Gerar (Heb. Gerâr, perhaps “dwelling place”). Ancient city on the southwestern border of Canaan, near Gaza (Gen 10:19; 2Ch 14:13). It was inhabited by Philistines in the patriarchal age, when Abraham and Isaac had dealings with their king (Gen 20:1, 2; 26:1, 6). Flinders Petrie identified it with a place about 14.5 km south of Gaza, called Tell ej-Jemmeh, which he excavated in 1926 and 1927. He discovered many grain deposits from the Persian period, showing that the city had served as a place storage. Other scholars have identified it with Tell esh-Sher§ah, about 25.5 km east-southeast of Gaza, but the evidence seems to point to Tell Abã Hureirah, about 17.5 km southeast of it, as the most likely from ancient Gerar. Maps VI, F-2; XXI, E-2. Bib.: R. Amiran and GW Van Beek, EA-EHL II: 545-549.
Source: Evangelical Bible Dictionary
(Heb., gerar, circle, region). Negev people on a protected inland caravan route from Palestine to Egypt (Gen 10:19). Here Abraham stayed with his king, Abimelech (Gen 20: 1-2); and then Isaac (Gen 26:1-33) had similar and more extensive experiences with the king and the people of the region.
Source: Hispanic World Bible Dictionary
During the patriarchal age the Philistine center of Palestine was Gerar, in the foothills of the Jewish mountains south of Gaza. Both Abraham and Isaac enjoyed cordial relations with Abimelech of Gerar, although Isaac’s relations were strained as a result of lying about the identity of his wife (Gen. 21:32, 34; 26:1, 8) . Although there are no extra-biblical references to the Philistines in Canaan before the 12th century B.C. JC , it is known that trade was common between western Asia and Crete at the beginning of the second millennium BC. 18th century BC One of the Mari Tablets records the sending of gifts by the king of Hazor to Kaftara (Caftor). The Philistines did not have a dominant position in southern Palestine during the patriarchal era, but the oldest centers of trade seem to have been established at this time.
The site of Gerar has been identified with Tell Jemme, ca. 13 km. south of Gaza. This headland was excavated in 1922 by WJ Phythian-Adams and in 1927 by WM Flinders Petrie. Petrie’s excavation produced remains from the time of the Egyptian Eighteenth Dynasty (16th to 14th centuries BC). More recently, however, Y. Aharoni has argued that Gerar should have been situated on Tell Abu Hureira, a promontory ca. 18 km. southeast of Gaza (Y. Aharoni, †œThe Land of Gerar† , YES VI, 1956, pp. 26–32). An Israeli archaeologist, D. Alon, surveyed Tell Abu Hureira and found evidence from some potsherds that the city had enjoyed a period of prosperity during the Middle Bronze Age, the period of the biblical patriarchs.
Source: Archaeological Biblical Dictionary
(Stop place). Canaanite city (Gen 10:19) that was occupied by the Philistines. It was located †œbetween Kadesh and Shur† (Gen 20:1), near †¢Gaza, in the S of Canaan, in a strategic place for the passage of caravans. Abraham † œdwelt as a stranger in G. † (Gen 20: 1), telling † ¢ Sarah to pass herself off as his sister. The king of G. was †¢Abimelech, who ordered Sarah to be taken, but warned by God in a dream he returned her and then made a pact with Abraham (Gen 20:2-18). The episode is repeated with Isaac, who went to live in G. and said that Rebekah was his sister, but Abimelech † œsaw Isaac caressing Rebekah his wife † and caught his attention. He then gave orders that all the Philistines should respect Isaac, on pain of death. G. is today Tell Abu Hureira, about 18 km S of Gaza.
Source: Christian Bible Dictionary
type, CITY
sit, a3, 95, 276
vet, = “circular container”. Ancient city of southern Palestine in a fertile region near Gaza (Gen. 10:19; 2 Chron. 14:13). Occupied in ancient times by the Philistines (Gen. 36:1). Commonly identified with a huge ruin-covered embankment south of Khirbet-el Gerar.
Source: New Illustrated Bible Dictionary
Gerar was located in the plain about 14 kms. south of Gaza and about 24 kms. northwest of Beersheba. The place is now called Tell Abu Hureisah. Excavations have been made, and it has been discovered that it was inhabited for a long time. From what Genesis says we deduce that Abimelech, a Philistine governor, was king of the people. It was an important town in the time of the kings and it is the place to which Asa pursued
to the Ethiopians. It was known during the first five centuries after Christ and
it became the seat of a bishopric. Its Bishop of Gerar attended the Council of Caledonia, in 451 AD. JC A large monastery was situated there.
It is located in the plain south of Gaza, Genesis 10:19. Abraham told a lie about his wife, Gen 20. Isaac tricked Abimelech there, Gen 26.
Asa killed all the inhabitants of the surrounding towns as he pursued the Ethiopians, 2 Chronicles 14:9-15.
Source: Geographic Dictionary of the Bible
(heb. gerār, ‘circle’). Ancient city to the S of Gaza (Gen. 10.19), at the foot of the Judean mountains. Both Abraham (Gen. 20–21) and Isaac (Gen. 26) dwelled there, digging wells, and maintained cordial relations with Abimelech, the king of the place, even though Isaac had an altercation with him at one point. The city was in the “land of the Philistines” (˒ereṣ pelištı̂m, Gen. 21.32, 34; see also 26.1, 8), a designation that is not necessarily anachronistic. In the first years of the ss. IX BC was the scene of a great victory for Asa of Judah against the invading Ethiopian army of Zera (2 Chr. 14:13–14).
The site of Gerar was identified with present-day Tell Jemmeh by WM Flinders Petrie, but following an inspection by D. Alon, the site of Tell Abu Hureira, a mound some 18 km SE of Gaza, has been proposed as more likely. , in the Wadi Es-Sariah. As no pre-Iron Age remains had been found near it, the site had hitherto been thought to be a natural hill, but examination by Alon has shown that it was first inhabited in the Chalcolithic era, and which continued to be inhabited through all the periods corresponding to the bronze and iron ages. The evidence provided by the sherds on the surface indicates that the city experienced a period of prosperity in the middle bronze age, that is, in the time of the patriarchs.
Bibliography. Y. Aharoni, “The Land of Gerar”, YEJ 6, 1956, pp. 26–32; see FM Cross (h) and GE Wright, JBL 75, 1956, p. 212–213; WF Albright, BASOR 163, 1961, p. 48.
TCM
Douglas, J. (2000). New Biblical Dictionary: First Edition. Miami: United Bible Societies.
Source: New Bible Dictionary