Gennesaret: Bible Cities - Resources for Ancient Biblical Studies

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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.)

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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

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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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