Gera

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

GERA . One of Benjamin’s sons (  Genesis 46:21 , omitted in   Numbers 26:38-40 ). Acc. to   1 Chronicles 8:3;   1 Chronicles 8:8;   1 Chronicles 8:7 he was a son of Bela and a grandson of Benjamin. Gera was evidently a well-known Benjamite clan, to which belonged Ehud (  Judges 3:15 ) and Shimel (  2 Samuel 16:5; 2Sa 19:16;   2 Samuel 19:18 ,   1 Kings 2:3 ).

Fausset's Bible Dictionary

Son, i.e. descendant, of Benjamin; enumerated in the list when Jacob went into Egypt ( Genesis 46:21); son of Bela ( 1 Chronicles 8:3, where probably but one Gera is genuine); in the loins of his grandfather Benjamin then, but not actually born until after the going to Egypt and before Jacob's death. Numbers 26 omits Gera as not being head of a family hut being one of the Belaites; his mention in Genesis implies that ultimately he became head of a family. Gera, Ehud's ancestor, and Gera, Shimei's ancestor, is the same person ( Judges 3:15;  2 Samuel 16:5).

Easton's Bible Dictionary

The father of Shimei, who so grossly abused David ( 2 Samuel 16:5;  19:16,18 ).

Copyright Statement These dictionary topics are from M.G. Easton M.A., DD Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Third Edition, published by Thomas Nelson, 1897. Public Domain.

Bibliography Information Easton, Matthew George. Entry for 'Gera'. Easton's Bible Dictionary. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/ebd/g/gera.html. 1897.

Morrish Bible Dictionary

A descendant of Benjamin.  Genesis 46:21;  Judges 3:15;  2 Samuel 16:5;  2 Samuel 19:16,18;  1 Kings 2:8;  1 Chronicles 8:3,5,7 . It is not clear whether all the passages refer to the same person.

Holman Bible Dictionary

 Genesis 46:21 2 1 Chronicles 8:5 1 Chronicles 8:6-7 3 Judges 3:15 2 Samuel 16:5Shimei

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

(Heb. Gera', גֵּרָא , a Grain (See Gerah); Sept. Γηρά ), the name of at least three Benjamites.

1. The son of Bela and grandson of Benjamin ( 1 Chronicles 8:3); probably the same with the one mentioned (with some confusion) in  1 Chronicles 8:5;  1 Chronicles 8:7, unless one of these be identical with No. 2 below. In  Genesis 46:21, he is given as if directly the son of Benjamin; and he there appears among the descendants of Jacob, at the time of that patriarch's removal to Egypt, B.C. 1874. (See Jacob). "Gera is not mentioned in the list of Benjamite families in  Numbers 26:38-40, of which a very obvious explanation is that at that time he was not the head of a separate family, but was included among the Belaites; it being a matter of necessity that some of Bela's sons should be so included, otherwise there could be no family of Belaites at all. To the remarks made under Becher should be added that the great destruction of the Benjamites recorded in Judges 20 may account for the introduction of so many new names in the later Benjamite lists of 1 Chronicles 7, 8, of which several seem to be women's names" (Smith). (See Benjamin). In  1 Chronicles 7:7, Uzziel occupies the same position as Gera elsewhere in the genealogy. (See Bela).

2. The father (or ancestor) of Ehud the judge ( Judges 3:15); compare  1 Chronicles 8:5;  1 Chronicles 8:7; possibly identical with No. 1 above. B.C. ante 1509. (See Ehaud).

3. The father (or ancestor) of Shimei, which latter so grossly abused David ( 2 Samuel 16:5;  2 Samuel 19:16;  2 Samuel 19:18;  1 Kings 2:8); thought by some to be identical with both the foregoing. B.C. ante 1023. (See Shimei).

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

gē´ra ( גּרא , gērā' , "grain"): A family name of the tribe of Benjamin, hence, not necessarily a separate individual in (3) and (4) below:

(1) A son of Benjamin ( Genesis 46:21 ).

(2) According to  1 Chronicles 8:3 ,  1 Chronicles 8:5 ,  1 Chronicles 8:7 , son of Bela and grandson of Benjamin. The name is repeated ( 1 Chronicles 8:5 ) in the list of Bela's sons.

(3) Father, or ancestor, of the judge Ehud ( Judges 3:15 ).

(4) Father, or ancestor, of Shimei, the Benjamite, who cursed David when he fled from Absalom ( 2 Samuel 16:5;  2 Samuel 19:16 ,  2 Samuel 19:18;  1 Kings 2:8 ).

The Nuttall Encyclopedia

A thriving city on the White Elster, 35 m. SW. of Leipzig; has broad streets and fine buildings, with a castle; chief manufactures woollen.