (out),
mark, + name, X on, ordain, order, + paint, place, preserve,
purpose, put (on), + regard, rehearse, reward, (cause to) set
(on, up), shew, + stedfastly, take, X tell, + tread down,
((over-))turn, X wholly, work.
שׂוּם (sum) — to set: make.
: make/establish
1) to put, place, set, appoint, make
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to put, set, lay, put or lay upon, lay (violent) hands on
1a2) to set, direct, direct toward
1a2a) to extend (compassion) (fig)
1a3) to set, ordain, establish, found, appoint, constitute, make, determine, fix
1a4) to set, station, put, set in place, plant, fix
1a5) to make, make for, transform into, constitute, fashion, work, bring to pass, appoint, give
1b) (Hiphil) to set or make for a sign
1c) (Hophal) to be set
שׂוּמָה (su.mah) — fate.
token of unluckiness, scowl
שׂוּם (sum) — to set: put.
: put/give
1) to put, place, set, appoint, make
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to put, set, lay, put or lay upon, lay (violent) hands on
1a2) to set, direct, direct toward
1a2a) to extend (compassion) (fig)
1a3) to set, ordain, establish, found, appoint, constitute, make, determine, fix
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singularHc/Vqw3ms
Few words in the English language have such a rich variety of meaning and are used in so rich a variety of idiomatic expression as the word "set." A glance at any of the great dictionaries will convince anyone of the truth of this statement. The Standard Dictionary devotes three and a half columns to the word. In its primary meaning it there denotes 22 distinct things, in its secondary meaning 17 more, while 18 distinct phrases are given in which it is used, in some cases again in a variety of meanings. It is indeed a word calculated to drive a foreigner to despair. Some 70 Hebrew and about 30 Greek words in the original tongues of the Holy Scriptures have been rendered by the word "set," in the King James Version and also in the Revised Version (British and American). A careful comparative study of the original and of translations in other tongues will at once indicate that a lack of…
יִשְׂרָאֵל (Yisra'el) refers to both the second name of Jacob, meaning 'God prevails,' and the name of the Hebrew nation descended from him. It is derived from roots meaning 'to rule' and 'God.' The term encompasses Jacob's descendants and is used historically for the northern kingdom of Israel and the nation as a whole after the Babylonian exile.
יִשְׂרָאֵל 2507 n.pr.m. et gent. Israel (Ēl persisteth, persevereth)
n.pr.m. second name of Jacob
n.pr.gent. name of Hebrew nation
base
H3478 יִשְׂרָאֵל Israel (Ēl persisteth, persevereth) . n. pr. m. second name of Jacob
. n. pr. gent. name of Hebrew nation
3478 Yisra'el yis-raw-ale'
from 8280 and 410; he will rule as God; Jisrael, a symbolical
name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity:
--Israel.
see HEBREW for 08280
see HEBREW for 0410
יִשְׂרָאֵל (yis.ra.el) — Israel.
A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.25.26;
son of: Isaac (H3327) and Rebekah (H7259);
brother of: Esau (H6215); married to Rachel (H7354), Leah (H3812), Zilpah (H2153) and Bilhah (H1090A);
father of: Reuben (H7205), Simeon (H8095), Levi (H3878), Judah (H3063), Dan (H1835H), Naphtali (H5321), Gad (H1410), Asher (H0836), Issachar (H3485), Zebulun (H2074), Dinah (H1783), Joseph (H3130) and Benjamin (H1144); also called Jacob frequently
§ Israel = "God prevails"
1) the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel
2) the name of the descendants and the nation of the descendants of Jacob
2a) the name of the nation until the death of Solomon and the split
N-proper — Noun properHNpl
iz'-ra-el.
See JACOB.
Israel
The name conferred on Jacob after the great prayer-struggle at Peniel (Gen. 32:28), because “as a prince he had power with God and prevailed.” (See JACOB.) This is the common name given to Jacob’s descendants. The whole people of the twelve tribes are called “Israelites,” the “children of Israel” (Josh. 3:17; 7:25; Judg. 8:27; Jer. 3:21), and the “house of Israel” (Ex. 16:31; 40:38).
This name Israel is sometimes used emphatically for the true Israel (Ps. 73:1: Isa. 45:17; 49:3;
(the prince that prevails with God). The name given, (Genesis 32:28) to Jacob after his wrestling with the angel, (Hosea 12:4) at Peniel. Gesenius interprets Israel "soldier of God." It became the national name of the twelve tribes collectively. They are so called in (Exodus 3:16) and afterward. It is used in a narrower sense, excluding Judah, in (1 Samuel 11:8; 2 Samuel 20:1; 1 Kings 12:16) Thenceforth it was assumed and accepted as the name of the northern kingdom. After the Babylonian captivity, the returned exiles resumed the name Israel as the designation of…
Who prevails with God, a name given to Jacob, after having wrestled with the Angel-Jehovah at Penuel. Ge 32:1,2,28,30 Ho 12:3. See JACOB. By the name Israel is sometimes understood all the posterity of Israel, the seed of Jacob, 1Co 10:18; sometimes all true believers, his spiritual seed, Ro 9:6; and sometimes the kingdom of Israel, or the ten tribes, as distinct from the kingdom of Judah.
אָרַב (arab) is a primitive root meaning to lie in wait or ambush. It covers actions like lurking or setting an ambush, with forms in Qal, Piel, and Hiphil that indicate different nuances of waiting or attacking. The entries consistently emphasize its hostile connotation.
אָרַב vb. lie in wait
Qal lie in wait (with hostile purpose)
Pi. Pt. pl. liers-in-wait
Hiph. Impf. but txt. dub.
base
H693 אָרַב lie in wait
693 'arab aw-rab'
a primitive root; to lurk:--(lie in) ambush(-ment), lay (lie
in) wait.
אָרַב (a.rav) — to ambush.
1) to lie in wait, ambush, lurk
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to lie in wait
1a2) ambush (participle as subst)
1b) (Piel) ambushers, liers-in-wait (pl. participle)
1c) (Hiphil) to lay an ambush
V-Qal — Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine pluralHVqrmpa
The Hebrew word אֶל (el) is primarily a preposition indicating motion towards or direction to a person or place. It can also imply entering a limit, presence at a location, or a hostile direction (against). Additionally, it may express concepts such as concerning, in addition to, or according to. The entries highlight its versatility in both physical and metaphorical contexts.
אֶל (nearly always followed by Makkeph),
prep. denoting motion to or direction towards (whether physical or mental).of motion to or unto a person or place
Where the limit is actually entered, into
Of direction towards anything
Where the motion or direction implied appears from the context to be of a hostile character, אֶל = against
Unto sometimes acquires from the context the sense of in addition to
Metaph. in regard to, concerning, on account of
Of rule or standard according to (rare)
Expressing presence at a spot, against, at, by, not merely after verbs implying motion
Prefixed to other preps. it combines with them the idea of motion or direction to
base
H413 אֶל (nearly always followed by Makkeph), . of motion to or unto a person or place
. Where the limit is actually entered, into
. Of direction towards anything
. Where the motion or direction implied appears from the context to be of a hostile character, אֶל = against
. Unto sometimes acquires from the context the sense of in addition to
. Metaph. in regard to, concerning, on account of
. Of rule or standard according to (rare)
. Expressing presence at a spot, against, at, by, not merely after verbs implying motion
. Prefixed to other preps. it combines with them the idea of motion or direction to
413 'el ale
(but only used in the shortened constructive form sel {el});
a primitive particle; properly, denoting motion towards, but
occasionally used of a quiescent position, i.e. near, with or
among; often in general, to:--about, according to ,after,
against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and,
by, concerning, for, from, X hath, in(- to), near, (out) of,
over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether,
with(-in).
אֶל (el) — to(wards).
1) to, toward, unto (of motion)
2) into (limit is actually entered)
2a) in among
3) toward (of direction, not necessarily physical motion)
4) against (motion or direction of a hostile character)
5) in addition to, to
6) concerning, in regard to, in reference to, on account of
7) according to (rule or standard)
8) at, by, against (of one's presence)
9) in between, in within, to within, unto (idea of motion to)
HR — PrepositionHR
גִּבְעָה (Gib'ah) means 'hill' and refers to several locations in ancient Palestine, notably a city in the mountainous region of Judah and another in Benjamin, which is recognized as the birthplace of King Saul. The entries indicate that it is derived from a similar word, גִּבְעָה (H1389), emphasizing its geographical significance.
גִּבְעָה n.pr.loc. (hill)
a city of Judah
city of Benj.
a city of Ephraim
base
H1390 גִּבְעָה (hill)
1390 Gib`ah ghib-aw'
the same as 1389; Gibah; the name of three places in
Palestine:--Gibeah, the hill.
see HEBREW for 01389
גִּבְעָה (giv.ah) — Gibeah.
§ Gibeah = "hill"
a city in the mountain district of Judah
גִּבְעָה (giv.ah) — Gibeah.
§ Gibeah = "hill"
a city of Benjamin, birthplace of king Saul
Art | N-proper — Particle · noun properHTd/Npl
gib'-e-a (gibh`ah, "hill"): The Hebrew word denotes generally an eminence or hill, in distinction from har, which is used for mountain, or mountain range. It occurs, however, in two instances, as a place-name. Under GEBA (which see) we have seen that Geba, Gibeah, and Gibeon are liable to be confused. This arises from their resemblance in form and meaning.
(1) An unidentified city in the territory of Judah (Jos 15:57). It is named in the group containing Carmel, Ziph and Kain; it is therefore probably to be sought to the Southeast of Hebron. It may be one of the two villages mentioned by Eusebius, Onomasticon (s.v. "Gabathon"), Gabaa and Gabatha; in the East of the Daroma. It is probably identical with Gibeah mentioned in 2Ch 13:2.
Gibeah
A hill or hill-town, “of Benjamin” (1 Sam. 13:15), better known as “Gibeah of Saul” (11:4; Isa. 10:29). It was here that the terrible outrage was committed on the Levite’s concubine which led to the almost utter extirpation of the tribe of Benjamin (Judg. 19; 20), only six hundred men surviving after a succession of disastrous battles. This was the birthplace of Saul, and continued to be his residence after he became king (1 Sam. 10:26; 11:4; 15:34). It was reckoned among the ancient sanctuaries of Palestine (10:26; 15:34; 23:19; 26:1; 2 Sam. 21:6-10), and hence it is called “Gibeah of God” (1 Sam. 10:5, R.V.…
a word employed in the Bible to denote a hill. Like most words of this kind it gave its name to several towns and places in Palestine, which would doubtless be generally on or near a hill. They are -- Gibeah, a city in the mountain district of Judah, named with Maon and the southern Carmel, (Joshua 15:57) and comp. 1Chr 2:49 etc. Gibeah of Benjamin first appears in the tragical story of the Levite and his concubine. (Judges 19:20) It was then a "city," with the usual open street or square, (Judges 19:15,17,20) and containing 700 "chosen men," ch. (Judges 20:15) probably the same whose skill as slingers is preserved in…
A hill,
1. A city of Benjamin, 1Sa 13:15, and the birthplace and residence of Saul king of Israel; whence it is frequently called "Gibeah of Saul," 1Sa 11:4; 15:34; 23:19; 26:1; 2Sa 21:6; Isa 10:29. Gibeah was also famous for its sins; particularly for its sins; particularly for that committed by forcing the young Levite’s wife, who went to lodge there; and for the war which succeeded it, to the almost entire extermination of the tribe of Benjamin, Jud 19:1- 30. Scripture remarks, that this occurred at a time when there was no king in Israel, and when every one did what was right in his own eyes. Dr. Robinson found…
סָבִיב (cabiyb) primarily means 'around' and is used as a noun, adverb, and preposition. It denotes a circle, neighbors, or the surrounding area, often implying a sense of being on every side or in a circuit. The entries consistently emphasize its usage in contexts of proximity and encirclement.
סָבִיב 336 subst., used mostly as adv. and prep., circuit, round about
base
H5439 סָבִיב subst., used mostly as adv. and prep., circuit, round about
5439 cabiyb saw-beeb'
or (feminine) cbiybah {seb-ee-baw'}; from 5437; (as noun) a
circle, neighbour, or environs; but chiefly (as adverb, with
or without preposition) around:--(place, round) about,
circuit, compass, on every side.
see HEBREW for 05437
סָבִיב (sa.viv) — around.
: around/border
subst
1) places round about, circuit, round about
adv
2) in a circuit, a circuit, round about
prep
3) in the circuit, from every side
סָבִיב (sa.viv) — around: side.
: side
subst
1) places round about, circuit, round about
adv
2) in a circuit, a circuit, round about
prep
3) in the circuit, from every side
סָבִיב (sa.viv) — around: whole.
: whole
subst
1) places round about, circuit, round about
adv
2) in a circuit, a circuit, round about
prep
3) in the circuit, from every side
סָבִיב (sa.viv) — around: neighours.
: neighours
subst
1) places round about, circuit, round about
adv
2) in a circuit, a circuit, round about
prep
3) in the circuit, from every side
N-cs — Noun common · both singular absoluteHNcbsa
a-bout': The use of this word as a preposition, in the sense of "around," is confined to the Old Testament. In the New Testament, generally an adverb, for Greek hos or "hosei." The Revised Version (British and American) adopts it in several idiomatic translations of mello, referring to what is about to be, i.e. on the point of occurring, or immediately impending, amending the King James Version, in Ac 5:35; 27:2; Re 12:4, etc.