Ashdod(azotus)
“Stronghold or fortress”
Summary
One of the five principal cities of the Philistines, where the ark of God was placed in Dagon's temple and the idol fell before it.
☩Philistine City
Ashdod was one of the five principal cities of Philistia, located near the Mediterranean coast about 30 miles south of Joppa. It was allotted to Judah but never fully conquered. The Anakim giants survived there after Joshua's conquests. It served as one of the main Philistine strongholds throughout Israel's history.
☩The Ark in Dagon's Temple
When the Philistines captured the ark of God, they placed it in the temple of Dagon at Ashdod. The next morning, Dagon had fallen face-down before the ark. They set him up again, but the following morning he had fallen again with his head and hands broken off. God also afflicted the people of Ashdod with tumors until they sent the ark away.
Related Verses22 mentions
References
- 1.John McClintock and James Strong, "Ashdod," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. I (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).
- 2.James Orr (ed.), "Ashdod," in International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, vol. I (Howard-Severance Company, 1915).