Gebal

During the closing in the Select Master Degree, we are introduced to a person by the name of Giblim. We learn that he and twenty one others are from a place known as Gebal. Gebal was a city in ancient Phoenicia. The city of Gebal was located on the Mediterranean coast on what are now the foothills of Southern Lebanon. It was located 26 Miles north of modern day Beirut.

The name Gebal translates into “Mountain of God.” The city of Gebal was known to the ancient Greeks as “Byblos.” Byblos was known in Grecian times for its extensive trade and facilitation of moving papyrus between Egypt and Greece. Byblos was also known as playing a pivotal role in the dissemination of written information in the ancient world 1 . The word Bible derives from this Greek name.

The city of Gebal was thought to be founded around 8800 BC, making it one of the first and oldest continuously occupied cities in recorded history of the world. For the first few thousand years, Gebal was originally a dependency of Egypt. Between the years of 2350 BC and 333 BC, Gebal was ruled by a series of local kings. These kings would form a loose allegiance between other kingdoms and city-states throughout the Middle East, who would occasionally demand payments in terms of cedar wood from the forests of Lebanon.

The city was an important seaport on the Mediterranean. Due to Gebal being a port city, they Gebalites were known as excellent shipbuilders. Their location on the Mediterranean attracted many skilled and intelligent people to the City. Gebalites were known for their skills in various trades. These skilled workers along with free trade allowed Gebal and the other kingdoms of the middle East to acquire a good deal of wealth and prosperity.

Gebal was also a hub of cultural and religious activity. One of the more notable buildings of Gebal was the Temple of the Obelisks. The temple was erected around 1900 BC over an L-shaped structure. The temple contained a number of obelisks dedicated to various deities, particularly the God Resheph. Resheph was a Canaanite god of plague and war. He may have also been a God of well-being and fertility. The Temple of the Obelisks was a fusion of Egyptian and Levantine religious practices.

The City was originally a small fishing village. The people of Gebal lived in rectangular or circular huts. The Giblites used silver for jewelry and ornamentation. Archeological discoveries during the 1900’s revealed that the Giblites buried their dead relatives in curcular pots.

In the year 2800 [BC] Gebal was ravaged by a fire which destroyed most of the city. After the fire, they rebuilt the city on a grander scale. Gebal was attacked by the Hittites and Amorites in the 14th Century BC. The Hittites occupied what is now modern day Turkey. The Amorites occupied the land from Babylon to Syria.

Gebal Managed to become an independent city-state after these wars. Giblim was likely a person who was a citizen of Gebal. The Bible mentions Gebal as the land of the Gebalites. The King James Version of the Bible refers to the Gebalites as “Giblites.” The Bible in The Book of Kings mentions the Gebalites as aiding in the construction of King Solomon’s Temple.

The Gebalites were also known to work on Tyrrhenian Ships throughout the Mediterranean. They became known for their skill in ship building and stone cutting. These skills and exports were useful and important in the building of King Solomon’s Temple.

Gebal became a city in ancient Phoenicia and was an independent city state. Even while their neighboring kingdoms and city states fell to the Persian Empire during the invasions, of the sixth century BC, Gebal managed its independence until they fell to the Greeks and Alexander the Great during the siege of Tyre in 332 BC.

Gebal eventually became a part of the Persian Empire. The city became a Crusader state known as the “County of Tripoli” and served as a military base. Gebal was occupied and taken by Emperor Saladin in 1187. Gebal was shortly retaken by the Crusaders (possibly the Knights Hospitallers) thereafter and aided in pilgrimages to and from the Holy Land. Gebal was then conquered by the Baybars in 1266. The Ottoman Empire occupied Gebal from 1516-1918. Gebal became part of the French Mandate from 1920-1943. Gebal/Byblos is now a part of modern day Lebanon.

The city of Gebal/Byblos is currently a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Bibliography:

1). Usavbible.org

2). Madainproject.com

3). Brittannica.com

By: Companion Eric Thiem

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