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Gerar (Hebrew: גְּרָר Gərār, "lodging-place") was a Philistine town and district in what is today south central Israel, mentioned in the Book of Genesis and in the Second Book of Chronicles of the Hebrew Bible.

Identification

According to the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, the biblical valley of Gerar (Genesis 26:17) was probably located in the area of a valley known in Arabic as Wady Sheri'a,^[1] and in Modern Hebrew as Nahal Gerar.^[2] Most commentators see the mound of Tel Haror (Hebrew) or Tell Abu Hureyra (Arabic) as representing the ancient Gerar.^{[citation needed]}

Some older commentaries, such as Smith's Bible Dictionary,^[3] stated simply that Gerar was located "south of Gaza". Also, a ninth century rabbinical source, Saadia Gaon, identified Gerar with Haluza, which is located along the Besor Stream in the Negev.^[4]^[5] However, according to recent archaeological research, Haluza only dates to the period of the Nabataean Kingdom.

Biblical accounts

Biblically, the town features in two of the three wife-sister narratives in Genesis. These record that Abraham and Isaac each stayed at Gerar, near what became Beersheba, and that each passed his wife off as his sister, leading to complications involving Gerar's Philistine king, Abimelech. (Genesis 20:1, and Genesis 26:1)

The Haggadah identifies the two references to Abimelech as two separate people, the second being the first Abimelech's son, and that his original name was Benmelech ["son of the King"], but he changed his name to his father's, meaning "my father is king".

In 2 Chronicles 14:12-15, Gerar and its surrounding towns figure in the account of King Asa's defeat of Zerah's vast Cushite forces.

References

^ Gerar -- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia at biblehub.com
^ 'Gerar' in the Zondervan Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Zondervan Academic, 2011, p. 520
^ Smith's Bible Dictionary published 1884
^ Rabbi Saadia Gaon's Tafsīr (Judeo-Arabic: אלי כ̇לוץ, אלכ̇לוץ = al-Khalūṣ) in the Pentateuch (Tafsir), s.v. Genesis 10:19, Genesis 20:2, Genesis 26:17, 20.
^ On Haluza's proximity to Gerar, see: M. Naor, Gerar — Tell el Far'a, Bulletin of the Israel Exploration Society (1955), pp. 99–102 (Hebrew)

31°22′54″N 34°36′25″E / 31.3817°N 34.6069°E / 31.3817; 34.6069

[1] Gerar -- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia at biblehub.com

[2] 'Gerar' in the Zondervan Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Zondervan Academic, 2011, p. 520

[3] Smith's Bible Dictionary published 1884

[4] Rabbi Saadia Gaon's Tafsīr (Judeo-Arabic: אלי כ̇לוץ, אלכ̇לוץ = al-Khalūṣ) in the Pentateuch (Tafsir), s.v. Genesis 10:19, Genesis 20:2, Genesis 26:17, 20.

[5] On Haluza's proximity to Gerar, see: M. Naor, Gerar — Tell el Far'a, Bulletin of the Israel Exploration Society (1955), pp. 99–102 (Hebrew)

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+{{Short description|Philistine Town}}
-'''Gerar''' ({{Lang-he-n|גְּרָר}} ''Gərār'', "lodging-place") was a [[Philistine]] town and district in what is today south central [[Israel]], mentioned in the [[Book of Genesis]] and in the Second Book of Chronicles of the [[Hebrew Bible]].
+[[File:Elias van Nijmegen - Bijbelse voorstelling, Abimelech geeft Sara aan Abraham terug - 11096 - Museum Rotterdam.jpg|thumb|Abimelech, King of Gerar, returns Sarah to Abraham; painting by [[Elias van Nijmegen]] (1667-1755), Museum Rotterdam]]
+'''Gerar''' ({{Langx|he|גְּרָר}} ''Gərār'', "lodging-place") was a [[Philistine]] town and district in what is today south central [[Israel]], mentioned in the [[Book of Genesis]] and in the Second Book of Chronicles of the [[Hebrew Bible]].
-According to the [[International Standard Bible Encyclopedia]], the Biblical ''valley of Gerar'' ({{bibleverse||Genesis|26:17|HE}}) was probably located in the area of ''Wady Sheri'a''.<ref>[https://biblehub.com/topical/g/gerar.htm Gerar] -- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia at '''biblehub.com'''</ref> Currently it is believed to be the valley of [[Nahal Gerar]].<ref>[https://books.google.ca/books?id=8Tq7UcPMwacC&pg=PA520 'Gerar'] in the Zondervan Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Zondervan Academic, 2011, p. 520</ref>
+==Identification==
-Also, a ninth century rabbinical source ([[Saadia Gaon]]) identified Gerar with [[Haluza]].<ref>Rabbi [[Saadia Gaon]]'s [[Judeo-Arabic]] Translation of the word Gerar (Judeo-Arabic: '''אלכ'לוץ''' = ''al-Khalūṣ'') in the Pentateuch (''Tafsir''), s.v. Genesis 10:19, Genesis 20:2, Genesis 26:17, 20. On Haluza's proximity to Gerar, see: M. Naor, Gerar — Tell el Far'a, Bulletin of the Israel Exploration Society (1955), pp. 99–102 (Hebrew)</ref>
+According to the [[International Standard Bible Encyclopedia]], the biblical ''valley of Gerar'' ({{bibleverse||Genesis|26:17|HE}}) was probably located in the area of a valley known in [[Arabic]] as Wady Sheri'a,<ref>[https://biblehub.com/topical/g/gerar.htm Gerar] -- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia at biblehub.com</ref> and in [[Modern Hebrew]] as [[Nahal Gerar]].<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=8Tq7UcPMwacC&pg=PA520 'Gerar'] in the Zondervan Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Zondervan Academic, 2011, p. 520</ref> Most commentators see the mound of [[Tel Haror]] (Hebrew) or Tell Abu Hureyra (Arabic) as representing the ancient Gerar.{{cn|date=October 2021}}
+Some older commentaries, such as [[Smith's Bible Dictionary]],<ref>Smith's Bible Dictionary published 1884</ref> stated simply that Gerar was located "south of Gaza". Also, a ninth century rabbinical source, [[Saadia Gaon]], identified Gerar with [[Elusa (Haluza)|Haluza]], which is located along the [[Besor Stream]] in the [[Negev]].<ref>Rabbi [[Saadia Gaon]]'s ''Tafsīr'' ({{langx|jrb|אלי כ̇לוץ, אלכ̇לוץ}} = ''al-Khalūṣ'') in the Pentateuch (''Tafsir''), s.v. Genesis 10:19, Genesis 20:2, Genesis 26:17, 20.</ref><ref>On Haluza's proximity to Gerar, see: M. Naor, Gerar — Tell el Far'a, Bulletin of the Israel Exploration Society (1955), pp. 99–102 (Hebrew)</ref> However, according to recent archaeological research, Haluza only dates to the period of the [[Nabataean Kingdom]].
-Dr. William Smith's Bible Dictionary,<ref>Smith's Bible Dictionary published 1884</ref> stated simply that it was "south of Gaza".
+==Biblical accounts==
-Biblically, the town features in two of the three [[Wife-sister narratives in Genesis]]. These record that [[Abraham]] and [[Isaac]] each stayed at Gerar, near what became [[Beersheba]], and that each passed his wife off as his sister, leading to complications involving Gerar's Philistine king, [[Abimelech]]. ({{bibleverse||Genesis|20:1|HE}}, and {{bibleverse||Genesis|26:1|HE}}) The ''[[Haggadah]]'' identifies the two references to Abimelech as two separate people, the second being the first Abimelech's son, and that his original name was Benmelech ["son of the King"], but he changed his name to his father's, meaning "my father is king".
+Biblically, the town features in two of the three [[wife-sister narratives in Genesis]]. These record that [[Abraham]] and [[Isaac]] each stayed at Gerar, near what became [[Beersheba]], and that each passed his wife off as his sister, leading to complications involving Gerar's Philistine king, [[Abimelech]]. ({{bibleverse||Genesis|20:1|HE}}, and {{bibleverse||Genesis|26:1|HE}})
+The ''[[Haggadah]]'' identifies the two references to Abimelech as two separate people, the second being the first Abimelech's son, and that his original name was Benmelech ["son of the King"], but he changed his name to his father's, meaning "my father is king".
-In [http://biblehub.com/esv/2_chronicles/14.htm 2 Chronicles 14:12-15], Gerar and its surrounding towns figure in the account of [[Asa of Judah|King Asa]]'s defeat of Zerah's vast [[Cush (Bible)|Cushite]] forces.
+In [http://biblehub.com/esv/2_chronicles/14.htm 2 Chronicles 14:12-15], Gerar and its surrounding towns figure in the account of [[Asa of Judah|King Asa]]'s defeat of Zerah's vast [[Cush (Bible)|Cushite]] forces.
+==See also==
+*[[Tell Jemmeh]]
 ==References==
 <references/>