Lexical Summary
Dibon: Dibon
Original Word:נובֹידִּ
Part of Speech:Proper Name Location
Transliteration:Diybown
Pronunciation:dee-BONE
Phonetic Spelling:(dee-bome')
KJV: Dibon (Also, with H1410 added, Dibon-gad)
NASB:Dibon
Word Origin:[fromH1727 (דּוּב - pine away)]
1. pining
2. Dibon, the name of three places in Israel
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
Dibon
Or (shortened) Diybon {dee-bone'}; fromduwb; pining -- Dibon, the name of three places in Palestine -- Dibon. (Also, withGad added, Dibon-gad.)
see HEBREWduwb
see HEBREWGad
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originof uncertain derivation
Definitiona city in Moab, also a place in Judah
NASB TranslationDibon (9), Dibon-gad* (2).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
, —
(MI21; 28 , compare ib.1 adjective, of a people ) —Numbers 21:30;Numbers 32:3,34 (built up or at by Gad)Isaiah 15:2; in territory of Gad, henceNumbers 33:45,46 (compare on these verses &Numbers 32:34 MI10f.); alsoJoshua 13:9,17;Jeremiah 48:22;Jeremiah 48:18; =Isaiah 15:9, see alsoIsaiah 15:9 = Arnon, compare Che & HptZA 1887, 268; — modernDîbân, north of Arnon, compare Seetzen:Reisen i. 409 TristrLand of Moab 132 ff. BdPal 193.
Nehemiah 11:25 place in Judah, toward south =Joshua 15:22, compare Hptl.c.; conjectures by Kn Ke (compare Di) to beTell ed Dheib (van de VeldeMem. 252) called also Ehdeib (RobBR ii. 102).
, see below .
see below .
see below .
Topical Lexicon
Geographical SettingDibon lay on the broad tableland east of the Dead Sea, a little north of the Arnon Gorge and west of the King’s Highway. The modern site (Dhiban, Jordan) rises on twin hills that dominate the surrounding plain, offering ready access to pastureland and to the north–south trade route. This strategic placement explains why Dibon passed repeatedly between Israelite and Moabite hands and why it became both a military staging point and an administrative center.
Place in Israel’s Wilderness Itinerary
Israel first encountered Dibon during the march from Sinai. After the defeat of Sihon, the Amorite king, the song of victory exults: “We devastated them; Heshbon has perished as far as Dibon” (Numbers 21:30). The reference shows that Dibon marked the northern limit of the newly secured territory and that it already carried a reputation worth noting in song.
Allotment to the Tribe of Gad
When the Trans-Jordan tribes petitioned for land east of the Jordan, Dibon appears twice in the allocation lists (Numbers 32:3; 32:34). Gad’s descendants rebuilt and fortified the town, ensuring a foothold on the fertile plateau. The camp name “Dibon-gad” (Numbers 33:45-46) probably commemorates this tribal association during Israel’s final staging before crossing the Jordan.
Border Marker in Joshua
Joshua’s catalogue of Gadite towns again places Dibon near the northern edge of the Arnon Plateau (Joshua 13:9, 17). The repeated linkage with Heshbon, Medeba, and Nebo underscores Dibon’s role in defining the eastern frontier of the Promised Land granted to Reuben and Gad.
Capital of King Mesha and Moabite Resurgence
Archaeological recovery of the ninth-century B.C. Mesha Stela—found at Dibon in 1868—confirms the biblical picture of shifting control. After Solomon’s reign, Moab regained independence, and King Mesha named Dibon as his royal seat. The inscription details his building projects and his wars against Israel, illuminating the background of2 Kings 3. The stela’s discovery gives Dibon remarkable value for biblical history, providing the longest extra-biblical text that parallels Old Testament events.
Prophetic Oracles of Judgment
The prophets use Dibon as a representative city of proud Moab. Isaiah declares, “Dibon goes up to its temple, to its high places to weep” (Isaiah 15:2), portraying frantic idolatrous pleas that cannot avert impending judgment. More than a century later Jeremiah echoes, “Come down from your glory, O Dibon, and sit on parched ground” (Jeremiah 48:18; cf. 48:22). Both prophecies telescope near-term devastation under invading armies and the ultimate reckoning of the nations before the Lord. The ruin of a once-secure plateau city warns any people who trust political strength or religious ritual instead of the covenant God.
Post-Exilic Resettlement
After Judah’s return from Babylon, some Judean families established themselves “in Dibon and its villages” (Nehemiah 11:25). This notice suggests either the existence of a Judaean Dibon slightly south of Hebron or a continuing Jewish presence in Trans-Jordan under Persian administration. In either case, the verse illustrates God’s providence in preserving His people on both sides of the Jordan and hints at renewed agricultural productivity around an ancient stronghold.
Theological and Ministry Reflections
1. God’s Covenantal Faithfulness
Dibon’s repeated appearance in Scripture—from wilderness song to prophetic oracle—demonstrates the Lord’s unwavering oversight of His promises. He gave the land to Israel (Numbers), warned of loss through unfaithfulness (prophets), and still provided for a remnant (Nehemiah).
2. Warning Against Idolatry and Pride
The frantic mourning in Isaiah and Jeremiah shows that fortifications, wealth, and religious activity apart from true worship cannot shield from divine judgment. Modern ministries may draw on Dibon’s fall to call believers away from self-reliance toward humble obedience.
3. Evidence and Apologetics
The Mesha Stela corroborates biblical chronology and geography, reminding the church that archaeological finds consistently affirm Scripture rather than undermine it. Dibon thus strengthens confidence in the historical reliability of the Old Testament and encourages informed engagement with academic inquiry.
4. Missionary Perspective
The prophets’ concern for Moab foreshadows the gospel call to all nations. While Dibon fell under judgment, the prophetic scriptures ultimately anticipate a day when peoples once hostile will join in worship of the true King (Isaiah 19:24-25). Mission efforts today carry forward that redemptive trajectory.
Summary
Dibon stands as a vivid witness to the dynamic history east of the Jordan—a city captured in Israel’s conquest, reclaimed by Moabite power, condemned by prophetic word, and touched again by post-exilic settlers. Its account weaves together conquest, covenant, judgment, and hope, inviting readers to trust the sovereign Lord who controls the destinies of nations and calls every generation to faithful allegiance.
Forms and Transliterations
בְּדִיבֹ֥ן בדיבן דִּיב֑וֹן דִּיב֣וֹן דִּיבֹ֖ן דִּיבֽוֹן׃ דִּיבוֹן֙ דיבון דיבון׃ דיבן וְדִיבֹ֛ן וְדִיבֹן֙ וּבְדִיבֹן֙ ובדיבן ודיבן מִדִּיבֹ֣ן מדיבן bə·ḏî·ḇōn bəḏîḇōn bediVon dî·ḇō·wn dî·ḇōn dîḇōn dîḇōwn diVon mid·dî·ḇōn middîḇōn middiVon ū·ḇə·ḏî·ḇōn ūḇəḏîḇōn uvediVon vediVon wə·ḏî·ḇōn wəḏîḇōn
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