Geshem the Arabian

This article is about an Arab biblical figure. For other uses, see Geshem (disambiguation).

Geshem the Arabian (or Geshem the Arab; Hebrew: גֶשֶׁם הָעַרְבִי) is the only Arab person mentioned in the Hebrew bible.[1] He was an ally of Sanballat and Tobiah and adversary of Nehemiah (Neh. ii. 19, vi. 1). In Neh. vi. 6 he is called "Gashmu," which is probably more correct, as an Arab tribe named "Gushamu" is known (Cook, "Aramaic Glossary," s.v. גשמו). When Nehemiah proceeded to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, the Samaritans and the Arabs made efforts to hinder him. Geshem or Gashmu, who probably was the chief of the Arabs, joined the Samaritans and accused Nehemiah of conspiracy against the Persian king.

References

  1. Arabs in general are also mentioned in the Hebrew Bible (II Chronicles 17:11, 21:16, 26:7). However, there is no mention of any specific Arab person other than Geshem the Arab.

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: E. G. H. M. Sel. (1901–1906). "GESHEM THE ARABIAN:". Jewish Encyclopedia. 

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