GEBHARDT, OSKAR LEOPOLD VON: German Lutheran; b. at Wesenberg (150 m. s.e. of St.
Petersburg) June 22, 1844; d. at Leipsic May
10, 1906. He studied at Dorpat, Tübingen, Göttingen, and
Leipsic and was assistant in the
library of Leipsic University 1875-76, custodian and
sublibrarian of the University of Halle 1876-80,
librarian of the University of Göttingen 1880-84.
librarian of the Royal Library, Berlin, 1884-91, and
divisional director of the same institution 1891-93.
From 1893 until his death he was director of the
library of the University of Leipsic. He wrote or
edited Gra;cus Venetua (Leipsic, 1875); Patrum
Apmtolicorum opera (3 vols., 1875-77, in collaboration with A. Harnack and T. Zahn; editio
minor, 1877); Evangeliorum codex Grcecus purpureus Roasanensis (1880; in collaboration with A.
Harnack); Das New Testament griechisch each
Tischendorfs letzer Recension and deutsch nach dem
revidierten Luthertext (1881); Novum Testamentum Grace, recensionis Tischerulorfiance ultimm
textus cum Tregellesiano et WeSeottiano-Hortiano
coliatus (1881); The Miniatures of the Ashburnam
Pentateuch (London, 1883); and Acta martyrum
selects (Berlin, 1902). He was likewise the editor
of the eleventh to the sixteenth edition of W.
Theile's Novum Testamentum Grtece (Leipsic, 1875-1900), while with A. Harnack he established and
edited the valuable Texte and Untersuahungen
zur Geschichte der adtchristlichen Literatur (1882
sqq.), to which he himself contributed a number of
monographs.
Bibliography:
A memorial sketch is found in the ZeatraEbla# für Bibliothekewasen, June, 1908.
GEDALIAH, ged"a-lai'8: Son of Ahikam and
grandson of Shaphan, and protector of Jeremiah
from the people who sought to kill him because of
his predictions against Jerusalem
(Jer.
xi. 5-8, xliii. 6).
He was appointed by Nebuchadrezzar governor
of Judea after the fall of Jerusalem, in accordance
with the custom of Eastern monarchs to leave the
government of subjected lands in charge of distinguished individuals of the conquered races.
The selection of Gedaliah for this position may have
been determined by his attitude toward the rebel
lion, which made him appear trustworthy to the
Babylonian overlord. It may have been through
Gedaliah that Nebuchadrezzar gave directions for
the protection of the prophet
(
Jer. xxxix. 11 sqq.),
and that he was released from bonds and given his
full liberty by Nebuzaradan, the Babylonian general
(
Jer. xl. 1-6).
Gedaliah fixed his residence at
hfizpah, whither Jeremiah came, and also the
representatives of the Jewish insurgents in order to
get advice of Gedaliah. His counsel was to live
quietly, since then they would be unmolested by
the Babylonians. The result was that the Jews
who had been fugitives among the neighboring
peoples returned and placed themselves under
Gedaliah's protection, and the nucleus of a new
Jewish nation was gathered. But there was an
element in the population which regarded sub
jection and even a peaceful life under the Chaldeans
as disgraceful, and these were led by Ishmael, one of
the princes royal. He was prompted by Baalis,
king of Ammon, to kill Gedaliah. The governor
was warned of the plot by a certain Johanan, who
offered to forestall its execution by the assassina
tion of Ishmael. Gedaliah regarded the informa
tion as a slander and rejected the offer. Three
months after the fall of the city, Ishmael with ten
companions visited Gedaliah, was entertained by
him, and then slew him and the Jews and Chaldeans
who were of his company
(
Jer. xli. 1-3).
Ishmael
slew also on the second day after a number of men
from Shechem, Shiloh, and Samaria who were
bringing gifts for the Temple, carried off as prisoners
the residents of Mizpah, and started on his journey
to Ammon. He was confronted on the way by
Johanan with a strong force, and was compelled
to abandon his prisoners and escape with a small
band to the Ammonites.
(W. Lotz.)
Bibliography:
The works on the history of the period
mentioned under
Ahab;
and
Israel, History of,
especially Stade, f. 696-700, Kittel, p. 33, and Kent,
The Divided Kingdom.
