Gezer

Gezer was a Canaanite city on the border of Ephraim’s land. Joshua defeated its king when he came to help Lachish, yet Joshua 16:10 admits that Israel “drave not out the Canaanites” who lived there; they stayed and paid tribute. Years later a king of Egypt burned it, and Solomon rebuilt it along with Beth-horon as part of his building works. A war with the Philistines was fought there in David’s time. Gezer shows how unfinished the conquest was, and how a city could change hands many times. See Joshua 10, then 1 Kings 9.

8 verses

Joshua

Joshua 10:33

Then Horam king of Gezer came up to help Lachish; and Joshua smote him and his people, until he had left him none remaining.

Joshua 16:3

And goeth down westward to the coast of Japhleti, unto the coast of Bethhoron the nether, and to Gezer: and the goings out thereof are at the sea.

Joshua 16:10

And they drave not out the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer: but the Canaanites dwell among the Ephraimites unto this day, and serve under tribute.

1 Kings

1 Kings 9:15

And this is the reason of the levy which king Solomon raised; for to build the house of the LORD, and his own house, and Millo, and the wall of Jerusalem, and Hazor, and Megiddo, and Gezer.

1 Kings 9:16

For Pharaoh king of Egypt had gone up, and taken Gezer, and burnt it with fire, and slain the Canaanites that dwelt in the city, and given it for a present unto his daughter, Solomon's wife.

1 Kings 9:17

And Solomon built Gezer, and Bethhoron the nether,

1 Kings 12:23

Speak unto Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and unto all the house of Judah and Benjamin, and to the remnant of the people, saying,

1 Chronicles

1 Chronicles 20:4

And it came to pass after this, that there arose war at Gezer with the Philistines; at which time Sibbechai the Hushathite slew Sippai, that was of the children of the giant: and they were subdued.

From Easton's Bible Dictionary

Matthew George Easton, 1897

A precipice, an ancient royal Canaanitish city (Josh. 10:33; 12:12). It was allotted with its suburbs to the Kohathite Levites (21:21; 1 Chr. 6:67). It stood between the lower Beth-horon and the sea (Josh. 16:3; 1 Kings 9:17). It was the last point to which David pursued the Philistines (2 Sam. 5:25; 1 Chr. 14:16) after the battle of Baal-perazim. The Canaanites retained possession of it till the time of Solomon, when the king of Egypt took it and gave it to Solomon as a part of the dowry of the Egyptian princess whom he married (1 Kings 9:15-17). It is identified with Tell el-Jezer, about 10 miles south-west of Beth-horon. It is mentioned in the Amarna tablets.

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From Smith's Bible Dictionary

William Smith, 1884

(a precipice), an ancient city of Canaan, whose king, Hiram or Elam, coming to the assistance of Lachish, was killed with all his people by Joshua. (Joshua 10:33; 12:12) It formed one of the landmarks on the north boundary of Ephraim, between the lower Beth-horon and the Mediterranean, (Joshua 16:3) the western limit of the tribe (1 Chronicles 7:28) It was allotted with its suburbs to the Kohathite Levites, (Joshua 21:21; 1 Chronicles 6:67) but the original inhabitants were not dispossessed, (Judges 1:29) and even down to the reign of Solomon the Canaanites were still dwelling there, and paying tribute to Israel (1 Kings 9:16) It was burned by Pharaoh in Solomon’s time, (1 Kings 9:15-17) and given to Solomon’s Egyptian wife, and rebuilt by him.