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Gergesa

Original Hebrew / Aramaic / Greek connected to this term

How to read this: there is rarely one magic “true meaning” hidden behind an English word. A lexicon records a word’s semantic range. The intended meaning is narrowed by grammar, sentence, author, historical usage and context.

GREEK · G1086

Γερασηνός

Gerasēnos — Gerasene

Γεργασηνός, -ή, -όν, Gerasene, of Gerasa, not the G. of Decapolis, 30 m. S.E. of the Lake, but a Gerasa or Gergesa (perh. the mod. Kersa) on E. shore; as subst., pl. οἱ Γ., Mrk.5:1, Luk.8:26, 37 (Γεργεσηνῶν, RV, mg. 1; Γαδαρηνῶν, RV, mg. 2).† (AS)

3 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

Historical dictionary entry

=Gerasa, identified with the modern Khersa, “over against Galilee,” close to the lake. This was probably the scene of the miracle, Mark 5:1-20, etc. “From the base of the great plateau of Bashan, 2,000 feet or more overhead, the ground slopes down steeply, in places precipitously, to the shore. And at the foot of the declivity a bold spur runs out to the water’s edge. By it the frantic swine would rush on headlong into the lake and perish.” Porter’s Through Samaria. (See GADARA.)

Scripture references

Source: Easton’s Bible Dictionary (1897). Historical dictionary wording reflects the scholarship and language of its era.

Compare other reference traditions

Look up Gergesa in Smith’s Bible Dictionary and ISBE →