Bible Cities: Gennesaret
Ancient Gennesaret
Plain of Gennesaret lay on the west side of the lake of the same name. It was watered, as Josephus informs us, by a " most fertilizing fountain called Capharnaum." It was one of the pleasantest parts of the Holy Land, and was the scene of much of our Lord's ministry. There is scarcely a foot of land upon the shore of the lake that is not identified in some way with the life and labors of the Saviour, so that this is to the Christian the most interesting region in the Holy Land. Capernaum was "His own city," the chosen home of His manhood ; chosen, no doubt, because it was central to the lake country. It was also on the great Roman military road from Damascus to Ptolemais, and strangers were constantly passing through it. From Capernaum, Jesus could more readily pass to the different portions of Galilee, and by embarking on the lake could find a speedy refuge, when necessary, on the eastern shore in the province of Gaulonitis. The Apostles were natives of the lake towns or neighboring villages, and nearly all fishermen on the lake. The country south and west of the lake was, at that period, thickly planted with cities and towns, some of which were of considerable size and importance, so that the Lake of Gennesaret, or the Sea of Galilee, as it is often called, was the centre of a region teeming with life. - Ancient Geography
Ancient Gennesaret - Map of New Testament Israel
GEN-NES`A-RET (garden of the prince), i. A fertile,
crescent shaped plain on the west shore of the lake of
Gennesaret, about three miles long and one wide.
ii.
The Lake of Gennesaret is called the "Sea of Chinnereth" in
the Old Testament, from the town of Chinnereth, or
Cinneroth, which stood on its shores. Num. 34:11.
iii.
Called "Sea of Galilee" in the New Testament from the
country west of it. It is thirteen miles long and six wide.
It is 700 feet below the bed of the ocean, and is
surrounded with bold shores. It might be called an
enlargement of the river Jordan. The country around it was
densely populated and it was the scene of many notable
instances in the life of Christ.
https://www.bible-history.com/geography/ancient-israel/gennesaret.html
Gennesaret in Easton's Bible Dictionary
a garden of riches. (1.) A town of Naphtali, called
Chinnereth
(Josh. 19:35), sometimes in the plural form Chinneroth
(11:2).
In later times the name was gradually changed to
Genezar and
Gennesaret (Luke 5:1). This city stood on the western
shore of
the lake to which it gave its name. No trace of it
remains. The
plain of Gennesaret has been called, from its
fertility and
beauty, "the Paradise of Galilee." It is now called
el-Ghuweir.
(2.) The Lake of Gennesaret, the Grecized form of
CHINNERETH
(q.v.). (See GALILEE, SEA OF ¯T0001418.)
https://www.bible-history.com/eastons/G/Gennesaret/
Gennesaret in Fausset's Bible Dictionary
(See CINNEROTH; GALILEE, SEA OF). At the N.W. angle was the
fertile plain "Gennesaret." Crescent in shape, extending from
Khan Minyeh on the N. to the steep hill behind Mejdel on the
S., called el Ghuweir, "the little ghor," watered by the
spring Capharnaum (B. J., 3:10, sec. 8). It is also called
"the Sea of Tiberias." All its names are drawn from places on
the W. side. "The land of Gennesaret" was close to Capernaum
on the opposite side to the N.E. of the lake, where the
feeding of the 5,000 took place (John 6:1; John 6:17; John
6:24-25). (See CAPERNAUM.)
In the land of Gennesaret was spoken the parable of
the sower. There was the grainfield descending to the water's
edge, the trodden path through its midst, without fence to
prevent the seed from falling on either side or on it, itself
hardened with treading; there was the rich soil of the plain,
the rocky hillside protruding here and there, the stony soil,
and the thorn bushes springing up in the midst of the grain.
https://www.bible-history.com/faussets/G/Gennesaret,+sea+of/
Gennesaret in Hitchcock's Bible Names
garden of the prince
https://www.bible-history.com/hitchcock/G/Gennesaret/
Gennesaret in Smiths Bible Dictionary
(garden of the prince), Land of. It is generally believed that
this term was applied to the fertile crescent-shaped plain on
the western shore of the lake, extending from Khan Minyeh (two
or three miles south of Capernaum (Tel-Hum) on the north to
the steep hill behind Mejdel (Magdala) on the south, and
called by the Arabs el-Ghuweir, "the little Ghor." Mr. Porter
gives the length as three miles, and the greatest breadth as
about one mile. Additional interest is given to the land of
Gennesaret, or el-Ghuweir, by the probability that its scenery
suggested the parable of the sower. It is mentioned only twice
in Scripture - Mt 14:34; Mr 6:53 Compare Luke 5:1
https://www.bible-history.com/smiths/G/Gennesaret/
Gennesaret in the Bible Encyclopedia - ISBE
ge-nes'-a-ret he ge Gennesaret):
1. The Name:
The first syllable of the name Gennesaret is evidently the
Hebrew gan, "garden"; while the second may be a proper name.
Possibly, however, the name may represent the Hebrew ganne
sarim, "princely gardens." It is applied to a district on
the Northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee (Mt 14:34; Mk
6:53), now known as el-Ghuweir, "little Ghor." It curves
round from el-Mejdel in the South, to `Ain et-Tineh, or Khan
Minyeh, in the North, a distance of over 3 miles, with an
average breadth from the sea to the foot of the mountains of
about a mile. The soil is deep, rich loam, of amazing
fertility. In the South it is watered by the stream from
Wady el-Chamam, the gorge that opens to the West of el-
Mejdel.
2. Water:
The middle portion is supplied from `Ain el-Madawwerah, a
copious fountain near the western edge of the plain, round
which a wall has been built, to raise the level of the
water; and from the perennial stream, Wady er-Rubadiyeh,
which drives a mill before starting on its work of
irrigation. Farther North, Wady el-`Amud brings down much
water in the rainy season. The water from `Ain et-Tabgha was
brought round the promontory at `Ain et-Tineh by a conduit
cut in the rock. It was used to drive certain mills, and
also to refresh the neighboring land. This seems to be the
fountain called "Capharnaum" by Josephus (BJ, III, x, 8).
This writer extols the productiveness of the plain. He says
the "soil is so fruitful that all sorts of trees can grow
upon it."
3. Fertility:
The walnut, the palm, the olive and the fig, which usually
require diverse conditions, flourish together here. "One may
call this place the ambition of nature; .... it is a happy
contention of the seasons, as if each of them claimed this
country; for it not only nourishes different sorts of
autumnal fruit beyond men's expectation, but preserves them
a great while." He says that it supplies grapes and figs
through ten months of the year, and other fruits as they
ripen together throughout the year (same place) . The fruits
of Gennesaret had such high repute among the rabbis that
they were not allowed in Jerusalem at the time of the
feasts, lest any might be tempted to come merely for their
enjoyment (Neubauer, Geog. du Talmud, 45 f).
Centuries of neglect made a sad change in the plain. It was
largely overgrown with thorn-bushes, and it yielded one of
the finest crops of thistles in the country. Cultivation was
confined to the Southwest part; and the rest furnished
grazing ground for a tribe of nomads. Recently the German
Catholics made extensive purchases, including the village of
el-Mejdel. Considerable portions have also passed into the
hands of Jews. The land is almost entirely cleared, and it
rewards the toil of the husbandman with all its ancient
generosity.
https://www.bible-history.com/isbe/G/GENNESARET,+LAND+OF/
Gennesaret Scripture - Luke 5:1
And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him to
hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret,
https://www.bible-history.com/kjv/Luke/5/
Gennesaret Scripture - Mark 6:53
And when they had passed over, they came into the land of
Gennesaret, and drew to the shore.
https://www.bible-history.com/kjv/Mark/6/
Gennesaret Scripture - Matthew 14:34
And when they were gone over, they came into the land of
Gennesaret.
https://www.bible-history.com/kjv/Matthew/14/
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