Gaza

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Gaza

Meaning - strong

Gaza was the southernmost of the five principal Philistine cities and is located on the Mediterranean shore. It was also called Azzah, which is its Hebrew name (Deut. 2:23; 1 Kings 4:24; Jer. 25:20). The land was allotted to Judah (Josh. 15:47; Judg. 1:18). Unfortunately, Joshua did not defeat the Anakites who lived in Gaza, Gath and Ashdod (Josh 11:22) Goliath was one of the family of Anakites. The Philistines eventually retook the entire Coastal Plain, including Gaza (Josh 13:3). Samson, humiliated Gaza by tearing out its city gates and carrying them thirty-eight miles away to the hill that faces Hebron (Judg 16:1-3). It was at Gaza that Samson was brought to after he was captured by the Philistines (Judg 16:21). It was also here that he performed his last act to the Philistines by dislodging the pillars of the temple of Dagon and killing many of them (Judg 16:21 - 31). When the Ark of the Covenant was captured by the Philistines, Gaza suffered from the plague and made an offering of an emorod and a rat of gold to avert it (1 Sam 6:17). Later, control of Gaza changed hands several more times during the Old Testament period. During the New Testament period, it was Gaza that an angel sent Philip to, to meet an Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8:26).

The site of ancient Gaza is Tell Kharubeh (Harube) which is located in the modern city of Gaza.

Scriptures

Genesis 10: 19

Deuteronomy 2: 23

Joshua 10: 41

Joshua 11: 22

Joshua 15: 47

Judges 1: 18

Judges 6: 4

Judges 16: 1,21

1 Samuel 6: 17

1 Kings 4: 24

2 Kings 18: 8

Jeremiah 25: 20

Jeremiah 47: 1,5

Amos 1: 6,7

Zechariah 9: 5

Acts 8: 26