Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

GESHUR

(Heb. gĕšûr)

1. A small Aramean kingdom that shared a western border with the half-tribe of Manasseh in the southern part of what is now called the Golan Heights (Deut. 3:14). Geshur remained independent during the conquest of Canaan and after Joshua’s death (Josh. 12:5). During the period of David and Solomon and the divided kingdoms (ca. 1020-732 b.c.) it was semi-independent. David married Maacah, who was to become the mother of Absalom, to consummate a political alliance with the Geshurite king Talmai (2 Sam. 3:3). Along with the Aramean kingdom of Maacah to the north, Geshur joined with Damascus against David (2 Sam. 10:6; 13:37; 14:23; 1 Chr. 19:7). However, it was a subject of Israel during Solomon’s time. Geshur later joined with Aram Damascus to fight against the northern kingdom of Israel, and it was eventually incorporated into the Damascene state (9th century). The royal names of the kingdom reflect a Hurrian element (e.g., Talmai).

Geshur is likely listed as Ga-su-ru in one of the Amarna Letters (no. 256) from Egypt (14th century). The area of Geshur has been subject to intense archaeological surveys, which have revealed a number of sites from the Middle Bronze II to Iron I Ages (ca. 1800-1000).

Bibliography. B. Mazar, “Geshur and Maacah,” JBL 80 (1961): 16-28.

Mark W. Chavalas

2. A people or region S of the Philistine pentapolis that was not taken in the Conquest (Josh. 13:2) and against whom David raided while allied with the Philistines (1 Sam. 27:8).

Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

GESHUR

Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000)