Lexical Summary Geshur: Geshur Original Word: גְּשׁוּר Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Geshur, Geshurite From an unused root (meaning to join); bridge; Geshur, a district of Syria -- Geshur, Geshurite. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom an unused word Definition a territory E. of the upper Jordan, also inhab. of Geshur NASB Translation Geshur (9). Brown-Driver-Briggs גְּשׁוּר proper name, masculine (bridge ? or land of bridges ? compare WetzstHauran, 82). 1 of people, = הַגְּשׁוּרִי Joshua 13:13 compare 1 Chronicles 2:23. 2 of land מֶלֶךְ גְּשׁוּר 2 Samuel 3:3; 2 Samuel 13:37 compare 2 Samuel 13:38 (but text in disorder compare ᵐ5 We Dr) 2 Samuel 14:32; 2 Samuel 15:8 בַּאֲרָם ׳בִּגְ 1 Chronicles 3:2, גְּשׁ֫וּרָה 2 Samuel 14:23; a territory east of the upper Jordan, exact limits unknown; according to GutheZPV xii. 1889, 232 f. between Gilead and Hermon, in Jaulân; according to Furrerib. xiii. 1890, 198 = the Ledjah, district east of Jaulân, with town Jisre; against him Gutheib. 285 f. Topical Lexicon Geographical Setting Geshur was a small Aramean‐ruled kingdom situated east of the Sea of Galilee, bounded by Mount Hermon to the north and the Yarmuk River to the south. Its location placed it on the frontier between Israelite territory (particularly the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan) and the broader Syrian states (Aram-Damascus). Fertile plateaus, major trade arteries, and defensible highlands gave the land both economic value and strategic importance. Early Biblical Notice When Moses allotted Trans-Jordan to Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, the region of Geshur lay inside the divinely promised borders (Deuteronomy 3:14). Yet Joshua 13:13 records that “the Israelites did not drive out the people of Geshur or Maacath, so Geshur and Maacath dwell among the Israelites to this day”. Israel’s incomplete conquest allowed the kingdom to survive as an enclave within the covenant land for centuries, creating an enduring reminder of the consequences of partial obedience. Political Relations and Conflicts 1 Chronicles 2:23 reveals that “Geshur and Aram captured Havvoth Jair from them, along with Kenath and its surrounding villages”. This raid, launched with Aramean support, shows Geshur as an aggressive border state willing to challenge Manasseh’s holdings. The text highlights the turbulence of Israel’s northern frontier and anticipates later tensions with Aram-Damascus. Geshur in the Life of David • Royal Marriage. David forged an alliance by marrying Maacah, “the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur” (2 Samuel 3:3; 1 Chronicles 3:2). The union produced Absalom and thus tied the house of Jesse to an Aramean royal line. While politically useful, the marriage introduced foreign influence into Israel’s throne room, foreshadowing later difficulties with mixed loyalties in the monarchy. • Absalom’s Refuge. After killing Amnon, Absalom “fled and went to Talmai son of Ammihud, king of Geshur” (2 Samuel 13:37) and remained there three years. The asylum underscores the autonomy Geshur still enjoyed; it could harbor a fugitive prince without fear of immediate reprisal from Jerusalem. Joab eventually “went to Geshur and brought Absalom back to Jerusalem” (2 Samuel 14:23), yet Absalom’s time there profoundly shaped his outlook. While in exile he vowed a sacrifice (2 Samuel 15:8), suggesting the presence of Yahwistic worship—or at least Absalom’s claim to it—within the Geshurite sphere. • Seeds of Revolt. Absalom’s Geshurite heritage likely bolstered his later bid for the throne. His mother’s royal pedigree offered an alternative power base, and the years spent in a foreign court honed his political instincts. The episode illustrates how alliances formed without divine sanction can sow future rebellion inside the covenant community. Spiritual and Ministry Significance 1. Incomplete Conquest. Geshur’s persistence challenges believers to heed God fully. Neglected obedience in one generation can become entrenched opposition in the next (Joshua 13:13 compared with 2 Samuel 3–15). Archaeological Note Tell el-‘Ashari, Tell Hadar, and other sites east of the Sea of Galilee have produced Late Bronze and Iron Age remains consistent with a small, fortified kingdom controlling trans-Jordan routes. While definitive identification is pending, such evidence corroborates a local polity capable of both diplomacy and military action described in Scripture. Summary Geshur appears only nine times but exerts outsized influence in the biblical record. Geopolitically, it explains enduring northern pressures on Israel; theologically, it warns against partial obedience and ill-advised alliances; pastorally, it underscores God’s capacity to work redemptively even through tangled histories. The kingdom’s fleeting spotlight thus reinforces the faithfulness of God’s Word and the need for wholehearted devotion to Him. Forms and Transliterations בִגְשׁ֛וּר בגשור גְּשֽׁוּר־ גְּשֽׁוּר׃ גְּשׁ֑וּר גְּשׁ֑וּרָה גְּשׁ֤וּר גשור גשור־ גשור׃ גשורה מִגְּשׁ֔וּר מגשור ḇiḡ·šūr ḇiḡšūr gə·šū·rāh gə·šūr gə·šūr- geShur geShurah gəšūr gəšūr- gəšūrāh mig·gə·šūr miggeShur miggəšūr vigShurLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Joshua 13:13 HEB: הַמַּעֲכָתִ֑י וַיֵּ֨שֶׁב גְּשׁ֤וּר וּמַֽעֲכָת֙ בְּקֶ֣רֶב NAS: or the Maacathites; for Geshur and Maacath KJV: nor the Maachathites: but the Geshurites and the Maachathites INT: the Maacathites live Geshur and Maacath among 2 Samuel 3:3 2 Samuel 13:37 2 Samuel 13:38 2 Samuel 14:23 2 Samuel 14:32 2 Samuel 15:8 1 Chronicles 2:23 1 Chronicles 3:2 9 Occurrences |
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