Topical Encyclopedia
Introduction:Gerar is a significant location mentioned in the Old Testament, primarily associated with the narratives of the patriarchs Abraham and Isaac. It is situated in the region of the Philistines, often identified with the area in the southern part of Canaan, near the Negev desert. Gerar serves as a backdrop for key events that highlight themes of faith, divine promise, and God's protection over His chosen people.
Biblical References:1.
Abraham in Gerar: In
Genesis 20, Abraham journeys to Gerar and encounters Abimelech, the king of Gerar. Fearing for his life due to Sarah's beauty, Abraham introduces her as his sister. Abimelech takes Sarah into his household, but God intervenes by appearing to Abimelech in a dream, warning him of the truth. Abimelech returns Sarah to Abraham, and God blesses Abimelech's household after Abraham prays for them. This episode underscores God's protection over Sarah and His covenant with Abraham.
"But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night and said to him, 'You are as good as dead because of the woman you have taken, for she is a married woman.'" (Genesis 20:3)
2.Isaac in Gerar:
Genesis 26 recounts Isaac's sojourn in Gerar during a famine. Like his father, Isaac claims Rebekah is his sister, fearing for his life. King Abimelech discovers the truth and protects Isaac and Rebekah. Isaac prospers in Gerar, becoming wealthy, which leads to envy and conflict with the Philistines. Despite opposition, Isaac reopens the wells dug by Abraham and eventually makes a covenant of peace with Abimelech. This narrative highlights God's faithfulness in fulfilling His promises to Isaac, mirroring the experiences of Abraham.
"The LORD appeared to him and said, 'Do not go down to Egypt. Settle in the land where I tell you. Stay in this land as a foreigner, and I will be with you and bless you. For I will give all these lands to you and your offspring, and I will confirm the oath that I swore to your father Abraham.'" (Genesis 26:2-3)
Historical and Geographical Context:
Gerar is often associated with the Philistine territory, although its exact location remains uncertain. It is traditionally identified with Tell Abu Hureyra or Tell Jemmeh, near the modern-day Gaza Strip. The region's fertile land made it suitable for agriculture, which is evident in the prosperity Isaac experienced there.
Theological Significance:
Gerar serves as a testament to God's providence and the unfolding of His covenant promises. The narratives involving Abraham and Isaac in Gerar emphasize themes of trust in God's protection and the importance of integrity and truth. The interactions with Abimelech also illustrate the potential for peaceful coexistence and mutual respect between God's people and surrounding nations.
Conclusion:
While Gerar is a relatively minor location in the biblical narrative, its role in the lives of the patriarchs Abraham and Isaac highlights significant theological themes. The events in Gerar demonstrate God's unwavering commitment to His covenant and His ability to protect and bless His people amidst challenges and uncertainties.Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary
Gerarsame as Gera
Smith's Bible Dictionary
Gerar(a lodging-place), a very ancient city south of Gaza. It occurs chiefly in Genesis, (Genesis 10:19;20:1;26:17) also incidentally in (2 Chronicles 14:13,14) It must have trenched on the "south" or "south country" of later Palestine. From a comparison of (Genesis 21:32) with Genesis26:23,26 Beersheba would seem to be just on the verge of this territory, and perhaps to be its limit towards the northeast.
ATS Bible Dictionary
GerarAn ancient town or place of the Philistines in the times of Abraham and Isaac,Genesis 10:19 20:1:26:1,6,17. It lay not far from Gaza, in the south of Judah, but its exact site is now unknown. See2 Chronicles 14:13,14.
Easton's Bible Dictionary
A region; lodging-place, a very ancient town and district in the south border of Palestine, which was ruled over by a king named Abimelech (
Genesis 10:19;
20:1, 2). Abraham sojourned here, and perhaps Isaac was born in this place. Both of these patriarchs were guilty of the sin of here denying their wives, and both of them entered into a treaty with the king before they departed to Beersheba (
21:23-34; 26). It seems to have been a rich pastoral country (
2 Chronicles 14:12-18). Isaac here reaped an hundred-fold, and was blessed of God (
Genesis 26:12). The "valley of Gerar" (
Genesis 26:17) was probably the modern Wady el-Jerdr.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
GERARge'-rar (gerar, "circle," "region"; Gerara): A town in the Philistine plain South of Gaza (Genesis 10:19), where both Abraham and Isaac ' sojourned for a time, and where they came into contact with Abimelech, king of Gerar (Genesis 20 and 26, passim). The place has not been fully identified, but the site is probably in one of the branches of Wady Sheri`a, at a place called Um Jerrar, near the coast Southwest of Gaza and 9 miles from it (SWP, III, 389-90). The site answers fairly well to the statements of Eusebius and Jerome, Eusebius, Onomasticon, that it was 25 (Roman) miles South of Eleutheropolis (Beit Jibrin). It is actually 30 English miles, but distances were not very accurately determined in early times. Gerar was known in the first 5 centuries A.D., when it was the seat of a bishopric, and its bishop, Marcian, attended the Council of Chalcedon 451 A.D., It was also the seat of a monastery.
The statements in Genesis indicate that Gerar belonged to the Philistines, and we are led to infer that Abimelech was king of that people, but it is quite certain that they did not occupy this region until after the time of Abraham, in fact only a short time before the Exodus. It is probable, however, that the writer of Genesis would refer to the country as it was known in his day. The town certainly existed in the Philistine period, for it is mentioned in connection with Asa, who defeated the Ethiopian host under Zerar and pursued them in their flight unto Gerar (2 Chronicles 14:13). Besides the locality of Um Jerrar, another place in the vicinity known as Jurf el-Jerrar has been thought by some to be the site of Gerar. Jerrar in Arabic means "jars," and it is doubtful whether it represents the Hebrew Gerar. Jurf means usually "steep declivity," or "precipice," and at the place mentioned many fragments of pottery were found, but this does not necessarily indicate the site of an ancient town. The site of Gerar is discussed in Thomson's LB, I, 196-99 (ed. 1882); Robinson's BR, II, 43-44; PEFS, 1871, 84; 1875, 162-64; 1881, 38.
H. Porter
Strong's Hebrew
1642.Gerar -- a place South of Gaza... 1641, 1642.
Gerar. 1643 . a place South of Gaza. Transliteration:
Gerar Phonetic Spelling: (gher-awr') Short Definition:
Gerar.
...7856. Sitnah -- "hostility," the name of a well nearGerar
... 7855, 7856. Sitnah. 7857 . "hostility," the name of a well nearGerar.
Transliteration: Sitnah Phonetic Spelling: (sit-naw') Short Definition: Sitnah....
6230. Eseq -- "contention," a well inGerar
... 6229, 6230. Eseq. 6231 . "contention," a well inGerar. Transliteration:
Eseq Phonetic Spelling: (ay'sek) Short Definition: Esek....
Library
Ascalon.Gerar. The Story of the Eighty Witches.
... Chapters 11-20 Chapter 14 Ascalon.Gerar. The Story of the Eighty Witches. 'Ascalon,'
in the Samaritan interpreter, is the same with 'Gerar,' Genesis 21.....
Gerar. SM The Glories of the Sanctuary.
... 30Gerar. SM The Glories of the Sanctuary. The Glories of the Sanctuary.
(128) How charming is the place Where my Redeemer God Unveils...
Chapter xx
... CHAPTER XX. 10. Abraham and Sarah atGerar Abraham needs to be tried and
purified still more before the promise can be realized....
The First Apostle of Peace at any Price
... And Isaac departed thence, and pitched his tent in the valley ofGerar,
and dwelt there.... TheGerar shepherds were sharp lawyers....
Chapter xxvi
... And there came a famine in the land, other than the first famine that was in the
days of Abraham; and Isaac went to Abimelech, king of the Philistines, toGerar...
From Abraham to Egypt.
... (7) Abraham lives atGerar. Isaac is born and sacrificed, chs.20-22.... (11) Isaac dwells
inGerar and Jacob steals his brother's birthright, chs.26-27....
How Zerah, King of the Ethiopians, was Beaten by Asa; and How Asa...
... what God had foretold about it, he slew a great many of the Ethiopians; and when
he had put them to flight, he pursued them to the country ofGerar; and when...
Concerning the Sons of Isaac, Esau and Jacob; of their Nativity...
... 2. When there was a famine in the land, Isaac resolved to go into Egypt, the land
there being good; but he went toGerar, as God commanded him....
Chapter x
... And afterward were the families (tribes) of the Canaanites scattered abroad, so
that the territory of the Canaanites extended from Sidon towardGerar as far as...
The Sovereignty of God in Operation
... A striking example of this is seen in Abimelech, king ofGerar. Abraham
came down toGerar and fearful lest he might be slain on...
Thesaurus
Gerar (10 Occurrences)... Isaac here reaped an hundred-fold, and was blessed of God (Genesis 26:12). The
"valley of
Gerar" (Genesis 26:17) was probably the modern Wady el-Jerdr.
...GERAR.
...Esek (1 Occurrence)
... Quarrel, a well which Isaac's herdsmen dug in the valley ofGerar, and so called
because the herdsmen ofGerar quarrelled with them for its possession (Genesis...
Abimelech (63 Occurrences)
... was of the Egyptian kings. (1.) The Philistine king ofGerar in the time of
Abraham (Genesis 20:1-18). By an interposition of Providence...
Phicol (3 Occurrences)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary Great, the chief captain of the army of Abimelech,
the Philistine king ofGerar. He entered into an alliance...
Abim'elech (58 Occurrences)
... Abim'elech (58 Occurrences). Genesis 20:2 And Abraham said of Sarah his wife: 'She
is my sister.' And Abimelech king ofGerar sent, and took Sarah. (See RSV)....
Dwelleth (142 Occurrences)
... (YLT). Genesis 20:1 And Abraham journeyeth from thence toward the land of the south,
and dwelleth between Kadesh and Shur, and sojourneth inGerar; (YLT)....
Dwelt (307 Occurrences)
... And he sojourned inGerar. (ASV DBY JPS WBS RSV).... (KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS RSV). Genesis
26:6 And Isaac dwelt inGerar: (KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS RSV)....
Gerrenians
... They were wrongly associated by Grotius with the town Gerrha, and are with more
probability connected with the ancient city ofGerar, Southeast of Gaza....
Gedor (7 Occurrences)
... (2.) 1 Chronicles 4:39, the Gederah of Joshua 15:36, or the well-knownGerar, as
the LXX.... Here the Septuagint readsGerar, and this is probably correct....
Ahuzzath (1 Occurrence)
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia AHUZZATH. a-huz'-ath ('achuzzath, "possession"):
A "friend" perhaps a minister, of Abimelech, king ofGerar....
Resources
Who was Abimelech in the Bible? | GotQuestions.orgWho was Sarah in the Bible? | GotQuestions.orgHow did God use dreams and visions in the Bible? | GotQuestions.orgBible Concordance •
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