Place · City
Ashdod
Also known as Azotus
Named in 19 verses across 9 books, first in Nehemiah 13:23.
In the Bible
All 2 verses in Nehemiah, in Bible order. Text from the Berean Standard Bible; verse numbers follow the KJV.
Nehemiah
- Nehemiah 13:23
In those days I also saw Jews who had married women from Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab.
- Nehemiah 13:24
Half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod or of the other peoples, but could not speak the language of Judah.
Dictionary
From Easton’s Bible Dictionary (1897), as attached to this record by Theographic. Its geography and “modern” descriptions date from the 1890s. Easton wrote in 1897, and some of his views are now debated.
Read Easton’s entry
Stronghold, a Philistine city (Josh. 15:47), about midway between Gaza and Joppa, and 3 miles from the Mediterranean. It was one of the chief seats of the worship of Dagon (1 Sam. 5:5). It belonged to the tribe of Judah (Josh. 15:47), but it never came into their actual possession. It was an important city, as it stood on the highroad from Egypt to Palestine, and hence was strongly fortified (2 Chr. 26:6; Isa. 20:1). Uzziah took it, but fifty years after his death it was taken by the Assyrians (B.C. 758). According to Sargon’s record, it was captured by him in B.C. 711. The only reference to it in the New Testament, where it is called Azotus, is in the account of Philip’s return from Gaza (Acts 8:40). It is now called Eshdud.