The Hebrew word givah means a rounded hill or elevated mound. It appears over 60 times in the Old Testament referring to natural hills across Israel's landscape, and specifically as the name of the city Gibeah. Hills in ancient Israel carried religious significance as sites of both legitimate and idolatrous worship.
Hills (givot) appear throughout Hebrew poetry and prophecy as symbols of divine presence and encounter. Psalm 121 opens with 'I lift my eyes to the hills — where does my help come from?' The hills represent the mountains of God's dwelling. Yet Israel also sinned by worshipping on every high hill (Ezekiel 6:13), setting up idols on elevated places. The prophets looked forward to a day when all hills would be brought low and the LORD alone would be exalted (Isaiah 40:4). The ultimate hill is Calvary — Golgotha — where redemption was accomplished.