Reference: Ekron
American
The most northern city of the Philistines, allotted to Judah by Jos 15:45, but afterwards given to Da 12:13, though it does not appear that the Jews ever peaceably possessed it. It is memorable for its connection with the captivity of the ark and its restoration to the Jews, 1Sa 5:10; 6:1-18. The fly-god was worshipped here, 2Ki 1:2. Its ruin was foretold, Am 1:8; Zep 2:4; Zec 9:5,7. Robinson found its site at the Moslem village Akir, some ten miles northeast of Ashdod. There are no ruins.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
Then sent they the ark of God to Ekron, - and so it was, when the ark of God entered Ekron, that the Ekronites made outcry, saying - They have brought round unto me the ark of the God of Israel, to slay me, and my people!
And it came to pass, that the ark of Yahweh was in the country of the Philistines, seven months. Then called the Philistines for the priests and for the diviners, saying, What shall we do with the ark of Yahweh? Let us know, wherewith we shall send it to its own place. read more. And they said - If ye are going to send away the ark of the God of Israel, do not send it away, empty, but ye must, surely return, to him, a guilt-offering, - then, shall ye be healed, and it shall be known to you, wherefore his hand would not turn away from you. And they said - What shall be the guilt-offering, that we shall return to him? And they said - By the number of the lords of the Philistines, five tumours of gold, and five mice of gold, - for, one plague, was on you all, and on your lords. Wherefore ye shall make likenesses of your turnouts, and likenesses of your mice that are laying waste the land, and shall, give unto the, God of Israel, glory, - Peradventure he will lighten his hand from off you, and from off your god, and from off your land. Wherefore, then, should ye make your heart dull, as the Egyptians and Pharaoh made their heart dull! When he had done his great doings upon them, did they not let them go, and they departed? Now, therefore, take and get ready, one new waggon, and two milch kine, whereon hath never come yoke, - then shall ye fasten the kine in the waggon, and withdraw their calves from them, into the shed; and ye shall take the ark of Yahweh, and place it in the waggon, also, the jewels of gold which ye send back to him as a guilt-offering, shall ye put into a coffer, at the side thereof, - so shall ye let it go, and it shall depart. Then shall ye look - if, by the way of its own boundary, it goeth up to Beth-shemesh, he, it was who caused us this great affliction, - but, if not, then shall we know that it was not, his hand, that smote us, a chance, it was, that befell us. The men, therefore, did so, and took two milch kine, and fastened them in the waggon, - but, their calves, shut they up in the shed. And they put the ark of Yahweh, into the waggon, - also the coffer, with the mice of gold, and the likenesses of their tumours. And the kine went straight along the road, on the way to Beth-shemesh, yea, along the main highway, they went, lowing as they went, turning not aside, to the right hand or to the left. And, the lords of the Philistines, went along after them, as far as the bounds of Beth-shemesh. Now, they of Beth-shemesh, were reaping their wheat-harvest in the vale, - so they lifted up their eyes, and saw the ark, and rejoiced to meet it. And, the waggon, entered into the field of Joshua, a man of Beth-shemesh, and stood still, there, where also, was a great stone, - so they clave into pieces the planks of the waggon, and, the kine, offered they up as an ascending-sacrifice, unto Yahweh. And, the Levites, took down the ark of Yahweh, and the coffer that was with it, wherein were the jewels of gold, and put them upon the great stone, - and, the men of Beth-shemesh, caused to go up ascending-offerings and offered sacrifices, that day, unto Yahweh. And, the five lords of the Philistines, saw it, - and returned unto Ekron, the same day. Now, these, are the golden boils which, the Philistines returned as a guilt-offering unto Yahweh, - For Ashdod, one, for Gaza, one, for Ashkelon, one, for Gath, one, for Ekron, one; And the golden mice, by the number of all the cities of the Philistines, pertaining to the five lords, both fortified cities, and country villages, - yea, even the great meadow whereon they rested the ark of Yahweh, until this day, is in the field-land of Joshua, the man of Beth-shemesh.
And Ahaziah fell through the lattice in his upper chamber, which was in Samaria, and became sick, - so he sent messengers, and said unto them - Go enquire of Baalzebub, god of Ekron, whether I shall recover from this sickness.
But, thou, go thy way to the end, - and thou shalt rest, and shalt rise to thy lot at the end of the days.
And I will cut off the inhabitant out of Ashdod, and the holder of the sceptre out of Ashkelon, - and will turn my hand against Ekron, So shall perish the remnant of the Philistines, saith My Lord, Yahweh.
For, Gaza, forsaken, shall be, and, Ashkelon, a desolation, - Ashdod! at high noon, shall they drive her forth, and, Ekron, be uprooted:
Ashkelon, shall see, and fear, Gaza, also, which shall writhe in great anguish, Ekron, also, because abashed is her expectation, - and the king, shall perish, from Gaza, and, Ashkelon, not be inhabited;
And will take away his reeking prey out of his mouth, and his abominations, from between his teeth, but, he that is left, even he, shall belong to our God, - So shall he become as a chief in Judah, and, Ekron, as a Jebusite!
Easton
firm-rooted, the most northerly of the five towns belonging to the lords of the Philistines, about 11 miles north of Gath. It was assigned to Judah (Jos 13:3), and afterwards to Dan (Jos 19:43), but came again into the full possession of the Philistines (1Sa 5:10). It was the last place to which the Philistines carried the ark before they sent it back to Israel (1Sa 5:10; 6:1-8). There was here a noted sanctuary of Baal-zebub (2Ki 1:2-3,6,16). Now the small village Akir. It is mentioned on monuments in B.C. 702, when Sennacherib set free its king, imprisoned by Hezekiah in Jerusalem, according to the Assyrian record.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
from the Shihor which faceth Egypt, even as far as the boundary of Ekron, northward, to the Canaanites, is it counted, - five princes of Philistines, the Gazites, and the Ashdodites, the Ashkalonites, the Gittites, and the Ekronites, also the Avvim
Then sent they the ark of God to Ekron, - and so it was, when the ark of God entered Ekron, that the Ekronites made outcry, saying - They have brought round unto me the ark of the God of Israel, to slay me, and my people!
Then sent they the ark of God to Ekron, - and so it was, when the ark of God entered Ekron, that the Ekronites made outcry, saying - They have brought round unto me the ark of the God of Israel, to slay me, and my people!
And it came to pass, that the ark of Yahweh was in the country of the Philistines, seven months. Then called the Philistines for the priests and for the diviners, saying, What shall we do with the ark of Yahweh? Let us know, wherewith we shall send it to its own place. read more. And they said - If ye are going to send away the ark of the God of Israel, do not send it away, empty, but ye must, surely return, to him, a guilt-offering, - then, shall ye be healed, and it shall be known to you, wherefore his hand would not turn away from you. And they said - What shall be the guilt-offering, that we shall return to him? And they said - By the number of the lords of the Philistines, five tumours of gold, and five mice of gold, - for, one plague, was on you all, and on your lords. Wherefore ye shall make likenesses of your turnouts, and likenesses of your mice that are laying waste the land, and shall, give unto the, God of Israel, glory, - Peradventure he will lighten his hand from off you, and from off your god, and from off your land. Wherefore, then, should ye make your heart dull, as the Egyptians and Pharaoh made their heart dull! When he had done his great doings upon them, did they not let them go, and they departed? Now, therefore, take and get ready, one new waggon, and two milch kine, whereon hath never come yoke, - then shall ye fasten the kine in the waggon, and withdraw their calves from them, into the shed; and ye shall take the ark of Yahweh, and place it in the waggon, also, the jewels of gold which ye send back to him as a guilt-offering, shall ye put into a coffer, at the side thereof, - so shall ye let it go, and it shall depart.
And Ahaziah fell through the lattice in his upper chamber, which was in Samaria, and became sick, - so he sent messengers, and said unto them - Go enquire of Baalzebub, god of Ekron, whether I shall recover from this sickness. But, the messenger of Yahweh, spake unto Elijah the Tishbite, Rise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, - and say unto them - Is it, because there is no God in Israel, that, ye, are going to enquire of Baalzebub, god of Ekron?
And they said unto him - A man, came up to meet us, and said unto us - Go, return unto the king who sent you, and ye shall say unto him, Thus, saith Yahweh - Is it, because there is no God in Israel, that, thou, art sending to enquire of Baalzebub, god of Ekron? Therefore, from the bed whereunto thou hast gone up, shalt thou not come down, for thou shalt, surely die.
and said unto him - Thus, saith Yahweh - For that thou didst send messengers to enquire of Baalzebub, god of Ekron, was it because there was no God in Israel, for whose word thou couldst enquire? Therefore, from the bed whereunto thou hast gone up, shalt thou not come down, for thou shalt, surely die.
Fausets
("the firm rooted".) Most northerly of the five Philistine lordship cities, farthest from the sea, to the right of the great road from Egypt northwards to Syria, in the shephelah (low country). A landmark of Judah on the northern boundary which ran thence to the sea at Jabneel (Jos 15:45-46; Jg 1:18). Afterward in Dan (Jos 19:43); but the Philistines permanently appropriated it (1Sa 5:10; 17:52; Jer 25:20). There the ark of the covenant was taken last before its return to Israel.
A shrine and oracle of Baalzebub was there, to which king Ahaziah applied for consultation in his sickness (2Ki 1:2,16). Zec 9:5, "Ekron for her expectation shall be ashamed": she had expected Tyre would withstand Alexander in his progress southward toward Egypt; but her expectation shall bear the shame of disappointment. Zep 2:4 plays on her name, 'Ekron tee'akeer," the firm-rooted one shall be rooted up." Now Akir, 3 miles E. of Yebna, N. of the wady Surar; a village consisting of 50 mud houses, with two well-built wells, is all that remains of the once leading Philistine city, fulfilling the prophecy that she should be rooted up.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
Ekron with her towns, and her villages. From Ekron, even unto the sea, - all that were by the side of Ashdod with their villages.
And Judah captured Gaza with the boundaries thereof, and Ashkelon, with the boundaries thereof, - and Ekron, with the boundaries thereof.
Then sent they the ark of God to Ekron, - and so it was, when the ark of God entered Ekron, that the Ekronites made outcry, saying - They have brought round unto me the ark of the God of Israel, to slay me, and my people!
Then arose the men of Israel and Judah, and shouted, and pursued the Philistines, as far as the entrance into Gath, and as far as the gates of Ekron, - and the slain of the Philistines fell in the way to the two gates, even as far as Gath and as far as Ekron.
And Ahaziah fell through the lattice in his upper chamber, which was in Samaria, and became sick, - so he sent messengers, and said unto them - Go enquire of Baalzebub, god of Ekron, whether I shall recover from this sickness.
and said unto him - Thus, saith Yahweh - For that thou didst send messengers to enquire of Baalzebub, god of Ekron, was it because there was no God in Israel, for whose word thou couldst enquire? Therefore, from the bed whereunto thou hast gone up, shalt thou not come down, for thou shalt, surely die.
And all the Bedawin, and all the kings of the land of Uz, - and all the kings of the land of the Philistines, even Ashkelon, and Gaza, and Ekron, and the remnant of Ashdod;
For, Gaza, forsaken, shall be, and, Ashkelon, a desolation, - Ashdod! at high noon, shall they drive her forth, and, Ekron, be uprooted:
Ashkelon, shall see, and fear, Gaza, also, which shall writhe in great anguish, Ekron, also, because abashed is her expectation, - and the king, shall perish, from Gaza, and, Ashkelon, not be inhabited;
Hastings
A city in the Philistine Pentapolis, not conquered by Joshua (Jos 13:3), but theoretically a border city of Judah (Jos 15:11) and Dan (Jos 19:43); said, in a passage which is probably an interpolation, to have been smitten by Judah (Jg 1:18). Hither the captured ark was brought from Ashdod (1Sa 5:10), and on its restoration the Philistine lords who had followed it to Beth-shemesh returned to Ekron (1Sa 6:16). Ekron was the border town of a territory that passed in the days of Samuel from the Philistines to Israel (1Sa 7:14), and it was the limit of the pursuit of the Philistines after the slaying of Goliath by David (1Sa 17:52). Its local numen was Baal-zebub, whose oracle Ahaziah consulted after his accident (2Ki 1:2). Like the other Philistine cities, it is made the subject of denunciation by Jeremiah, Amos, Zephaniah, and the anonymous prophet whose writing occupies Zec 9; 10; 11. This city is commonly identified with 'Akir, a village on the Philistine plain between Gezer and the sea, where there is now a Jewish colony. For the identification there is no basis, except the coincidence of name; there are no remains of antiquity whatever at 'Akir.
R. A. S. Macalister.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
from the Shihor which faceth Egypt, even as far as the boundary of Ekron, northward, to the Canaanites, is it counted, - five princes of Philistines, the Gazites, and the Ashdodites, the Ashkalonites, the Gittites, and the Ekronites, also the Avvim
then the boundary goeth forth unto the side of Ekron, northward, then the boundary turneth round towards Shikkeron, and crosseth over Mount Baalah, and goeth out at Jabneel, - and the extensions of the boundary are to the sea.
And Judah captured Gaza with the boundaries thereof, and Ashkelon, with the boundaries thereof, - and Ekron, with the boundaries thereof.
Then sent they the ark of God to Ekron, - and so it was, when the ark of God entered Ekron, that the Ekronites made outcry, saying - They have brought round unto me the ark of the God of Israel, to slay me, and my people!
And, the five lords of the Philistines, saw it, - and returned unto Ekron, the same day.
And the cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron even as far as Gath; even the boundaries thereof, did Israel rescue out of the hand of the Philistines, - thus came there to be peace between Israel and the Amorites.
Then arose the men of Israel and Judah, and shouted, and pursued the Philistines, as far as the entrance into Gath, and as far as the gates of Ekron, - and the slain of the Philistines fell in the way to the two gates, even as far as Gath and as far as Ekron.
And Ahaziah fell through the lattice in his upper chamber, which was in Samaria, and became sick, - so he sent messengers, and said unto them - Go enquire of Baalzebub, god of Ekron, whether I shall recover from this sickness.
Morish
Ek'ron
The most northerly of the five cities of the Philistines. It fell to the lot of Judah, and then passed to Dan. It was taken by Judah, but the Philistines kept or gained possession. The ark of God was carried there from Ashdod, and from thence was returned to Israel. It was to Ekron that king Ahaziah sent to inquire of the god Baal-zebub if he should recover from his accident. 2Ki 1:2-3,16. The city is denounced in the prophets. Jos 15:11,45-46; 19:43; Jg 1:18; 1Sa 5:10; 6:16-17; 7:14; 17:52; Jer 25:20; Am 1:8; Zep 2:4; Zec 9:5,7. Identified with Akir, 31 52' N, 34 49' E.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
then the boundary goeth forth unto the side of Ekron, northward, then the boundary turneth round towards Shikkeron, and crosseth over Mount Baalah, and goeth out at Jabneel, - and the extensions of the boundary are to the sea.
Ekron with her towns, and her villages. From Ekron, even unto the sea, - all that were by the side of Ashdod with their villages.
And Judah captured Gaza with the boundaries thereof, and Ashkelon, with the boundaries thereof, - and Ekron, with the boundaries thereof.
And Ahaziah fell through the lattice in his upper chamber, which was in Samaria, and became sick, - so he sent messengers, and said unto them - Go enquire of Baalzebub, god of Ekron, whether I shall recover from this sickness. But, the messenger of Yahweh, spake unto Elijah the Tishbite, Rise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, - and say unto them - Is it, because there is no God in Israel, that, ye, are going to enquire of Baalzebub, god of Ekron?
and said unto him - Thus, saith Yahweh - For that thou didst send messengers to enquire of Baalzebub, god of Ekron, was it because there was no God in Israel, for whose word thou couldst enquire? Therefore, from the bed whereunto thou hast gone up, shalt thou not come down, for thou shalt, surely die.
And all the Bedawin, and all the kings of the land of Uz, - and all the kings of the land of the Philistines, even Ashkelon, and Gaza, and Ekron, and the remnant of Ashdod;
And I will cut off the inhabitant out of Ashdod, and the holder of the sceptre out of Ashkelon, - and will turn my hand against Ekron, So shall perish the remnant of the Philistines, saith My Lord, Yahweh.
For, Gaza, forsaken, shall be, and, Ashkelon, a desolation, - Ashdod! at high noon, shall they drive her forth, and, Ekron, be uprooted:
Ashkelon, shall see, and fear, Gaza, also, which shall writhe in great anguish, Ekron, also, because abashed is her expectation, - and the king, shall perish, from Gaza, and, Ashkelon, not be inhabited;
And will take away his reeking prey out of his mouth, and his abominations, from between his teeth, but, he that is left, even he, shall belong to our God, - So shall he become as a chief in Judah, and, Ekron, as a Jebusite!
Smith
Ek'ron
(torn up by the roots; emigration), one of the five towns belonging to the lords of the Philistines, and the most northerly of the five.
Like the other Philistine cities its situation was in the lowlands. It fell to the lot of Judah.
Afterwards we find it mentioned among the cities of Dan.
Before the monarchy it was again in full possession of the Philistines.
Akir, the modern representative of Ekron, lies about five miles southwest of Ramleh. In the Apocrypha it appears as ACCARON. 1Macc 10:89 only.
See Accaron
See Verses Found in Dictionary
from the Shihor which faceth Egypt, even as far as the boundary of Ekron, northward, to the Canaanites, is it counted, - five princes of Philistines, the Gazites, and the Ashdodites, the Ashkalonites, the Gittites, and the Ekronites, also the Avvim
Ekron with her towns, and her villages. From Ekron, even unto the sea, - all that were by the side of Ashdod with their villages.
And Judah captured Gaza with the boundaries thereof, and Ashkelon, with the boundaries thereof, - and Ekron, with the boundaries thereof.