Gebal
LocationsGeographical Setting
Gebal, known today as Byblos, is an ancient Phoenician port city located on the Mediterranean coast of modern-day Lebanon.
What is the meaning of Gebal in the Bible?
An ancient Phoenician city situated on the Mediterranean coast, Gebal served as a principal seaport with a harbor suitable for smaller vessels and was a major center for the export of cedar timber and papyrus.
SIGNIFICANCE
Understanding Gebal provides context for the supply chains of cedar wood used in the construction of Solomon's Temple and highlights the city's role as a primary source of papyrus, which influenced the etymology of the word 'Bible'.
Bible Study Quick-Reference Guide
- Why did the biblical author mention Gebal in this passage?
- What cultural or historical assumption does Gebal clarify?
Source Attribution
Built upon the 1915 International Standard Bible Encyclopedia and Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897). Entries have been modernized, checked for academic truthfulness, and shortened for clarity.