Gerar

Easton, 1897

A region; lodging-place, a very ancient town and district in the south border of Palestine, which was ruled over by a king named Abimelech (Genesis 10:19; Genesis 20:1, Genesis 20:2). Abraham sojourned here, and perhaps Isaac was born in this place. Both of these patriarchs were guilty of the sin of here denying their wives, and both of them entered into a treaty with the king before they departed to Beersheba (Genesis 21:23-34; Genesis 26). It seems to have been a rich pastoral country (2 Chr. 14:12-18). Isaac here reaped an hundred-fold, and was blessed of God (Genesis 26:12). The "valley of Gerar" (Genesis 26:17) was probably the modern Wady el-Jerdr.