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GERA

(Heb. gērāʾ)

A common Northwest Semitic name (short form of gēr-DN, “client of DN”) occurring in Egyptian records of the 20th Dynasty. The name also appears in Phoenician, in Samaria Ostracon 30, and in Arad Ostracon 64.

1. A son of Benjamin; most likely the eponym of a Benjaminite clan (Gen. 46:21; Jub. 44:25).

2. The father of Ehud (Judg. 3:15).

3. A Benjaminite; a member of Saul’s family and the father of Shimei (2 Sam. 16:5; 19:16, 18; 1 Kgs. 2:8).

4. A name appearing three times in the Benjaminite genealogy of 1 Chr. 8:1-40, but missing in the list of Benjamin’s descendants in Num. 26:38-41; 1 Chr. 7:6-12. There may be some repetition in 1 Chr. 8, , and it is uncertain whether each occurrence of the name represents a separate individual or an ancient clan within the tribe of Benjamin. A Gera is listed as the second son of Bela and the grandson of Benjamin (1 Chr. 8:1-4), but he is omitted in the list of Bela’s sons in 1 Chr. 7:6-12. Gera also appears as the seventh son of Bela and the grandson of Benjamin (1 Chr. 8:5). Some suggest emending 1 Chr. 8:3 to read “and Gera, father of Ehud,” thus distinguishing him from the Gera of v. 5. Other scholars propose that the Gera of 1 Chr. 8:5 is the same person as Gera 5 below.

5. A son of Ehud; a Benjaminite and father of Uzza and Ahihud (1 Chr. 8:7). He is either identical with the Gera of 1 Chr. 8:5, or another Gera who is also called Heglam (v. 7; which may also be translated “Gera, he carried them into exile”).

Kenneth Atkinson

Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

GERA

Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000)