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Giah

גִּיחַ · gi.ach · H1520“to guide; draw out; produce; a groan or sigh” Hitchcock's 18691 mention, all in 2 Samuel

Where it is

31.87° N, 35.34° E · Located through Ammah

Coordinates and map: OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding · CC BY 4.0 · drawn without map tiles

Mentioned most in

Counted from 1 references · STEPBible, Tyndale House Cambridge · CC BY 4.0

About this place

Giah is a location mentioned only once in the Bible, in 2Sa.2.24. It was situated near Gibeon, a prominent city in Benjamin's territory just north of Jerusalem.

The context of the reference to Giah is the aftermath of a battle between the forces of David and Ishbosheth, Saul's son, at the pool of Gibeon. Abner, the commander of Ishbosheth's army, was retreating after being defeated. Joab and Abishai, David's generals and brothers, pursued Abner and his men.

The text states that the pursuit continued "on the road to the wilderness of Gibeon" and that "the sun was going down when they came to the hill of Ammah, which is before Giah on the way to the wilderness of Gibeon" (2Sa.2.24, ESV).

No further details are provided about Giah. It seems to have been a known landmark on the road from Gibeon toward the wilderness area to the east. The mention of the "hill of Ammah" suggests Giah was located in hilly terrain.

Apart from this single reference, Giah is not mentioned elsewhere in the Bible or in any known extra-biblical sources. Its exact location remains unknown, though it can be generally placed in the vicinity of Gibeon, probably to the east.

Article: STEPBible, Tyndale House Cambridge · CC BY 4.0

Every mention

1 reference, counted from STEPBible, Tyndale House Cambridge · CC BY 4.0 · verse text: World English Bible (public domain)

2 Samuel 1 mention

What the dictionary says

(a waterfall), a place named only in (2 Samuel 2:24) to designate the position of the hill Ammah.

Smith's Bible Dictionary (1863)
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Sources