Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition/Gezer

GEZER (גֶּזֶר), a royal Canaanite city on the boundary of Ephraim in the maritime plain (Josh. xvi. 3–10). It was allotted to the Levites, but its original inhabitants were not driven out until the time of Solomon, when the Egyptians took the city, which was given to Solomon’s wife (1 Kings ix. 16). Under the form Gazera it is mentioned as being in the neighbourhood of Emmaus-Nicopolis (’Amwâs) and Jamnia (Yebnah) (1 Macc. iv. 15). Throughout the history of the Maccabean wars Gazera plays the part of an important frontier post. It was first taken from the Greeks by Simon the Asmonean (1 Macc. xiv. 7). Josephus also mentions that the city was “naturally strong” (Antiq., viii. 6, 1). The position of Gezer is defined by Jerome (Onomasticon, s.v.) as 4 Roman miles north (contra septentrionem) of Nicopolis (’Amwâs). This points to the ruined site called Tell Jezer, near the village of Abu Shûsheh, about 4 miles north-west of ’Amwâs. The site is naturally very strong, the town standing on an isolated hill, commanding the western road to Jerusalem just where it begins to enter the mountains of Judah. The name Gezer (from a root signifying “insulated”) was no doubt derived from the position of the place. The ruins include rock-cut tombs, wine-presses, caves, and quarries, with foundations of a citadel on the hill top. A very fine spring (‘Ain Yerdeh) exists on the east, and in 1874 a curious discovery was made on the hill side near the spring. The words Tahum Gezer, “boundary of Gezer,” were found cut in Hebrew letters on the live rock in two places, and in each case the Greek name Alkios occurred with them. The genuineness of this curious inscription has not been disputed.