Reference: Joppa
American
Hebrew JAPHO, is one of the most ancient seaports in the world. It was a border town of the tribe of Dan, Jos 19:46, on the coast of the Mediterranean sea, thirty miles south of Caesarea, and about thirty-five north-west of Jerusalem. Its harbor is shoal and unprotected from the winds; but on account of its convenience to Jerusalem, it became the principal port of Judea, and is still the great landing-place of pilgrims. Here the materials for building both the first and the second temple, sent from Lebanon and Tyre, were landed, 2Ch 3:16; Ezr 3:7. Here Jonah embarked for Tarshish. Here, too, Peter raised Dorcas from the dead; and in the house of Simon the tanner, by the seaside, was taught by a heavenly vision that salvation was for Gentiles as well as Jews, Ac 9-11. Joppa was twice destroyed by the Romans. It was the seat of a Christian church for some centuries after Constantine. During the crusades it several times changed hands; and in modern times, 1799, it was stormed and sacked by the French, and twelve hundred Turkish prisoners, said to have broken their parole, were put to death.
The present town of Jaffa, or Yafa, is situated on a promontory jutting out into the sea, rising to the height of about one hundred and fifty feet, crowned with a fortress, and offering on all sides picturesque and varied prospects. Towards the west is extended the open sea; towards the south are spread the fertile plains of Philistia, reaching as far as Gaza; towards the north, as far as Carmel, the flowery meads of Sharon present themselves; and to the east, the hills of Ephraim and Judah raise their towering heads. The town is walled round on the south and east, towards the land, and partially so on the north and west, towards the sea. Its environs, away from the sand-hills of the shore, are full of gardens and orchards. From the sea, the town looks like a heap of buildings, crowded as closely as possible into a given space; and from the steepness of its site, they appear in some places to stand one on the other. The streets are very narrow, uneven, and dirty, and might rather be called alleys. The inhabitants are estimated at about fifteen thousand, of whom more than half are Turks and Arabs. There are several mosques; and the Latins, Greeks, and Armenians have each a church, and a small convent for the reception of pilgrims.
Easton
beauty, a town in the portion of Dan (Jos 19:46; A.V., "Japho"), on a sandy promontory between Caesarea and Gaza, and at a distance of 30 miles north-west from Jerusalem. It is one of the oldest towns in Asia. It was and still is the chief sea-port of Judea. It was never wrested from the Phoenicians. It became a Jewish town only in the second century B.C. It was from this port that Jonah "took ship to flee from the presence of the Lord" (Jon 1:3). To this place also the wood cut in Lebanon by Hiram's men for Solomon was brought in floats (2Ch 2:16); and here the material for the building of the second temple was also landed (Ezr 3:7). At Joppa, in the house of Simon the tanner, "by the sea-side," Peter resided "many days," and here, "on the house-top," he had his "vision of tolerance" (Ac 9:36-43). It bears the modern name of Jaffa, and exibituds all the decrepitude and squalor of cities ruled over by the Turks. "Scarcely any other town has been so often overthrown, sacked, pillaged, burned, and rebuilt." Its present population is said to be about 16,000. It was taken by the French under Napoleon in 1799, who gave orders for the massacre here of 4,000 prisoners. It is connected with Jerusalem by the only carriage road that exists in the country, and also by a railway completed in 1892. It is noticed on monuments B.C. 1600-1300, and was attacked by Sannacharib B.C. 702.
Illustration: Joppa Illustration: Course of Jaffa and Jerusalem Railway
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Fausets
From yaaphah "to shine," from its sunny look. Now Jaffa. The port of Jerusalem. The fabled scene of Andromeda's exposure to the whale; the legend is a tradition derived from Jonah's history, through the Phoenicians. Situated in Dan, S.W. of Palestine (Jos 19:46). On a high hill; with a harbour of difficult approach, hence not used much except in going to and from Jerusalem. It was by way of Joppa that Hiram sent to Solomon the timber from Lebanon for the temple; also Cyrus for Zerubbabel's temple (2Ch 2:16; Ezr 3:7). Here Jonah embarked for Cilician Tarsus. Here too on the housetop of Simon the tanner (tradition still points out the house?) Simon the tanner by the seaside, Peter, in full view of the Mediterranean washing the Gentile lands of the W., had his vision teaching that the middle wall separating Jew and Gentile is broken down, and that the gospel is for all nations (Acts 10). (See SIMON THE TANNER.)
He had come from the neighbouring Lydda to Joppa to raise Tabitha from death; that became the raising of many to spiritual life (Ac 9:36-42). Thence at Cornelius' call he went to quicken the Gentiles through the word then first preached to them with the Holy Spirit accompanying it. A vast plain surrounded it. Its situation was between Jamnia and Caesarea, which latter town Peter could reach on "the morrow" from leaving Joppa (Ac 10:24). It has now a soap manufacture. The oranges, pomegranates, and water melons are noted. it is one of the oldest cities in the world. Cepheus, its earliest king, may represent Caphtor (Ge 10:14; De 2:23). It belonged to the Philistines, a Mizraimite colony of Caphtorim. The kindred to the Phoenicians is implied in the name of Cepheus' brother Phineus. It is N. of Askelon, S. of Caesarea, and 36 miles N.W. from Jerusalem.
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Hastings
The principal seaport of S. Palestine; a place of high antiquity, being mentioned in the tribute lists of Thothmes iii., but never before the Exile in Israelite hands, being in Philistine territory. It was theoretically assigned to the tribe of Dan (Jos 19:46), and is spoken of as a seaport in 2Ch 2:16 and Ezr 3:7 [where RV reads 'to the sea, unto Joppa' in place of AV 'to the sea of Joppa']: these, and its well-known connexion with the story of Jonah (1:3), are the only references to the city to be found in the OT. The Maccabees wrested it more than once from the hands of their Syrian oppressors (1Ma 10:75; 1Ma 12:33; 1Ma 13:11); it was restored to the latter by Pompey (Josephus Ant. XIV. iv. 4), but again given back to the Jews (ib. XIV. x. 6) some years later. Here St. Peter for a while lodged, restored Tabitha to life, and had his famous vision of the sheet (Ac 9; 10). The traditional sites of Tabitha's tomb and Simon the tanner's house are shown to tourists and to pilgrims, but are of course without authority. The city was destroyed by Vespasian (a.d. 68). In the Crusader period the city passed from the Saracens to the Franks and back more than once: it was captured first in 1126, retaken by Saladin 1187, again conquered by Richard C
Morish
Joppa, Jop'pa Sea of.
In Ezr 3:7, the meaning is 'the sea at Joppa.'
Joppa. Jop'pa
Town and sea-port in the tribe of Dan. It was the port of Jerusalem. Timber was cut in Lebanon and brought in 'floats' by sea to Joppa, for the temple at Jerusalem. 2Ch 2:16; Ezr 3:7. It was the port from which Jonah took ship to go to Tarshish. Jon 1:3. It was where Dorcas was restored to life, and where Peter had the vision of the sheet from heaven, with instructions to visit Cornelius. Ac 9:36-43; 10:5-33; 11:5,13. It was originally called JAPHO, Jos 19:46; and is now called Jaffa or Yafa, 32 3' N, 34 45' E.
It has been destroyed many times, but now it is part of Tel Aviv, the major city and port of Israel. In its vicinity fine palms, oranges, pomegranates, figs, bananas, and water-melons are grown and exported.
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Watsons
JOPPA, called also Japho in the Old Testament, which is still preserved in its modern name of Jaffa or Yafah, a sea port of Palestine, situated on an eminence in a sandy soil, about seventy miles north-west of Jerusalem. Joppa was anciently the port to Jerusalem. Here all the materials sent from Tyre for the building of Solomon's temple were brought and landed; it was, indeed, the only port in Judea, though rocky and dangerous. It possesses still, in times of peace, a considerable commerce with the places in its vicinity; and is well inhabited, chiefly by Arabs. This was the place of landing of the western pilgrims; and here the promised pardons commenced. Here St. Peter raised Dorcas from the dead, and resided many days in the house of one Simon, a tanner, Ac 9:36-43; and it was from this place that the Prophet Jonah embarked for Tarshish.