GEZER. - A locality 10 km southeast of Ludd (Lidda), 28 km southeast of Jaffa, now Tell Gezer.
In the list of Palestinian cities conquered by Thutmosis III (1501–1447 BC) it is qdr; alu gaszi in the el-'Amarnah letters; but the city already existed by the end of the 4th millennium BC. Thutmosis IV (1420–1411 BC) announces that he has reconquered Gezer and transported prisoners to Thebes. Joshua (Josh. 10:33) defeated King Horam of Gezer, an ally of the king of Lachish. Subsequently, Gezer is found under the Canaanites (Josh. 16:10; Judg. 1:29). In David’s time it is allied with the Philistines (2 Sam. 5:25; 1 Chr. 14:16; 20:4). Pharaoh conquers and destroys Gezer and gives it as a dowry to his daughter, wife of King Solomon (1 Kgs. 9:16ff.; according to W. F. Albright this refers to Gerar and not Gezer). Under Tiglath-pileser III (745–727 BC) Gezer was conquered by the Assyrians. No further information is available until the Maccabean period.
In 166 BC Gezer lies on the border of the province of Judea (1 Macc. 4:15; 7:45). In 160 BC it is fortified by Bacchides (1 Macc. 9:52); in 142 BC it is captured by Simon Maccabeus, who expels the pagans and settles Jews there (1 Macc. 13:43–48). To this period belong some minor Hebrew-Greek inscriptions. The Crusaders recall Gezer as Mons Gisart.
Excavations have been conducted at Gezer by Macalister (1902–1909) and, since 1934, by A. Rowe. The Gezer “calendar” (c. 9th century BC) lists the months in pairs, indicating the characteristic agricultural tasks for each pair.