Bible Meaning: A circle, circuit, district
Strong's Concordance #H1551, #G1056
The region of Galilee was composed primarily of territory given to the tribe of Naphtali as a Promised Land inheritance.
The Sea of Galilee is a synonymous reference to the Sea of Chinnereth (Numbers 34:11) or Chinneroth (Joshua 12:3), the Sea of Tiberias (John 6:1) and Lake Gennesaret (Luke 5:1).
The questionable value of the Galilee region for cultivation was known in the Old Testament. King Solomon, as a gift of gratitude toward Tyre for providing quality building materials for the temple and royal palaces, gave its king twenty cities in the region (1Kings 9:11). Tyre's king, after visiting the land, declared them "Cabul," a word meaning sterile or good for nothing (1Kings 9:12 - 13)! The cities were returned to Solomon.
New Testament
Herod Antipas was given rule over Galilee and Perea after the death of his father Herod the Great in 4 B.C. His reign until 39 A.D. spanned the entire life and ministry of John the Baptist and Jesus Christ.
New Testament cities within this area include Nazareth (Luke 1:26), Nain (Luke 7:11), Cana (John 2), Chorazin (Matthew 11:21), Capernaum (Matthew 4:13), Gennesaret (Matthew 14:34), Dalmanutha (Mark 8:10) and others.
The designation "Sea of Galilee," for all its familiarity among Christians, is used only five times in the entirety of the New Testament (Matthew 4:18, 15:29, Mark 1:16, 7:31, John 6:1).
Jesus' relationship with the region, including his calling of several fishermen (Peter, Andrew, James, John), lent to the use of the Icththus (fish) symbol to represent Christians.
Important Verses
Region
1Kings 9:11
(Now Hiram the king of Tyre had furnished Solomon with cedar trees and fir trees, and with gold, according to all his desire,) that then king Solomon gave Hiram twenty cities in the land of Galilee.
Matthew 2:22
But when he (Joseph) heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee.
Matthew 26:31 - 32
Then saith Jesus unto them (his disciples), All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.
But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee.
John 2:1, 11
And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee: and the mother of Jesus was there . . . This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana . . . and manifested forth his glory: and his disciples believed on him.
Acts 1:11
Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
Body of Water
Numbers 34:11
And the coast shall go down from Shepham to Riblah, on the east side of Ain: and the border shall descend, and shall reach unto the side of the sea of Chinnereth eastward.
Joshua 12:3
And from the plain to the sea of Chinneroth on the east, and unto the sea of the plain, even the salt sea on the east, the way to Bethjeshimoth: and from the south, under Ashdothpisgah.
Luke 5:1
Now it came to pass, while the multitude pressed upon him and heard the word of God, that he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret.
Matthew 4:18
And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.