- Gergesenes:
- Some are of opinion that Gergasa was the country of the ancient Girgashites; but it is more probable the Gergesenes was introduced by Origen upon mere conjecture; as before him most copies seem to have read Gadarenes, agreeable to the Parallel Passages and the ancient Syriac version. Gadara, says Josephus, was the metropolis of Peraea, or the region beyond Jordan; and he also observes that it was sixty furlongs, or about eight miles from Tiberias. It is therefore rightly placed opposite Tiberias, at the southeast end of the lake. Pliny says it was called Hippodion, was one of the cities of Decapolis, and had the river Hieromax, or Jarmouk, flowing before it. It was of heathen jurisdiction; whence perhaps it was destroyed by the Jews; but was rebuilt by Pompey, and joined to the province of Syria. Augustus afterwards gave it to Herod, on whose death it was again annexed to Syria. It is now called Om Keis; its ruins are in a very mutilated state, and when visited by Burckhardt it had not a single inhabitant. The remains of the sepulchral caverns in which the demoniacs abode are still to be seen. "And the Jebusite,ª and the Amorite,ª and the Girgasite,ª" {Gen 10:16} + "And the Amorites,ª and the Canaanites,ª and the Girgashites,ª and the Jebusites.ª" {Gen 15:21} + "When¹ the LORDª thy Godª shall bringª° thee into¹ the landª whither¹¹ thou¹ goestª° to possessª° it, and hath cast outª° manyª nationsª beforeª¹ thee, the Hittites,ª and the Girgashites,ª and the Amorites,ª and the Canaanites,ª and the Perizzites,ª and the Hivites,ª and the Jebusites,ª sevenª nationsª greaterª and mightierª than¹ thou;" {Deu 7:1}
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