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Original Word:גְּבָל
Part of Speech:Proper Name Location
Transliteration:Gbal
Pronunciation:gheh-BAHL
Phonetic Spelling:(gheb-awl')
KJV: Gebal
NASB:Gebal
Word Origin:[the same asH1380 (גְּבַל - Gebal)]

1. Gebal, a region in Idumaea

Gebal

The same asGbal; Gebal, a region in Idumaea -- Gebal.

see HEBREWGbal

Word Origin
from the same asgebul
Definition
a region S. of the Dead Sea
NASB Translation
Gebal (1).

(= Arabic, ) mountainous region south of Dead Sea, Seir, compare Jos^{Ant, ii. 1, 2; ix. 9, 1};Psalm 83:8 ; — modernJibâl; Seetzen^{:ii. 357} Burckh^{Travels 401} Rob^{BR ii. 154}.

(probablybe curved, contracted, coagulated; Syriac Pa`elcoagulate; Arabic isbe timid, perhaps fromshrinking, cowering).

Etymology and Geographic Placement

Gebal is most naturally associated with the notion of a “mountain ridge” or “boundary.” Two primary identifications have been proposed: (1) the famed coastal city of Byblos in Phoenicia (modern Jbeil, Lebanon), renowned for maritime commerce; and (2) the craggy highlands south-east of the Dead Sea that later formed part of Edom.Psalm 83:7 lists Gebal alongside distinctly Trans-Jordan and southern entities, which favors the Edomite location for this passage, though the Phoenician association remains historically plausible.

Biblical Occurrence

•Psalm 83:7 – “Gebal, Ammon, and Amalek, Philistia with the people of Tyre.”

Historical Context

Psalm 83 records a confederation of surrounding peoples determined to erase Israel’s national existence (Psalm 83:4). The coalition includes Edom, the Ishmaelites, Moab, the Hagrites, Gebal, Ammon, Amalek, Philistia, Tyre, and Assyria. If Gebal here is the Edomite mountain district, the list follows a roughly clockwise sweep around Israel’s borders, underscoring the psalmist’s sense of being encircled. The Edomite connection is strengthened by Obadiah 3’s reference to Edom’s “lofty dwelling in the clefts of the rock,” imagery congruent with the rugged “boundary-mountain” idea inherent in Gebal. Alternatively, should Gebal represent Phoenician Byblos, its placement beside Tyre would reflect northern maritime allies supplying resources and strategic support. Either way, Gebal’s inclusion testifies that every compass point was aligned against the covenant people.

Theological Themes

1. The Hostility of the Surrounding Nations – Gebal’s participation illustrates the perennial enmity foretold inGenesis 3:15 and reiterated inNumbers 24:9.Psalm 83 stands as an Old Testament witness to the reality that Israel’s greatest threats often arise from united neighboring powers.
2. Covenant Assurance – The psalmist appeals to God’s past victories (Psalm 83:9-12) to invoke present deliverance. Gebal’s presence in the list serves to highlight that even distant or rugged regions cannot nullify the Lord’s covenant promises (Genesis 17:7-8).
3. Divine Sovereignty Over Boundaries – Whether mountain ridge or coastal stronghold, Gebal symbolizes human-drawn lines of defense.Psalm 83 implicitly affirms that the Lord, not earthly geography, is the true boundary-setter for His people (Deuteronomy 32:8-9).

Ministry Insights

• Prayer in Crisis –Psalm 83 models an urgent, Scripture-rooted petition against a multi-front assault. Modern believers facing spiritual or societal pressure can echo Asaph’s plea, entrusting ultimate vindication to God rather than human stratagems.
• Spiritual Vigilance – Gebal’s participation warns that seemingly peripheral regions or concerns may quickly join larger assaults on God’s purposes. Churches and families should guard the “flanks” of doctrine and holiness lest subtle compromises be co-opted by broader opposition.
• Confidence in God’s Justice – The psalm ends with a cry that God would make His enemies “like tumbleweed in the wind” (Psalm 83:13). The eventual disappearance of ancient Gebal—whether Edomite or Phoenician—illustrates the truth that nations opposing God fade, while His word endures (Isaiah 40:8).

Related Passages

•Psalm 83:4-12 – Context of the coalition and the psalmist’s imprecatory petitions.
•Obadiah 1-4 – Edom’s pride in its mountain fortresses, thematically linked to Gebal as a “mountain-boundary.”
•Ezekiel 27:9 – “The elders of Gebal and her skilled workers caulked your seams”. Though a distinct lexical form, this verse shows the broader historical reach of the name, highlighting Phoenician craftsmanship and reminding readers that human expertise cannot shield a nation from divine judgment (Ezekiel 27:36).

Christological and Eschatological Echoes

The opposition arrayed inPsalm 83 prefigures the ultimate gathering of nations against the Lord and His Anointed (Psalm 2:1-2). Just as Gebal was drawn into an anti-Israel confederacy,Revelation 16:14-16 anticipates a final coalition at Armageddon. Yet the resolve ofPsalm 83 is fulfilled in Christ, who “always leads us in triumphal procession” (2 Corinthians 2:14), assuring believers that no earthly alliance can thwart God’s redemptive plan.

גְּבָ֣ל גבל gə·ḇāl gəḇāl geValInterlinear Greek •Interlinear Hebrew •Strong's Numbers •Englishman's Greek Concordance •Englishman's Hebrew Concordance •Parallel Texts

Psalm 83:7
HEB: גְּבָ֣ל וְ֭עַמּוֹן וַעֲמָלֵ֑ק
NAS:Gebal and Ammon and Amalek,
KJV:Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek;
INT:Gebal and Ammon and Amalek

1 Occurrence

Strong's Hebrew 1381
1 Occurrence

gə·ḇāl — 1 Occ.