Reference: GAZA OR AZZAH
American
Now Ghuzzeh, an ancient city in the southwest corner of Canaan, Ge 10:19, belonging to the Avim, De 2:23, and afterwards to the Philistines. Joshua assigned it to the tribe of Judah, but did not conquer it, Jos 10:41; 11:21-22; 13:3; 15:47. Judah seems to have held possession of it for a while; but in the time of the judges it was independent, and one of the five chief cities of the Philistines, Jg 1:18; 3:3; 13:1; 16. Samson carried away its gates, and afterwards perished under the ruins of its vast temple. The ark of God was there in the days of Eli, 1Sa 6. It yielded allegiance to David and Solomon, recovered its liberty in the reigns of Jotham and Ahaz, but was reconquered by Hezekiah, 2Ki 18:8. At subsequent periods it was occupied by Chaldeans, Persians, and Egyptians, Jer 47:1. About 96 B. C. the Jewish king Alexander Jannaeus captured and destroyed it. The Roman general Gabinius rebuilt it; and not long after the ascension of the Savior, a Christian church was planted there to struggle with the prevailing idolatry. In A. D. 634 it came under the Mohammedan yoke; and in the era of the Crusades had fallen into ruins. It was partially rebuilt and fortified, and is now a city of some 15,000 inhabitants. The few remains of the old city cover a large but low hill, two or three miles from the sea, once so strongly fortified as to withstand Alexander the Great for five months. The modern city lies more in the plain, which is exceedingly fertile, and abounds in gardens, date-trees, and olive-trees. There was a landing-place and "port" for ancient Gaza, but no harbor worthy of the name. It was often referred to by the prophets, Jer 25:20; 47:5; Am 1:6-7; Zep 2:4; Zec 9:5. The southern route form Jerusalem to Gaza, memorable in the history of the Ethiopian eunuch, is called "desert" in Ac 8:26, as passing through a region then destitute of villages.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And it came to pass that the boundary of the Canaanite was from Zidon, as thou enterest in towards Gerar unto Gaza, - as thou enterest in towards Sodom and Gomorrah and Admah and Zeboim, as far as Lasha.
The Avvim also, who dwelt in settlements as far as Gaza, Caphtorim, who were coming forth out of Caphtor, destroyed them, and dwelt in their stead.
Yea Joshua smote them, from Kadesh-barnea, even as far as Gaza, - and all the land of Goshen, even as far as Gibeon.
And Joshua came in, at that time, and cut off the Anakim from the hill country - from Hebron, from Debir, from Anab, and from all the hill country of Judah, and from all the hill country of Israel, - with their cities, did Joshua devote them to destruction. There was left remaining none of the Anakim, in the land of the sons of Israel, - save only, in Gaza, in Gath, and in Ashdod, did some remain.
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
Ashdod, her towns and her villages. Gaza, her towns and her villages, as far as the ravine of Egypt, - and the great sea and coast.
And Judah captured Gaza with the boundaries thereof, and Ashkelon, with the boundaries thereof, - and Ekron, with the boundaries thereof.
five lords of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites, and the Zidonians, and the Hivites dwelling in Mount Lebanon, - from Mount Baal-hermon as far as the entering in of Hamath.
And the sons of Israel again did the thing that was wicked in the sight of Yahweh, - so Yahweh delivered them up into the hand of the Philistines, forty years.
He, smote the Philistines, as far as Gazah, and her boundaries, - from the watchmen's tower even to the fortified city.
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;
So much of the word of Yahweh as came unto Jeremiah the prophet, Against the Philistines, - before Pharaoh smote Gaza:
Baldness hath come, upon Gaza, Silenced is Ashkelon the remnant of their vale, - How long, wilt thou cut thyself?
Thus, saith Yahweh, Because of three transgressions of Gaza, and because of four, will I not turn it back, - Because of their taking into exile the whole body of exiles, to deliver to Edom, Therefore will I send a fire upon the wall of Gaza, - which shall devour the palaces thereof;
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, a messenger of the Lord, spake unto Philip, saying - Arise, and be journeying along southward, unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, - the same, is desert.