Γεννησαρέτ
Gennēsarét
G1082 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Proper noun referring to a region and body of water known as Gennesaret, found in the Galilee area. Used specifically to denote (1) the plain of Gennesaret—a fertile, coastal region along the northwestern side of the Sea of Galilee; and (2) secondarily, the lake itself (i.e., the Sea of Gennesaret), though this latter usage is less frequent. The term conveys a geographic and toponymic identity, rooted in local place names of the region.
Semantic Range
Gennesaret region, plain of Gennesaret, Sea/Lake of Gennesaret (Sea of Galilee), name of a geographic locale
Root / Etymology
Borrowed from Hebrew כִּנֶּרֶת (Kinneret), a name found in the Hebrew Bible referring to a city and to the adjacent lake. The Greek form Γεννησαρέτ results from transliteration, possibly via Aramaic, reflecting phonological adaptation to Greek.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Γεννησαρέτ occurs rarely in Greek literature outside the New Testament (Luke 5:1; cf. Matthew 14:34, Mark 6:53, where it denotes the 'land of Gennesaret'). In the Septuagint, the underlying Hebrew כִּנֶּרֶת (Kinneret) refers to a town (Joshua 19:35) and by extension, the lake. By the Hellenistic and Roman periods, the region was well known for its fertile soils and agricultural output. The Sea of Gennesaret is more widely referred to as the Sea of Galilee or Lake Tiberias in Greek and Roman sources. Standard English translations invariably transliterate the term as "Gennesaret," which preserves the toponym but does not reflect its Hebrew origin or the semantic link to the earlier city of Kinneret. The semantic focus remains geographical; it is not used as an ethnonym or for religious or ethnic identification.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
of Hebrew origin (compare כִּנְּרוֹת); Gennesaret (i.e. Kinnereth), a lake and plain in Palestine:--Gennesaret.
Root Family
Γεννησαρέτ (Gennēsaret) — Gennesaret region, plain of Gennesaret, Lake/Sea of Gennesaret
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G1082-01 |
Γεννησαρέτ | gennesaret | N ACC F SG |
Gennesaret | Gennesaret | Gennesaret | 3 |
Occurrences in Scripture
3 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G1082-01 |
Matthew 14:34 | Γεννησαρέτ | gennesaret | N ACC F SG |
Gennesaret | Gennesaret | Gennesaret |
G1082-01 |
Mark 6:53 | Γεννησαρὲτ | gennesaret | N ACC F SG |
Gennesaret | Gennesaret | Gennesaret |
G1082-01 |
Luke 5:1 | Γεννησαρέτ | gennesaret | N GEN F SG |
of Gennesaret | Gennesaret | Gennesaret |