Gederah, Gederoth

GEDERAH, GEDEROTH (Heb. גְּדֵרָה, גְּדֵרוֹת), name of several localities in Ereẓ Israel formed from the root גדר ("to wall in").

(1) A place in the northern Shephelah of Judah mentioned in Joshua 15:36. It may be identical with the home of Jozabad, a "mighty man" of David (I Chron. 12:5), and of Baal-Hanan, the overseer of David's olive and sycamore trees (the latter being especially plentiful in the Shephelah; I Chron. 27:28). The city has been tentatively identified with Khirbat Jadīra (Judayra), ½ mi. (1 km.) south of Beit Nattif.

(2) A Gederoth mentioned in Joshua 15:41 together with Beth-Dagon and Naamah is perhaps identical with the Gedrus of Eusebius (Onom. 68:22). The Kedron in I Maccabees 15:39, the tell of Qaṭra, has been suggested as its site.

(3) A locality appearing among the cities conquered by the Philistines during the reign of Ahaz. Since it is mentioned together with Soco, Timnah, Gimzo, Beth-Shemesh, and Aijalon (II Chron. 28:18), *Albright has identified it with Khirbat el-Jadīra (Judayra), 1 mi. (2 km.) west of Latrun, in the Aijalon Valley.

(4) A place mentioned in I Chronicles 4:23 (JPS translation, "hedges"), probably identical with (1) or (2) above.

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

EM, S.V. (includes bibliography).