seems to have Iain in this direction in the most ancient times (Gen. xxxvii, 25), and hence the probability that there was even then a bridge over the river, which (in times when bridges were rare) gave its name to the adjacent district. The Jordan, however, is at a con- siderable distance from the region in question. Dr. Kobinson, moreover, regards the bridge in question as a structure of the time of the Crusades, although he ad- mits that it occupies the site of a traditionary' Ford of Jacob {Researches, iii, 3G1). — Kitto, s. v. ; Fairbairn, s. V. See Bkidge.
Gesh'uri (Heb. Geshuri', ''"iTl'J, Sept. Tanyiai v. r. Ytpytad, and Veffovni v. r. Fiaipti ; the sing. Deut. iii, 14 ; Josh, xii, 2), or Gesh'urites (Heb. Geshurim' , ClVil"?, plur. Josh, xii, 5 ; xiii, 11, 13 ; 1 Sam. xxvii, 8 ; but in Josh, xiii, 13, second clause, where the Heb. has Geshur simply), the name of an aboriginal people of Palestine, who appear at opposite extremities of the country. See Canaan, Land of.
1. The natives of a district geographically within Bashan, but politicallj' reckoned to Aram (2 Sam. xv, 8). It seems, from the various references in Scripture, that the Geshurites occupied a territory of great natu- ral strength, and that thus, though small in number, thej' were able to defend themselves against all assail- ants. Keland thinks (Pakvst. p. 77 sq.) that Geshur of Bashan (Josh, xii, 5) was distinct from the Geshur of Aram (2 Sam. xv, 8). For this, however, there is no authorit}', and the whole tenor of the Scripture narrative seems opposed to it. The view of Keil (on Josh, xii, 5), KosenmuUer (/jj'i. Gcogr. ii, 227), and Ge- senius {Thesaurus, s. v.), that Geshur lay along the east bank of the upper Jordan, is opposed to the topo- graphical details of the Bible, in which it is closely connected with Argob. Their chief argument is that Geshur signifies "a bridge," and there is a bridge on the upper Jordan. Porter, after a careful survey of the w hole country, was led to the conclusion that Ge- shur embraced the northern section of the w ild and rocky provinces now called Lfjah, and formerh' Tra- chonitis and Argob. It probably also took in the neighboring plain to the north as far as the banks of the Pharpar, on which there are several important bridges ; but on the approach of the Israelites, the peo- ple may have concentrated themselves in their nigged stronghold, where the Israelites deemed it more pru- prudent to leave them than to attempt to expel them. The wild tribes that now occupy that region hold a somewhat similar position, being really independent, but nominally subject to the Porte (see Journ. of Sac. Lit. Julj', 1854, p. 300; Porter's Daviasetis, vol. ii; Burckhardt's Travels in Syr. p. 105 sq.). See Gezer. The Geshurites appear to have maintained friendly relations Avith the Israelites cast of the Jordan ; prob- ably from mutual interest, both being extensive cattle owners. The community of occupation may have led to the alliance between David and the daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur (2 Sam. iii, 3). See Tracho-
NITIS.
2. A people who dwelt on the south-western border of Palestine, adjoining the Philistines (Josh, xiii, 2). They appear to have been nomads, and to have roam- ed over the neighboring desert, though occupying for a time at least a portion of Philistia. "David went up and invaded the Geshurites, and the Gezrites, and the Amalekites; for those nations were of old the in- habitants of tl)o land as thou gocst to Shur, even unto the land of Egypt" (1 Sam. xxvii, 8).— Kitto, s. v. These, however, appear to have been but a branch of the foregoing tribe, settled more or less permanently on the maritime outskirts of Judah. Schwarz finds the latter "in the modern village Adshur, one mile from Deir-Diban, on the road to JNligdal" (Fnkst. p. 113). Thenius (Comment.ad loe.) thinks that Gtshurites should be read instead of " Ashurites" in 2 Sam. ii, U. See Geshuu.
GESSELIUS
841
GETHSEMANE
Gesselius, Timan, M.D., was born at Amers- foort near the close of the IGth century. His father, Cornelius Gesselius, was rector of the Latin school of that place, but lost his situation in consequence of re- fusing to subscribe the canons of the Synod of Dort. His son Timan, associate rector, holding his father's sentiments, shared the same fate. Being a doctor of medicine, he established himself first at Nyniegen, and subsequently at Utrecht as a practising physician. He deserves mention here chiefly on account of his labors in Church histor3\ His principal works are, Historia sacra et ecclesiastica ordine ckronulogica et vvi compendiaria dirjesta (Traj. 1G59, 4 vols.) : — Historia rerum mcmorahllhiin in orbe gedamm ah anno mundi vsque ad annum ChrisH 10-25 (Traj. 1661). See Gla- sius, Godgeleerd Nederland, 1 D. biz. 517 en verv. (J. P. W.)
Gessner, Salomon, D.D., a Lutheran divine, •E-as born in Silesia in 1559, appointed professor of the- olog.v at Wittenberg in 1592, and died in 1605. He wrote Commentationes in Psalmos Davidis (Wittenb. 1629, fol.).— Darling, Cyclop. Bibliographica, s. v. ; Mel- chior Adam, Vita Theolofjorum, etc., i, 352.
Ge'ther (Heb. id. ^r!5, signif. unknown ; Sept. FaTi-f) V. r. Fa j;;)), the name of the third of the sons of Aram (Gen. x, 23). B. C. post. 2513. Josephus (_Ant. i, 6, 4) makes him the ancestor of the Buctrians (but see Michaelis, Spicikf). ii, 138) ; and in the tradi- tionary' legends of the Arabs one Ghaihlr appears as the source of the Thamudites in Hejaz and the Jadi- sites in Jemuma (Abulf. Hist. Anteisl, p. 16). The Arab. vers, of the Polyglot has the Geramaha, a tribe which in the time of Mohammed must have inhabited the district of Mosul. See Arabia. Jerome (ad loc.) proposes the Carians. Bochart asks {Phaleg, ii, 10) whether the river Centrttes, mentioned by Xenophon {A nab. iv, 3, 1) and Diodorus Sic. (xiv, 27), and which lay between the Carduchians and Armenians, may not have derived ;ts name from Gether ; and Le Clcrc finds a trace of the name in Cuthara (K«5apa), a town on the Tigris (Ptol. v, 18). Kalisch (Commentary, ad loc.) thinks it may be but an Aramaean form of Geshur, an identification already proposed by Thomson (Land and Book, i, 386). (See Schulthess, PamcL p. 282.) See Aram.