Machine translation of the 1948–1954 Italian original. The original text is authoritative.
GÉRARA (Hebr. Gérâr, Septuagint Γερμαρ). - An ancient city of the Negeb in Palestine, on the road to Egypt, south-east of Gaza and west of Bersabea (Gen. 10, 19; 20, 1). Capital of a principality called, by anticipation, Philistine. It is mentioned in the Bible for the sojourn of the patriarchs Abramo (Gen. 20, 1-18) and Isacco (Gen. 26, 1-26), and for the defeat suffered by the Bedouin invaders who, having reached Maresa, were repulsed and pursued as far as G. by King Asa (ca. 900) (II Par. 14, 9).
It is generally identified with Tell Gemmeh, 13 km south of Gaza, where excavations in 1922 and 1927 revealed a stratification from Thutmosis III (1480) to the Persian period (460 B.C.), with important remains of Philistine pottery and many weights, suggesting a great grain emporium for the Negeb. Many Palestinian scholars still prefer to identify it with Tell el-Ser'ah, 30 km south-west of Bejt Gibrin, as more in harmony with the biblical data (II Par. 14, 9), the Byzantine indications (Onom., 60, 8), and the design of the Madaba map.
BIBL.: K. Galling, Bibliiches Reallexikon, Tubinga 1937, p. 179.
Donato Baldi
Cite this article
“GÉRARA (EBR. GÉRÂR, SETTANTA ΓΕΡΜΑΡ).” Enciclopedia Cattolica, vol. VI (1951), p. 73. Azione Romana digital edition, https://azioneromana.com/article/gerara-ebr-gerar-settanta-germar.
