Or Gashmu, firmness, probably chief of the Arabs south of Palestine, one of the enemies of the Jews after the return from Babylon (Neh. 2:19; 6:1, 2). He united with Sanballat and Tobiah in opposing the rebuilding of the wall of Jerusalem.
Geshem
Geshem is named only as one of the voices against Nehemiah’s building. He is called “the Arabian,” and with Sanballat and Tobiah he laughed the Jews to scorn and asked if they meant to rebel against the king. Later, once the wall was finished, he and Sanballat sent word asking Nehemiah to meet them in the plain of Ono, and Nehemiah saw they “thought to do me mischief.” His answer is plain: “I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down.” They asked four times, and he gave the same reply each time. Read Nehemiah 6 for the whole exchange.
7 verses
Nehemiah
Nehemiah 2:19
But when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian, heard it, they laughed us to scorn, and despised us, and said, What is this thing that ye do? will ye rebel against the king?
Nehemiah 6:1
Now it came to pass, when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and Geshem the Arabian, and the rest of our enemies, heard that I had builded the wall, and that there was no breach left therein;(though at that time I had not set up the doors upon the gates;)
Nehemiah 6:2
That Sanballat and Geshem sent unto me, saying, Come, let us meet together in some one of the villages in the plain of Ono. But they thought to do me mischief.
Nehemiah 6:3
And I sent messengers unto them, saying, I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you?
Nehemiah 6:4
Yet they sent unto me four times after this sort; and I answered them after the same manner.
Nehemiah 6:5
Then sent Sanballat his servant unto me in like manner the fifth time with an open letter in his hand;
Nehemiah 6:6
Wherein was written, It is reported among the heathen, and Gashmu saith it, that thou and the Jews think to rebel: for which cause thou buildest the wall, that thou mayest be their king, according to these words.
From Easton's Bible Dictionary
Matthew George Easton, 1897
From Smith's Bible Dictionary
William Smith, 1884
and Gash’mu (rain), an Arabian, mentioned in (Nehemiah 2:19) and Nehe 6:1,2,6 (B.C. 446.) We may conclude that he was an inhabitant of Arabia Petraea or of the Arabian desert, and probably the chief of a tribe." Gashum said it" made him a type of those who create a common report.