Original Word: גִּמְזוֹ
Part of Speech: Proper Name Location
Transliteration: Gimzow
Pronunciation: GIM-zoh
Phonetic Spelling: (ghim-zo')
KJV: Gimzo
NASB: Gimzo
Word Origin: [of uncertain derivation]

1. Gimzo, a place in Israel

Gimzo

Of uncertain derivation; Gimzo, a place in Palestine -- Gimzo.

Word Origin
of uncertain derivation
Definition
a city in Judah
NASB Translation
Gimzo (1).

גִּמְזוֺ proper name, of a location (compare Syriac (Lexicons) sycamore; Arabic is loan-word Frä¹⁴⁰; compare Assyrian proper name, of a location Gamuzanu Pinches^{Hebraica. July, 1886, 222}), city of Judah toward Philistines 2Chronicles 28:18; modern Jimzu, east from Lydda Rob^{BR ii. 249} Bd^{Pal 21}.

Location and Setting

Gimzo was a fortified town situated in the western foothills of Judah (the Shephelah), a fertile transitional zone between the coastal plain and the Judean highlands. Lying on routes that connected Philistia with the interior of Judah and Benjamin, the site controlled agricultural lands and minor travel corridors that linked the Aijalon Valley to the north with the Sorek and Elah Valleys to the south. Modern identification points to Tel Gimzo (Tell Jemmeijmeh) near the present-day moshav Gimzo, about six kilometers southeast of Lod (Lydda).

Biblical Occurrence

Gimzo appears once in Scripture:
• 2 Chronicles 28:18 – “The Philistines also had raided the cities of the foothills and the Negev of Judah and had captured Beth-shemesh, Aijalon, Gederoth, Soco with its villages, Timnah with its villages, and Gimzo with its villages, and they settled there.”

Historical Context

The single reference places Gimzo in the reign of King Ahaz of Judah (circa 735–715 BC). Ahaz’s apostasy provoked covenant discipline; consequently, “the Lord humbled Judah” (2 Chronicles 28:19). The Philistine incursion described by the Chronicler represents a divinely permitted judgment that stripped Judah of several strategic border towns. Gimzo’s fall, alongside Beth-shemesh and Aijalon, widened the Philistine foothold deep into Judah’s territory, underscoring the political fragility that accompanies spiritual rebellion.

Strategic Significance

1. Agricultural Wealth – The Shephelah’s rolling hills provided vineyards, olive groves, and grain fields. Securing Gimzo granted the Philistines both produce and taxation rights over surrounding villages.
2. Military Buffer – Holding Gimzo pushed the Philistine frontier eastward, threatening the Benjaminite highlands and the approach to Jerusalem. The town thus served as a forward base for further raids or defense against possible Judaean counter-attacks.
3. Trade Control – Caravan paths from the coast cut through the Aijalon-Sorek corridor; Gimzo’s occupation disrupted Judah’s revenue and communication with the northern tribes.

Archaeological Notes

Survey work at Tel Gimzo reveals Iron Age pottery, fortification lines, and rock-cut installations consistent with an eighth-century occupation. While full excavations remain limited, surface finds align with a settlement that prospered in the United Monarchy and divided kingdom periods, then experienced upheaval in the late eighth century. The continuity of the site name into modern Arabic (Jimzu) and Hebrew (Gimzo) strengthens the identification.

Theological Themes

• Covenant Accountability – Gimzo’s loss illustrates the Chronicler’s thesis that spiritual infidelity leads to national vulnerability (2 Chronicles 24:20; 28:6, 19).
• Divine Sovereignty over Nations – The Philistines become an unwitting instrument of God’s corrective discipline, yet their temporary success never voids the larger covenant promises to Judah (Psalm 60:8).
• Hope of Restoration – Though Gimzo is not listed among the returnees after the exile, the Chronicler’s overall narrative anticipates renewal when the people repent (2 Chronicles 30:9; 33:13).

Later and Extra-Biblical References

Rabbinic literature mentions Gimzo primarily in wordplays related to the rabbi Nachum Ish Gamzu, but these allusions are homiletic rather than historical. Josephus does not record the site, perhaps reflecting its diminished status after the Babylonian conquest.

Practical Ministry Application

1. Call to Faithful Leadership – Ahaz’s infidelity harmed not only his soul but the security of his towns. Church leaders today must heed Paul’s warning: “Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock” (Acts 20:28).
2. Vigilance in Border Areas – Gimzo reminds congregations that compromise often begins on the periphery—ethical gray zones, neglected ministries, unguarded thoughts—before reaching the heart.
3. Confidence in God’s Ultimate Plan – Even when losses occur, believers rest in the assurance that God’s discipline aims at restoration, not destruction (Hebrews 12:6–11).

Summary

Though mentioned only once, Gimzo provides a poignant snapshot of Judah’s eighth-century crisis. Its capture by the Philistines demonstrates how geopolitical events mirror spiritual realities, inviting readers to reaffirm covenant fidelity and to trust the Lord who rules over both history and redemption.

גִּמְז֖וֹ גמזו gim·zōw gimZo gimzōwInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts