Joshua 18:28

Zelah. Mentioned in 2 Sam. 21:14 as containing the sepulcher of Kish, where the remains of Saul and Jonathan were ultimately buried (see Additional Note to 1 Sam. 1).

Eleph. Location unknown.

Jebusi. Jerusalem. See on v. 11.

Gibeath. This is probably the Gibeah of Saul (1 Sam. 10:26; 2 Sam. 21:6), the first political center of the kingdom of Israel. It has been identified as the site known today as Tell el-Ful, “hill of beans,” about 3 1/2 mi. (5.6 km.) north of Jerusalem on the main road leading to Samaria. In Saul’s day the Jebusites still held Jerusalem. Gibeah, being Saul’s headquarters, served as a military watchpost over Jerusalem. It was near Gibeah that Jonathan made his attack upon the Philistines (1 Sam. 14). Two excavation campaigns carried on at this site have thrown an abundance of light on the Biblical history of Saul’s ancient capital.

Kirjath. Identified by some with Kirjath-jearim of v. 14 and ch. 15:60, which belonged to Judah. Otherwise the location of Kirjath is uncertain, unless it may be Kerteh, west of Jerusalem.

The inheritance. When compared with the inheritance of the other tribes that of Benjamin was one of the smallest with respect to area. However, according to Josephus, its soil was the richest. The territory occupied a highly strategic position, and the names of many of its towns indicate by their meaning that they were situated on heights, and hence were easily defended. It was doubtless because of this defensive strength that the tribe of Benjamin at one time was able to resist successfully the combined armies of Israel until Israel resorted to strategy (Judges 20).