📖 Biblical Definition
Fertile plain on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee (Matthew 14:34; Mark 6:53; Luke 5:1, where the Sea of Galilee is itself called the Lake of Gennesaret). After the feeding of the five thousand and Jesus's walking on the water, the boat carrying Jesus and the disciples came ashore at Gennesaret: And when they were gone over, they came into the land of Gennesaret. And when the men of that place had knowledge of him, they sent out into all that country round about, and brought unto him all that were diseased; And besought him that they might only touch the hem of his garment: and as many as touched were made perfectly whole (Matthew 14:34-36; Mark 6:53-56). Luke's account of the calling of Peter and the great catch of fish is set on the Lake of Gennesaret (Luke 5:1-11), with the multitude pressing upon Jesus to hear the word of God, His entering Simon's ship to teach, the miraculous catch, and Peter's confession Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord. The Gennesaret plain was one of the most fertile in the Holy Land and the population center of the Galilean ministry. The patriarchal-Reformed reader receives Gennesaret as one of the principal sites of Christ's Galilean labor — the gathering-place of multitudes for healing, the setting of Peter's call, the landfall after the storm-walking episode.
📜 Webster 1828 Definition
Fertile plain on northwest shore of Sea of Galilee (Matthew 14:34; Mark 6:53; Luke 5:1); the Sea itself called the Lake of Gennesaret in Luke; site of Christ's Galilean ministry, Peter's call, and great catch of fish.
expand to see more
GENNESARET, proper n. (NT place; Greek Gennesaret, from Hebrew Kinneret, harp-shaped) Fertile plain on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee. The Sea of Galilee itself is called the Lake of Gennesaret in Luke 5:1. After the feeding of the five thousand and Jesus's walking on water, the boat came ashore at Gennesaret; the men brought all the diseased to touch the hem of His garment (Matthew 14:34-36; Mark 6:53-56). Luke's account of Peter's calling and the great catch of fish is set on the Lake of Gennesaret (Luke 5:1-11). One of the most fertile plains in the Holy Land and a population center of Christ's Galilean labor.
📖 Key Scripture
Matthew 14:34-36 — "And when they were gone over, they came into the land of Gennesaret. And when the men of that place had knowledge of him, they sent out into all that country round about, and brought unto him all that were diseased; And besought him that they might only touch the hem of his garment: and as many as touched were made perfectly whole."
Mark 6:53-54 — "And when they had passed over, they came into the land of Gennesaret, and drew to the shore. And when they were come out of the ship, straightway they knew him."
Luke 5:1 — "And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret."
Luke 5:8 — "When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord."
⚠️ Modern Corruption
No major postmodern redefinition. Gennesaret is a well-attested NT place; the principal recovery is its identity as the lake-setting of Luke 5 (Peter's call) and the disembarking-site of Matthew 14 / Mark 6.
expand to see more
Gennesaret as a place name does not undergo lexical corruption. The principal contemporary mishandling is the modern reader's missing of the identification: the Lake of Gennesaret in Luke 5:1 is the Sea of Galilee, and the land of Gennesaret in Matthew 14:34 / Mark 6:53 is the fertile plain on its northwest shore. This is the principal locale of Christ's Galilean ministry, the site of Peter's calling and the great catch of fish, and the landfall after the water-walking episode. The patriarchal-Reformed reader holds the geographical identification clearly to follow the Gospel narratives in their concrete location.
🔗 Greek & Hebrew Roots
Greek transliteration of Hebrew Kinneret; Sea of Galilee / Lake of Gennesaret; Galilean ministry locale; Peter's call.
expand to see more
['Greek', 'G1082', 'Gennesaret', 'transliteration']
['Hebrew', 'H3672', 'Kinneret', 'harp-shaped']
['Greek', 'G3041', 'limne', 'lake (used in Luke 5:1)']
Usage
"Gennesaret: fertile plain on northwest shore of Sea of Galilee."
"The Sea of Galilee itself is called the Lake of Gennesaret in Luke 5:1."
"Site of Peter's call and the great catch of fish; landfall after water-walking episode."