Supposed to be a corruption of Chinnereth, which see. "The land of Gennesaret," Mt 14:34; Mr 6:53, was a tract of land some three of four; miles long on the western border of the Sea of Galilee. It was a lovely and exceedingly fertile region; in it probably lay Capernaum and Bethsaida of Galilee, places often visited by our Lord. See SEA 4.

a garden of riches. (1.) A town of Naphtali, called Chinnereth (Jos 19:35), sometimes in the plural form Chinneroth (Jos 11:2). In later times the name was gradually changed to Genezar and Gennesaret (Lu 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.

Illustration: Plain of Gennesaret

(2.) The Lake of Gennesaret, the Grecized form of CHINNERETH (q.v.). (See Galilee, Sea of.)

Gennesaret, Gennes'aret Lake of.

See GALILEE, SEA OF.

Gennesaret, Gennes'aret Land of.

This is a plain bordering the lake of the same name on the N.W. It is about a mile and a quarter wide and three miles long, reaching nearly to Tell Hum. It has some springs, besides three streams that cross it, and being thus well watered, is a place of great fertility. Josephus gives a glowing description of it. Wars 3:10, 8. Being close to Capernaum it was doubtless often traversed by the Lord, and was where many of His miracles were wrought. Mt 14:34; Mr 6:53. The district is now called el Ghuweir.

Gennes'aret

(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 -

Mt 14:34; Mr 6:53

Compare Luke 5:1