Gennesaret, a fertile plain on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee, was the location of several events in Jesus' ministry.
Gennesaret, also known as the Plain of Gennesaret or the Land of Gennesaret, is a fertile region located on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee. It is mentioned in the New Testament Gospels in connection with several events in the life and ministry of Jesus Christ.
In Matthew 14:34 and Mrk.6.53, Gennesaret is described as the place where Jesus and his disciples landed after crossing the Sea of Galilee, following the miraculous feeding of the five thousand and Jesus walking on water. Upon landing, the people of the region recognized Jesus and brought the sick to him to be healed.
Luke 5:1 mentions the Lake of Gennesaret as the location where Jesus taught the crowds from Simon Peter's boat and performed the miraculous catch of fish, leading to the calling of Peter, James, and John as his disciples.
The Plain of Gennesaret is known for its fertile soil and mild climate, which allow for the cultivation of a wide variety of crops. In ancient times, the region was famous for its wheat, barley, melons, figs, and other fruits. The area was also known for its fishing industry, as the Sea of Galilee was rich in fish.
The exact extent of the Plain of Gennesaret is not specified in the Bible, but it is generally believed to have stretched from the town of Capernaum in the north to the town of Magdala in the south, covering an area of approximately 3 miles long and 1 mile wide (5 km by 1.6 km).
The region's fertility and its proximity to the Sea of Galilee made it an important agricultural and economic center in ancient times. The mention of Gennesaret in the Gospels highlights the significance of the area in the context of Jesus' ministry and the impact of his teachings and miracles on the local population.
Approximate location: 32.859, 35.510 · view on a map · on the Bible atlas
A garden of riches. (1.) A town of Naphtali, called Chinnereth (Josh. 19:35), sometimes in the plural form Chinneroth (11:2). In later times the name was gradually changed to Genezar and Gennesaret (Luke 5:1). This city stood on the western shore of the lake to which it gave its name. No trace of it remains. The plain of Gennesaret has been called, from its fertility and beauty, “the Paradise of Galilee.” It is now called el-Ghuweir. (2.) The Lake of Gennesaret, the Grecized form of CHINNERETH (q.v.). (See GALILEE, SEA OF.)
(garden of the prince), Land of. It is generally believed that this term was applied to the fertile crescent-shaped plain on the western shore of the lake, extending from Khan Minyeh (two or three miles south of Capernaum (Tel-Hum) on the north to the steep hill behind Mejdel (Magdala) on the south, and called by the Arabs el-Ghuweir, “the little Ghor.” Mr. Porter gives the length as three miles, and the greatest breadth as about one mile. Additional interest is given to the land of Gennesaret, or el-Ghuweir, by the probability that its scenery suggested the parable of the sower. It is mentioned only twice in Scripture - (Matthew 14:34; Mark 6:53) Compare Luke 5:1
garden of the prince
GENNES'ARET, THE LAND OF. A small crescent-shaped strip of country on the north-west side of the Sea of Galilee was called "The land of Gennesaret" (though often inaccurately written "Gennesareth"). It is named only twice in Scripture. Matt 14:34; Mark 6:53; comp. Luke 5:1. It is generally supposed to apply to the plain called by the Arabs el-Ghunweir, or "little Ghor." It lies along the lake for 3 or 4 miles, and extends back about a mile or more, where it is shut in by the hills. The southern part, reaching nearly to Mejdel, is still watered by several streams; the northern portion, reaching to Khan Minyeh, now without water, is supposed to have been irrigated by an aqueduct from the fountain of Capernaum, probably 'Ain Tabighah. The plain was formerly very rich and fruitful, according to Josephus, and is supposed to be the scene of the parable of the Sower, Matt 13:1-8, but it is now fruitful in thorns. The banks of the lake and of the brook running from the fountain 'Ain Tabighah are fringed with oleanders. Fish still abound in the stream, as in the adjacent lake. The fountain el-Mudawarah, or "round spring," about 30 yards in diameter and 2 feet deep, and from which the water bursts forth in a considerable volume, has by Tristram been regarded as the spring of Capharnaum, noticed by Josephus; but this is disputed by the best authorities, and Tristram himself has given it up. For Map, see Galilee, Sea of. This land of Gennesaret has been held to contain three important cities, Capernaum, Bethsaida, and Chorazin, but none of these were in the "plain" of Gennesaret, unless Capernaum was located at Khan Miuyeh. See Capernaum. Bethsaida (Et Tabighah) and Chorazin (Kerazeh) were farther north. Mejdel, the ancient Magdala, seems to have been the only town in the plain…
Easton (1897), Smith (1863), Hitchcock (1869), Hastings (1898) and Schaff are in the public domain. Parsed text: neuu-org/bible-dictionary-dataset (CC BY 4.0). Headwords and whitespace normalised for this site.
3 verses in 3 books · English text: BSB (change it from the menu at the top) · Strong’s G1082
When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret.
When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret and moored the boat.
On one occasion, while Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret with the crowd pressing in on Him to hear the word of God,
Names, family links and references: STEPBible TIPNR (Tyndale House Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). Short descriptions were drafted with AI assistance by STEPBible. Family links follow STEPBible’s scholarly decisions where genealogies are ambiguous.