Gera Summary
STEPBible TIPNR
Gera was a Benjamite who cursed David during Absalom's rebellion but later sought forgiveness when David returned to Jerusalem.
father of Shimei (2SA 16:5), son of Bela (1CH 8:5)
Lineage: God › Adam › Seth › Enos › Cainan › Mahalaleel › Jared › Enoch › Methuselah › Lamech › Noah › Shem › Arphaxad › Cainan › Salah › Eber › Peleg › Reu › Serug › Nahor › Terah › Abraham › Isaac › Jacob › Benjamin › Bela › Gera
Names
-
en
Gera
pilgrimage, combat; dispute
-
en
Gera
· Also called · H1617 none · 2SA 16:5 [perhaps] sojourner
-
he
גֵּרָא
gera · H1617 · 2SA 16:5 [perhaps] sojourner
- he גֵּרָא · H1617H
- el Γηρα Gēra · none · 2SA 16:5
- bg Гера
Mentioned in (5)
SDA Books
Awaiting permission to publishLinked through an explicitly cited Bible passage
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Conditional birth estimate
Conditional birth bounds under generation assumptions; not attested parental ages, biological limits or a lifespan.
The anchors give incompatible conditional intervals. This calculation establishes no birth year.
Below are relatives with a selected birth year, the generations separating them, and the interval allowed by each anchor. Each relative’s page shows available dates and sources. The overall estimate uses the intersection of the allowed intervals.
| Relative / anchor year | Generations | Conditional interval |
|---|---|---|
| Benjamin · 1740 BC Ancestor |
2 20–45 years per generation |
c. 1700 BC – 1650 BC |
| Jacob · 1835 BC Ancestor |
3 20–45 years per generation |
c. 1775 BC – 1700 BC |
| Isaac · 1895 BC Ancestor |
4 20–45 years per generation |
c. 1815 BC – 1715 BC |
| Rebekah · 1876 BC Ancestor |
4 20–45 years per generation |
c. 1796 BC – 1696 BC |
| Abraham · 1995 BC Ancestor |
5 20–45 years per generation |
c. 1895 BC – 1770 BC |
| Sarah · 1985 BC Ancestor |
5 20–45 years per generation |
c. 1885 BC – 1760 BC |
| Terah · 2125 BC Ancestor |
6 25–130 years per generation |
c. 1975 BC – 1345 BC |
| Nahor · 2156 BC Ancestor |
7 25–130 years per generation |
c. 1981 BC – 1246 BC |
| Haran · 2056 BC Ancestor |
7 25–130 years per generation |
c. 1881 BC – 1146 BC |
| Serug · 2186 BC Ancestor |
8 25–130 years per generation |
c. 1986 BC – 1146 BC |
| Reu · 2218 BC Ancestor |
9 25–130 years per generation |
c. 1993 BC – 1048 BC |
| Peleg · 2248 BC Ancestor |
10 25–130 years per generation |
c. 1998 BC – 948 BC |
| Eber · 2282 BC Ancestor |
11 25–130 years per generation |
c. 2007 BC – 852 BC |
| Salah · 2312 BC Ancestor |
12 25–130 years per generation |
c. 2012 BC – 752 BC |
| Arphaxad · 2347 BC Ancestor |
14 25–130 years per generation |
c. 1997 BC – 527 BC |
| Shem · 2447 BC Ancestor |
15 25–130 years per generation |
c. 2072 BC – 497 BC |
| Noah · 2948 BC Ancestor |
16 25–130 years per generation |
c. 2548 BC – 868 BC |
| Lamech · 3130 BC Ancestor |
17 25–130 years per generation |
c. 2705 BC – 920 BC |
| Methuselah · 3317 BC Ancestor |
18 25–130 years per generation |
c. 2867 BC – 977 BC |
| Enoch · 3382 BC Ancestor |
19 25–130 years per generation |
c. 2907 BC – 912 BC |
| Jared · 3544 BC Ancestor |
20 25–130 years per generation |
c. 3044 BC – 944 BC |
| Mahalaleel · 3609 BC Ancestor |
21 25–130 years per generation |
c. 3084 BC – 879 BC |
| Cainan · 3679 BC Ancestor |
22 25–130 years per generation |
c. 3129 BC – 819 BC |
| Cain · 4004 BC Ancestor |
22 25–130 years per generation |
c. 3454 BC – 1144 BC |
| Enos · 3769 BC Ancestor |
23 25–130 years per generation |
c. 3194 BC – 779 BC |
| Adam · 4004 BC Ancestor |
23 25–130 years per generation |
c. 3429 BC – 1014 BC |
| Eve · 4005 BC Ancestor |
23 25–130 years per generation |
c. 3430 BC – 1015 BC |
| Seth · 3874 BC Ancestor |
24 25–130 years per generation |
c. 3274 BC – 754 BC |
One-parent family
- Son: Shimei
Gera Article
STEPBible TIPNR
Gera, a Benjamite, appears in the narrative of Absalom's rebellion against his father, King David. When David was fleeing from Jerusalem due to Absalom's revolt, Gera's relative, Shimei, came out and cursed David, throwing stones and dirt at him (2Sa 16:5-8). Shimei accused David of being responsible for the bloodshed in Saul's house and claimed that God was punishing him by giving the kingdom to Absalom. David's servants wanted to kill Shimei for his disrespect, but David refused, believing that God might have sent Shimei to curse him (2Sa 16:9-14). After Absalom's defeat and death, Shimei, along with Gera and a thousand Benjamites, met David at the Jordan River to escort him back to Jerusalem (2Sa 19:16-18). Shimei fell down before David and sought forgiveness for his previous actions. David granted him mercy and promised not to put him to death (2Sa 19:18-23). However, on his deathbed, David instructed his son Solomon to deal with Shimei, considering him guilty of cursing the Lord's anointed (1Ki 2:8-9). Gera's involvement in these events highlights the complex political dynamics within Israel during David's reign and the lingering tensions between the house of David and the supporters of Saul's dynasty.
Gera 3 Dictionary
Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897)
The father of Shimei, who so grossly abused David (2 Sam. 16:5; 19:16, 18).
Sources: BibleData (CC BY 4.0, Gera_3) · STEPBible TIPNR (CC BY 4.0, Gera@2Sa.16.5-1Ki) · Theographic Bible Metadata (CC BY-SA 4.0, gera_1299)