Lake of Gennesaret
Lake of Gennesaret
Lake of Gennesaret, Galilee
Lake of Gennesaret in northern Israel is the largest body of fresh water in Israel and supplies fresh water not only to Israel but also to the neighboring country of Jordan. Lake of Gennesaret lies about 700 feet below the sea level, making it the world's lowest fresh water lake and the second lowest lake after the Dead Sea.
Lake of Gennesaret is named after the ancient town of Gennesaret, also called "Ginosar," on its northwestern shore. While it is a lake and not a sea, Lake of Gennesaret is also called Sea of Galilee, as well as Sea of Tiberias after the resort city of Tiberias that Herod the Great built on its western shore and named after Caesar Tiberias to endear himself to his Roman overlord.
The Bible says that Lake of Gennesaret is where Jesus walked, preached, calmed the storm, and granted miraculous catches of fish,* and where Peter walked, at least until he took his eyes off Jesus.
Travel Tip
Only 35 miles in circumference, Lake of Gennesaret is small enough for
a healthy adult to rent a bicycle and pedal around in a day.
Local buses are also an option but many of the sites around the Lake of Gennesaret, including
Tabgha,
Capernaum, Yardenit
and the Beatitudes Monastery - the supposed
location of Sermon on the Mount - are hard to reach by local
buses or bicycle (and there are no bicycle lanes), so those not on a tour bus
and/or wishing to visit Nazareth Village may
wish to rent a car.
* So it was, as the multitude pressed about Him to hear the word of God, that He stood by the Lake of Gennesaret, and saw two boats standing by the lake; but the fishermen had gone from them and were washing their nets. Then He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat. When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” But Simon answered and said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.” And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking. So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!” For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish which they had taken; and so also were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men.” So when they had brought their boats to land, they forsook all and followed Him. (Luke 5:1-11)