Gezer in the Bible
Gezer in the Bible
The strategic city of Gezer was mentioned several times in the Old Testament:
- As the Israelites took possession of the Promised Land, Joshua defeated the king of Gezer:
- Meanwhile, Horam king of Gezer had come up to help Lachish, but Joshua defeated him and his army-and no survivors were left. (Joshua 10:33).
- The early Israelites feared the Canaanite inhabitants of Gezer, so they allowed them to remain in the strategic city.
-They [the Israelites] did not dislodge the Canaanites living in Gezer; to this day the Canaanites live among the people of Ephraim but are required to do forced labor. (Joshua 16:10).
- Israel did not fully control Gezer until the time of King Solomon.
-Pharaoh king of Egypt had attacked and captured Gezer. He had set it on fire. He killed its Canaanite inhabitants and then gave it as a wedding gift to his daughter, Solomon's wife. Solomon rebuilt Gezer. (1 Kings 9:16).
