Daily Archives: January 4, 2010

Gezer is described by William G. Dever, one of the archaeological excavators, as “a site in the foothills of the Judean range.” He continues,

Ancient Gezer has been located at Tell Jezer (Tell el-Jazari), a 33-acre mound 5 miles SSE of Ramleh, … since C. Clermont-Ganneau first made the identification in 1870. Gezer is situated about 750 feet above sea level, on the last of the foothills of the Judean range where it slopes down to meet the Shephelah. It guards one of the most important crossroads in ancient Palestine, where the trunk road leading to Jerusalem and sites in the hills branches off from the Via Maris at the approach of the Valley of Aijalon. It is mentioned not only in the Bible, but in several Egyptian and Assyrian texts. (Anchor Bible Dictionary)

In a previous post (here) we showed the coastal plain. As we approach Gezer, looking east, we see the mountains of Judea. Click on the image for one large enough to use in PowerPoint presentations for classes and sermons. This is our New Year’s gift to our faithful readers.

View of Tell Gezer looking E toward the Judean Mountains. Photo by Ferrell Jenkins

Here are a few things we learn about Gezer from the Bible.

• The king of Gezer fought against Joshua and the Israelites during the conquest (Joshua 10:33; 12:12).
• Gezer was allotted to Ephraim (Joshua 16:3).
• Gezer became a city of the Levites (Joshua 21:21). It was designated as a city of refuge (1 Chronicles 6:67).
• Israel failed to drive out the Canaanites who lived in Gezer (Joshua 16:10; Judges 1:29).
• By the time of David the Philistine seem to be living at Gezer (2 Samuel 5:25; 1 Chronicles 14:16; 20:4).
• Pharaoh, king of Egypt, captured Gezer, burned it, and gave it as a dowry to his daughter, Solomon’s wife (1 Kings 9:16).
• Solomon (re)built the cities of Hazor, Megiddo, and Gezer (1 Kings 9:15-17).