גִּמְזוֹ (gim.zo)
gim.zo
Gimzo
N:N--LQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- N:N--L
Word Overview
The proper noun Gimzo refers to a specific town in the territory of Judah, situated south of the main route connecting Jerusalem and Joppa. Its name translates to "fertile in sycamores," highlighting the agricultural character of the region and its reliance on these trees for food and resources.
This location appears only once in the Hebrew Bible, within 2 Chronicles 28:18. The text records that during the reign of King Ahaz, Philistine raiders captured Gimzo along with its surrounding villages. This single mention serves as a historical marker for the territorial losses Judah suffered under Ahaz’s leadership.
Modern identification places the site near the contemporary village of Jimzu, east of Lydda. The brevity of its biblical record underscores its role not as a center of theological narrative, but as a concrete example of the geopolitical instability affecting Judah during this period.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
When we read about ancient towns like Gimzo, it is easy to feel distant from the reality of Scripture. This place name, meaning 'fertile in sycamores,' reminds us that God’s story unfolds in real soil and real seasons. It was not a center of theological debate but a home where people grew food and lived their daily lives.
The Bible records that this town fell to raiders during a time of national weakness. For the reader today, this is not just history; it is a reminder that stability can be fragile. When life feels unstable or when resources seem threatened, we are part of a long line of believers who have faced uncertainty.
Yet the inclusion of such specific details shows that God cares about the concrete realities of human existence. He does not ignore the loss of homes or the fear of invasion. Instead, He records these events to remind us that our hope rests not in secure borders, but in His enduring presence through every season of change.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- Gimzo1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- גִּמְז֖וֹ1×
Key Verses
-
II Chronicles 28:18
The Philistines also had invaded the cities of the lowland and of the South of Judah, and had taken Beth Shemesh, Aijalon, Gederoth, Soco with its villages, Timnah with its villages, and also Gimzo and its villages; and they lived there.
This verse uniquely identifies Gimzo as a specific location captured by Philistines, grounding the abstract concept of national defeat in a tangible geographical loss.