Where is Geshur in the Bible?
Geshur was an Aramean kingdom located northeast of the Sea of Galilee, in the region of Bashan. Geshur appears in 6 verses across 3 books of the Bible.
What happened at Geshur?
Geshur was an Aramean kingdom located northeast of the Sea of Galilee, in the region of Bashan. It bordered the Israelite territories of Manasseh and Maacah, as mentioned in Deu.3.14 and Joshua 12:5; 13:11. The kingdom of Geshur played a significant role in the life of King David and his family. David married Maacah, the daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur (2Sa.3.3; 1Ch.3.2). Maacah was the mother of Absalom and Tamar, two of David's children who were involved in a tragic family conflict. After Absalom murdered his half-brother Amnon in revenge for the rape of his sister Tamar, he fled to Geshur and sought refuge with his grandfather, King Talmai (2Sa.13.37-38). Absalom remained in Geshur for three years before Joab, David's commander, arranged for his return to Jerusalem (2Sa.14.23,32). Later, when Absalom rebelled against his father David, he went to Geshur to gather support and raise an army (2Sa.15.8). This suggests that Absalom maintained ties with his maternal grandfather's kingdom and used it as a base for his political ambitions. In Joshua 13:13, it is mentioned that the Israelites did not drive out the Geshurites, indicating that they coexisted with the Aramean kingdom. However, during the reign of Solomon, it seems that Geshur came under Israelite control, as 1Ch.2.23 mentions that Jair, a descendant of Manasseh, took Geshur and Aram and their towns. The biblical narrative portrays Geshur as an independent Aramean kingdom that had close ties with the Israelite royal family through marriage alliances. Its location and political significance made it a place of refuge and a potential source of support for those involved in the power struggles within the Israelite monarchy.
Definition text: STEPBible · Tyndale House Cambridge. Licensed CC BY 4.0. Lightly edited for length and formatting.
Compiled by Protos: the verse list on this page. Where one name belongs to more than one person or place, each of them gets a separate entry.
Where does Geshur appear in the Bible?
Geshur is referenced in 6 verses across 3 books. Every passage below is about this one, not just every verse the word turns up in.
- 1 Chronicles 2:23
- 2 Samuel 13:38
- 2 Samuel 14:23
- 2 Samuel 14:32
- 2 Samuel 15:8
- Joshua 13:13
What else appears in these passages?
These turn up in the same passages as Geshur.
Common questions
How many times does the Bible mention Geshur?
Geshur appears in 6 verses across 3 books, most often in 2 Samuel, which accounts for 4 of them.
Which books of the Bible mention Geshur?
2 Samuel, 1 Chronicles, Joshua.
Where can I read every verse about Geshur?
This page lists 6 of them. Protos carries all 6, and opens this entry on the verse you are reading rather than in a separate tab.
