the Celtic (or, Gallic) peoples of Europe, thus indicating a movement in early times of the Gimirrai (or, Gomerians) westward into Europe proper. The Jewish historian Josephus connected the descendants of Gomer with the Gauls (called Galatians by the Greeks), a number of whom invaded Asia Minor during the third century B.C.E., giving their name to the later province of Galatia. Other ancient historians viewed the Galatians and the Cimmerians as the same race.—See GALATIA.

Traces of the name of Gomer (via that of the Cimmerians) are found in other Celtic tribes of northern Europe such as the Cimbri. The Cimbri at one time occupied the whole of the British Isles until finally driven into the districts where presently are found the Gael in Ireland and Scotland and the Cymry in Wales. Thus, The Anchor Bible in its commentary on Genesis (1964, p. 66) says concerning Gomer: “a name still in use apparently for the Welsh (Cymry).” Hence, if these historical relationships are accurate, it would seem likely that Gomer was the progenitor not only of the early Cimmerians but also of the later Celtic peoples as a whole.

In the opposite direction to such a westward migration, in the Chinese province of Sinkiang the tribe called the Tokhari are referred to as “linguistic cousins” of the Celts of western Europe.

Whatever is the actual connection of these various tribes and peoples with Gomer, the evidence presented clearly supports the Bible description of the dispersion and spread of the various families and nations from one central area in the Middle East.

2. The daughter of Diblaim who became the wife of Hosea in accord with Jehovah’s instructions to that prophet. (Hos. 1:2, 3) Gomer thereafter gave birth to three children, whose significant names were used by God to foretell the disastrous results of Israel’s spiritual adultery in the form of idolatry. In relating the birth of the first child, a son named Jezreel, the account states that Gomer “bore to him [Hosea] a son.” In connection with the births of the next two children, however, no reference is made to the prophet as the father, and this has been the basis for considering them as probably illegitimate. (1:3-9) Chapter 3, verses 1-3, appears to describe Gomer’s being brought back from an adulterous course to the prophet, being purchased as though a slave, thus illustrating Israel’s being received back by God on the basis of their repentance.

GOMORRAH

(Go·morʹrah) [submersion].

One of the “cities of the District” probably located near the southern end of the Dead Sea. (Gen. 13:12) Sodom and Gomorrah were apparently the chief of these cities. Their ruins are believed to be presently submerged under the waters of the Dead Sea, which now cover what in Abraham’s time was described as “a well-watered region . . . like the Garden of Jehovah.” (Gen. 13:10; see DISTRICT OF THE JORDAN.) During the time that Lot, Abraham’s nephew, resided in this fertile District, King Birsha of Gomorrah along with the kings of four other cities of the District rebelled against the domination of Chedorlaomer of Elam and three other allied kings. They were attacked and defeated, however, some of their soldiers falling into the numerous bitumen pits in the area. Sodom and Gomorrah were sacked by the Eastern kings, who took Lot captive.—Gen. 14:1-12.

More than thirteen years later (Gen. 16:15, 16; 17:1), the outcry of complaint about the wickedness of Sodom and Gomorrah became so great that Jehovah sent angels to inspect and to destroy them by a rain of fire and sulphur.—Gen. 18:20, 21; 19:24, 28.

The thoroughness of the destruction of these cities was afterward used as a symbol of complete and everlasting annihilation. (Deut. 29:22, 23; Isa. 1:9; 13:19; Jer. 49:18) Jehovah figuratively expressed the depth of wickedness to which the rulers and people of Judah and Jerusalem had sunk when he addressed them through the prophet Isaiah: “Hear the word of Jehovah, you dictators of Sodom. Give ear to the law of our God, you people of Gomorrah.”—Isa. 1:1, 10; Jer. 23:14.

The apostle Peter said that by reducing Sodom and Gomorrah to ashes God condemned them, “setting a pattern for ungodly persons of things to come.” (2 Pet. 2:6) This mention by Peter and references by Jesus Christ and Jude prove that Jesus and his disciples acknowledged these cities of the District as actually having existed, and that they accepted the Biblical account of them as true. Though the cities underwent “the judicial punishment of everlasting fire” (Jude 7), Jesus indicated that people of Sodom and Gomorrah would experience a resurrection to stand for judgment. He contrasted them with a city that rejected his disciples in their preaching of the Kingdom good news, saying: “It will be more endurable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on Judgment Day than for that city.”—Matt. 10:7, 14, 15.

GOODNESS

The quality or state of being good; moral excellence; virtue. Goodness is solid through and through, with no badness or rottenness. It is a positive quality, and expresses itself in the performance of good and beneficial acts toward others.

JEHOVAH’S GOODNESS

Jehovah God is good in the absolute and consummate sense. The Scriptures say: “Good and upright is Jehovah” (Ps. 25:8), and exclaim: “O how great his goodness is!” (Zech. 9:17) Jesus Christ, though he had this quality of moral excellence, would not accept “Good” as a title, saying to one who addressed him as “Good Teacher”: “Why do you call me good? Nobody is good, except one, God.” (Mark 10:17, 18) He thus recognized Jehovah as the ultimate standard of what is good.

When Moses asked to see His glory, Jehovah replied: “I myself shall cause all my goodness to pass before your face, and I will declare the name of Jehovah before you.” Jehovah screened Moses from looking upon his face, but as he passed by (evidently by means of his angelic representative [Acts 7:53]) he declared to Moses: “Jehovah, Jehovah, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abundant in loving-kindness and truth, preserving loving-kindness for thousands, pardoning error and transgression and sin, but by no means will he give exemption from punishment.”—Ex. 33:18, 19, 22; 34:6, 7.

Here goodness is seen to be a quality that is for truth and for that which is right and clean, showing consideration for those who want goodness and righteousness, but not condoning or cooperating in any way with badness. On this basis David could pray to Jehovah to forgive his sins ‘for the sake of Jehovah’s goodness.’ (Ps. 25:7) Jehovah’s goodness, as well as his love, was involved in the giving of his Son as a sacrifice for sins. By this he provided a means for helping those who would want that which is truly good, and at the same time he condemned badness and laid the basis for fully satisfying justice and righteousness.—Rom. 3:23-26.

A FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT

Goodness is a fruit of God’s spirit and of the light from his Word of truth. (Gal. 5:22; Eph. 5:9) It is to be cultivated by the Christian. Obedience to Jehovah’s commands develops goodness; no man has goodness on his own merit. (Rom. 7:18) The psalmist appeals to God as the Source of goodness: “Teach me goodness, sensibleness and knowledge themselves, for in your commandments I have exercised faith,” and, “You are good and are doing good. Teach me your regulations.”—Ps. 119:66, 68.

GOODNESS BESTOWS BENEFITS

Goodness can also mean beneficence, the bestowing of beneficial things upon others. Jehovah desires to express goodness toward his people, as the apostle Paul prayed for the Christians in Thessalonica: “We always pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of his calling and perform completely all he pleases of goodness and the work of faith with power.” (2 Thess. 1:11) Many are the examples of God’s abundant goodness to those who look to him. (1 Ki. 8:66; Ps. 31:19; Isa. 63:7; Jer. 31:12, 14) Moreover, “Jehovah is good to all, and his mercies are over all his works.” (Ps. 145:9) He extends good to all with a purpose, that his goodness may bring many to serve him, and that they may thereby gain life. Likewise, any individual exercising goodness is a blessing to his associates.—Prov. 11:10.

As servants of God and imitators of him, Christians are commanded to prove what is God’s good will for them (Rom. 12:2); they are to cling to what is good (Rom. 12:9); to do it (Rom. 13:3); to work what is good (Rom. 2:10); to follow after it (1 Thess. 5:15); to be zealous for it (1 Pet. 3:13); to imitate what is good (3 John 11); and to conquer evil with it. (Rom. 12:21) Their doing of good is to be especially extended to those related to them in the Christian faith; additionally, it is to be practiced toward all others.—Gal. 6:10.

A RELATED TERM

Similar to the Greek word for good (a·ga·thosʹ) is another word, ka·losʹ. The latter denotes that which is intrinsically good, beautiful, well adapted to its circumstances or ends (as fine ground or soil; Matt. 13:8, 23), and that which is of fine quality, including that which is ethically good, right or honorable (as God’s name; Jas. 2:7). It is closely related in meaning to good, but may be distinguished by being translated “fine,” “right,” “worthy,” “honest,” “beautiful” or “well.”

GOOD NEWS

[Gr., eu·ag·geʹli·on, “gospel” in AV and some other versions].

This refers to the good news of the kingdom of God and of salvation by faith in Jesus Christ. It is called in the Bible “the good news of the kingdom” (Matt. 4:23), “the good news of God” (Rom. 15:16), “the good news about Jesus Christ” (Mark 1:1), “the good news of the undeserved kindness of God” (Acts 20:24), “the good news of peace” (Eph. 6:15) and the “everlasting good news.” (Rev. 14:6) An “evangelizer” (the English word being almost a transliteration of the Greek) is a preacher of the good news.—Acts 21:8; 2 Tim. 4:5.

ITS CONTENT

An idea of the content and scope of the good news can be gained from the above designations. It includes all the truths about which Jesus spoke and the disciples wrote. While men of old hoped in God and had faith through knowledge of Him, God’s purposes were first “made clearly evident through the manifestation of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has abolished death but has shed light upon life and incorruption through the good news.”—2 Tim. 1:9, 10.

God revealed centuries ago that he purposed to provide the good news through Christ by declaring the good news to Abraham, saying: “By means of you all the nations will be blessed.” (Gal. 3:8) Later, Jehovah spoke of the preaching of the good news through the prophet Isaiah. Jesus Christ read from this prophecy in the synagogue at Nazareth, afterward saying: “Today this scripture that you just heard is fulfilled.” (Luke 4:16-21) Isaiah’s prophecy described the purpose and effect of the good news to be preached, particularly from the time of Messiah’s coming.—Isa. 61:1-3.

ITS PROGRESS

At Jesus’ birth the angel announced to the shepherds: “Have no fear, for, look! I am declaring to you good news of a great joy that all the people will have.” (Luke 2:10) John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus’ preaching of the good news, saying to the Jews: “Repent, for the kingdom of the heavens has drawn near.” (Matt. 3:1, 2) Jesus said of John’s preaching: “From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of the heavens is the goal toward which men press, and those pressing forward are seizing it.”—Matt. 11:12.

During Jesus’ earthly ministry he confined his preaching of the good news to the Jews and proselytes, saying: “I was not sent forth to any but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” (Matt. 15:24) When sending out the twelve apostles, he commanded them: “Do not go off into the road of the nations, and do not enter into a Samaritan city; but, instead, go continually to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” (Matt. 10:5, 6) On one occasion he preached to a woman of the Samaritans, who were related to the Israelites. But he did not go into the city to preach. However, the response of the woman and others was so favorable that Jesus stayed with them for two days.—John 4:7-42.

After Jesus’ death and resurrection, he gave his disciples the command: “Go therefore and make disciples of people of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy spirit, teaching them to observe all the things I have commanded you.” (Matt. 28:19, 20) He also told them that their preaching would reach to “the most distant part of the earth.” (Acts 1:8) But for about three and a half years afterward the holy spirit led the disciples to confine their preaching to Jews and Samaritans. Then Peter was sent by God to bring the good news to the household of Cornelius, the Roman army officer. (Acts chaps. 10, 11; 15:7) From that time on, the good news was declared to the greatest possible extent over the widest area.

ITS IMPORTANCE

The apostle Paul made the strong declaration that the good news committed to the apostles was the only good news; that if the apostles themselves or even an angel out of heaven were to declare as good news something beyond what the apostles had declared as good news, “let him be accursed.” He then gave the reason, namely, that the good news is not something human, not from man, but through revelation by Jesus Christ. (Gal. 1:8, 11, 12) This strong declaration was necessary, for even then there were some who were trying to overthrow the true faith by preaching ‘another good news.’ (2 Cor. 11:4; Gal. 1:6, 7) Paul warned of an apostasy to come and stated that the ‘mystery of lawlessness’ was already at work, admonishing Christians to remember the purpose of the good news and to stand firm and maintain their hold on the spirit-guided traditions they had learned through the apostles.—2 Thess. 2:3, 7, 14, 15; see TRADITION.

Faithfulness in holding onto and continuing to proclaim the good news was counted by Jesus as more important than one’s present life, and Paul recognized that faithfully declaring it was vital. (Mark 8:35; 1 Cor. 9:16; 2 Tim. 1:8) The individual might suffer the loss of his most cherished possessions, even undergoing persecutions, but, in turn, would receive a hundredfold now, “houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and fields, . . . and in the coming system of things everlasting life.”—Mark 10:29, 30.

The good news is the touchstone by which mankind is judged: acceptance of and obedience to the good news result in salvation; rejection and disobedience bring destruction. (1 Pet. 4:5, 6, 17; 2 Thess. 1:6-8) Particularly with this fact in view, the individual’s motive in preaching the good news must be pure and he must preach it from the heart, out of love for those hearing. The apostles were so appreciative of the life-giving importance of the good news and so fired with God’s spirit and with love that they imparted, not only the good news, but also their “own souls,” to those who listened to their preaching. (1 Thess. 2:8) God provided that the proclaimers of the good news had the right to accept material help from those to whom they brought it. (1 Cor. 9:11-14)