Bible Dictionaries
Geshur

Holman Bible Dictionary

(gee' sshuhr) Place name perhaps meaning, “bridge.” Small Aramean city-state between Bashan and Hermon. It served as a buffer between Israel and Aram. David married Maacah, daughter of the king of Geshur, who became mother of Absalom (1 Samuel 3:3 ), which caused the two lands to be on friendly terms. Absalom later retreated to his mother's homeland (2 Samuel 13:37-38 ). Nowhere do David's battle reports mention Geshur (2 Samuel 8:1; 2 Samuel 10:1 ). Many scholars think Joshua 13:2 and 1 Samuel 27:8 refer to a group of southern Philistine cities about which nothing else is known.