hing district (n"p3) under the same name (n'lpiit). Dr. Kobinson thus describes it (Bib. Res. iii, 282 sq.) : "The plain upon which we now entered from Medjel is at first called Ard el-Medjel, but further on takes the name oi el-Ghuweir, 'Little Ghor,' which strictly, perhaps, includes the whole. It is exceedingly fertile and well watered ; the soil, on the southern part at least, is a rich black mould, which in the vicinity of Medjel is almost a marsh. Its fertility, indeed, can hardly be exceeded ; all kinds of grain and vegetables are produced in abundance, including rice in the moist- er parts, while the natural productions, as at Tiberias and Jericho, are those of a more southern latitude. Indeed, in beaut}', fertility, and climate, the whole tract answers well enough to the glowing though ex- aggerated description of Josephus. Among other pro- ductions, he speaks here also of walnut-trees, but we did not note whether any now exist." It is a cres- cent-shaped plain, about three miles long and two broad, shut in by steep, rugged hills. Onlj' a few patches of it are cultivated, its melons and cucumbers being the first and best in market, owing to its deep depression. The rest is covered with tangled thickets of lotus-trees, oleanders, dwarf palms, and gigantic thistles and braml)les. (See also Wilson, Lands of Bible, ii, loG sq. ; Thomson, I^and and Book, i, 535; Stanley, Palestine, p. 3G8.) In this identification of the plain of Gennesaret with the one in question, Mr. I)e Saulcy coincides (Narrative, ii, 35G-8 ; see also Hackett's Illustra. p. 320). See Capernau.m.
3. The Lake (Xif^ivij, N. T. and Josephus), or water (cJwp, 1 Mace, xi, 67; voaTa rtvt^rjadpa, Joseph. Ant. xiii, 5, 7), or sea (W^, 0. T.). Josephus calls it Gen- nesarltis (rnwijaaplTtQ, Ant. xviii, 2, 1), and this seems to have been its common name at the commencement of our era (Strab. xvi, p. 755 ; Plin. v, IG; Ptol.v, 15). At its north-western angle was a beautiful and fertile plain (?.ratt. xiv, 34), from which the name of the lake was taken (Josephus, War, iii, 10, 7). The lake is also called in the N. T. " Sea of Galilee," from the province of Galileo which bordered on its western side (Matt. iv, 18; Mark vii, 31 ; John vi, 1); and "Sea of Tibe- rias," from the celebrated city (John vi, 1; so also Barhebr. Chi-on. p. 400; the Talmud, Midrask Kohel. fol. 102, 1 ; Pausanias, Xifivi] Tf/'^Ep/r, v, 7, 3 ; Eusebi- iis, Xlj-nn] Tifiepidc,Onom. s. v. 2«po;v ; see also Cyr. ad Jcs. i, 5). It is a curious fact that all the numerous names given to this lake were taken fi'om places on its western side. Its modern name is likewise Bahr Tu- bariyeh.
In Josh, xi, 2, "the plains south of Chinneroth" are mentioned. It is the sea and not the city that is here referred to (comp. Deut. iii, 17 ; Josh, xii, 3), and " the plains" are those along the banks of the Jordan. Most of our Lord's public life was spent in the environs of the Sea of Gennesaret. On its shores stood Caperna- um, "his own city" (Matt, iv, 13); on its shore he called his first disciples from their occupation as fisher- men (Luke V, 1-11); and near its shores he spoke many of his parables and performed many of his mir- acles. This region was then the most densely peopled in all Palestine. No less than nine cities stood on the very shores of the lake, while numerous large villages dotted the plains and hill-sides around (Porter, Hand- book, p. 424).
A " mournful and solitarj' silence" now reigns along the shores of the Sea of Gennesaret, which Avere in for- mer ages studded with great cities, and resounded with the din of an active and industrious people. Seven out of the nine cities above referred to are now unin- habited ruins ; one, Magdala, is occupied by half a doz- en mud hovels ; and Tilierias alone retains a wretched remnant of its former prosperit}'. — Smith, s. v. See Gaeii.ee, Sea of.
Geimesareth ; Gennesaritis. See Gexnesa-
RET.
GENNEUS
788
GENTILE
Genne'us. See Genn.eus.
Genoude, Antoine Eugkne de, a French priest ami ])ulilicist, was born in 179"2 at Montuliniart. Af- ter the lirst expulsion of Napoleon he entered the ser- vice of Louis X VIII, and hocanie adjutant of the prince de Polignac. In 1820 lie established the journal Lc Deftnsmr. In 1821 he bought the journal KtoUe, the name of which in 1827 was chantjed into (iazctte de France. In 1822 he was ennobled. After being for some time censor under the ministry of Villele, he en- tered the priesthood, but soon devoted himself again wholly to the editing of political papers. After the Kcvolution of July he was one of the most violent de- fenders of the fallen dvnast}', and was involved on that account in difficulties with the pope and the prench bishops. In 184G he was elected member of the Chamber of Deputies for Toulouse ; and after the outbreak of the Revolution of 1848, he moved in the Chamber of Deputies, though without effect, an ap- peal to the people concerning a restoration of the el- der branch of the Bourbons. Besides several political pamphlets, he wrote. La liaison da Christian'isme (3d edit. Paris, 1841, 12 vols.) : — Les p'eres de Veglise des trois prem. si'ecles (Paris, 1837): — Leguns et nwdeles de litt. sacrce (Paris, 1837) : — La Vie de Ji-sus Christ et des Aputres (Paris, 1836 ; 2d edit. 184G) : — Histoire d'un time (Paris, 1844) -.—Hist, de France (Paris, 1844-1847, 16 vols.). He also published a new translation of the Bible, as well as of Thomas a Kempis's Lnitation of Christ, and new editions of the works of Malebranche, of the spiritual works of Fenelon (1842), and of select works of Bossuet. — Brockhaus, Convcisat.-Lex. s. v. ; Hoefor, Nouv. Biogr. Gin. xix, 927. (A. J. S.)