fisheries, some commerce, but were chiefly an agricultural people. They were eminent for patriotism
and courage, as were their ancestors, with great respect for law and order.—ED.)
Galilee, Sea Of
So called from the province of Galilee, which bordered on the western side. (Matthew 4:18) It
was also called the “Sea of Tiberias,” from the celebrated city of that name. (John 6:1) At its
northwestern angle was a beautiful and fertile plain called “Gennesaret,” and from that it derived
the name of “Lake of Gennesaret.” (Luke 5:1) It was called in the Old Testament “the Sea of
Chinnereth” or “Cinneroth,” (Numbers 34:11; Joshua 12:3) from a town of that name which stood
on or near its shore. (Joshua 19:35) Its modern name is Bahr Tubariyeh. Most of our Lord’s public
life was spent in the environs of this sea. The surrounding region was then the most densely peopled
in all Palestine. no less than nine very populous cities stood on the very shores of the lake. The Sea
of Galilee is of an oval long and six broad. It is 60 miles northeast of Jerusalem and 27 east of the
Mediterranean Sea. The river Jordan enters it at its northern end and passes out at its southern end.
In fact the bed of the lake is just a lower section of the Great Jordan valley. Its more remarkable
feature is its deep depression, being no less than 700 feet below the level of the ocean. The scenery
is bleak and monotonous, being surrounded by a high and almost unbroken wall of hills, on account
of which it is exposed to frequent sudden and violent storms. The great depression makes the climate
of the shores almost tropical. This is very sensibly felt by the traveller in going down from the
plains of Galilee. In summer the heat is intense, and even in early spring the air has something of
an Egyptian balminess. The water of the lake is sweet, cool and transparent; and as the beach is
everywhere pebbly is has a beautiful sparkling look. It abounds in fish now as in ancient times.
There were large fisheries on the lake, and much commerce was carried on upon it.
Gall
Mereerah, denoting “that which is bitter;” hence the term is applied to the “bile” or “gall” (the
fluid secreted by the liver), from its intense bitterness, (Job 16:13; 20:25) it is also used of the
“poison” of serpents, (Job 20:14) which the ancients erroneously believed was their gall.
•
•Rosh, generally translated “gall” in the English Bible, is in (Hosea 10:4) rendered “hemlock:” in
(32:33) and Job 20:16 rosh denotes the “poison” or “venom” of serpents. From (29:18) and Lame
3:19 compared with Hose 10:4 It is evident that the Hebrew term denotes some bitter and perhaps
poisonous plant. Other writers have supposed, and with some reason, from (32:32) that some
berry-bearing plant must be intended. Gesenius understands poppies; in which case the gall mingled
with the wine offered to our Lord at his crucifixion, and refused by him, would be an anaesthetic,
and tend to diminish the sense of suffering. Dr. Richardson, “Ten Lectures on Alcohol,” p. 23,
thinks these drinks were given to the crucified to diminish the suffering through their intoxicating
effects.
Gallery
an architectural term describing the porticos or verandas which are not uncommon in eastern
houses. It is doubtful, however, whether the Hebrew words so translated have any reference to such
an object. (According to the latest researches, the colonnade or else wainscoting is meant. (Song
of Solomon 1:17; Ezekiel 41:15)—Schaff.)
Galley
[Ship]
Gallim