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 the bound of the Canaanite shall be from Sidon in thy coming to Gerar, to Azzah; in thy coming to Sodom and Gomorrah, and Admah, and Zeboim, even to Lasha.
And the Avims dwelling in the enclosures, even to Azzah, the Caphtorims, coming forth from Caphtor, destroyed them, and they dwelt instead of them.
And Joshua will smite from Kadesh-Barnea and even to Gaza, and all the land of Goshen and even to Gibeon.
And Joshua will go in that time and will cut off the Anakims from the mountain, from Hebron, from Debir, from Anab, and from every mountain of Judah, and from all the mountains of Israel, with their cities Joshua exterminated them. An Anakim was not left in the land of the sons of Israel: only in Gaza, in Gath, and in Ashdod, they were left
From Sihor, which is upon the face of Egypt, even to the bound of Ekron to the north, it will be reckoned to the Canaanite; five lords of Philisteim; the Gazathites, and the Ashdothites, the Eshkalonites, the Gittites, and the Ekronites, and the Avites:
Ashdod, her daughters and her enclosures: Gaza, her daughters and her enclosures, even to the torrent of Egypt, and the great sea and the bound:
And Judah will take Gaza and, its bounds, and Askelon and her bounds, and Ekron and her bounds.
Five princes of Philistines, and all the Canaanites, and the Sidonians, and the Hivite dwelling in mount Lebanon, from mount Baal-Hermon.
And the sons of Israel will add to do evil in the eyes of Jehovah; and Jehovah will give them into the hand of Philisteim forty years.
He struck the rovers even to Azzah, and her bounds from the tower of those watching to the fortified city.
And all the intermingled, and all the kings of the land of Uz, and all the kings of the land of the rovers, and Ashkelon, and Azzah, and Ekron, and the remnant of Ashdod,
The word of Jehovah which was to Jeremiah the prophet, against the rovers, before Pharaoh will smite Gaza.
Baldness came upon Gaza; Ashkelon was destroyed, the remnant of their valley: how long wilt thou cut thyself?
Thus said Jehovah: For three transgressions of Gaza, and for four, I will not turn it back, for their carrying away captive the whole captivity to deliver over to Edom And I sent a fire upon the walls of Gaza, and it shall devour its palaces.
For Gaza shall be forsaken, and Ashkelon for a desolation: they shall thrust out Ashdod at noon, and Ekron shall be rooted up.
Ashkelon shall see and shall fear; and Gaza, and she shall be greatly pained, and Ekron; for her confidence was ashamed; and the king perished from Gaza, and Ashkelon shall not be inhabited.
And a messenger of the Lord spake to Philip, saying, Arise, and go at noon in the way going down from Jerusalem to Gaza, (this is desert.)