GAZA

Gaza means the fortified; the strong

Gaza, (or to be more accurate Azzah, its Hebrew name Jeremiah 25:20; Deut 2:23; 1 Kings 4:24), one of the five chief cities of the Philistines. A city on the Mediterranean shore, remarkable for its early importance as the chief center of a great commercial traffic with Egypt. It is one of the oldest cities of the world (Genesis 10:19: Joshua 15:47. Its earliest inhabitants were the Avims, who were conquered and displaced by the Caphtorims (Deuteronomy 2:23; Joshua 13:2,3). a Philistine tribe. It is remarkable for its continuous existence and importance from the very earliest times. The secret of this unbroken history is to be found in the situation of Gaza. It is the last town in the southwest of Palestine, on the frontier towards Egypt. It was the southernmost of the five great Philistine cites which gave each a golden emerod (tumors) as a trespass-offering unto the Lord (1 Samuel 6:17).

The same peculiarity of situation has made Gaza important in a military sense. Its name means "the strong;" and this was well shown in its siege by Alexander the Great, which lasted five months. In the conquest of Joshua the territory of Gaza is mentioned as one which he was not able to subdue (Joshua 10:41; 11:22; 13:3). In the division of the land it was assigned to the tribe of Judah (Joshua 15:47;) and that tribe did obtain possession of it (Judges 1:18) but not for long (Judges 3:3; 13:1) and apparently it continued through the time of Samuel, Saul and David to be a Philistine city (1 Sam 14:53; 31:1; 2 Sam 21:15). Solomon became master of "Azzah," (1 Kings 4:24) but the same trouble with the Philistines recurred (Chronicles 21:16; 26:6; 28:18). The passage where Gaza is mentioned in the New Testament (Acts 8:26) is full of interest. It is the account of the baptism of the Ethiopian enunch on his return from Jerusalem to Egypt.

Gaza is the modern Ghuzeh, a Mohammedan town, situated partly on an oblong hill of moderate height and partly on the lower ground. The climate of the place is almost tropical, but it has deep wells of excellent water. There are a few palm trees in the town, and its fruit orchards are very productive; but the chief feature of the neighborhood is the wide-spread olive grove to the north and northeast.

Its gates were carried away by Samson (Judges 16:1-3). here he was afterwards a prisoner, and "did rind in the prison house." Here he also pulled down the temple of Dagon, and slew "all the lords of the Philistines," himself also perishing in the ruins (Judges 16:21-30). The prophets denounce the judgments of God again it (Jeremiah 25:20; 47:5; Amos 1:6-7; Zephaniah 2:4). It is referred to in Acts 8:26, Philip is here told to take the road from Jerusalem to Gaza (about 6 miles southwest of Jerusalem), "which is desert," or the"desert road," probably by Hebron, through the desert hills of Southern Judea.

It is noticed on monuments as early as B. C. 1600. Its small port is now called el-Mineh.

For a little more modern info please check this site out: http://encyclopedia.jrank.org/GAG_GEO/GAZA_or_AllAH_mod_Ghuzzeh_.html

God's blessings to each of you,
LJG

SOURCES: King James Bible, Easton's Bible Dictionary