Difference between revisions of "Ekron"

<p> <strong> EKRON </strong> . A city in the [[Philistine]] Pentapolis, not conquered by Joshua (&nbsp; Joshua 13:3 ), but theoretically a border city of Judah (&nbsp; Joshua 15:11 ) and Dan (&nbsp; Joshua 19:43 ); said, in a passage which is probably an interpolation, to have been smitten by Judah (&nbsp; Judges 1:18 ). [[Hither]] the captured ark was brought from [[Ashdod]] (&nbsp; 1 Samuel 5:10 ), and on its restoration the Philistine lords who had followed it to Beth-shemesh returned to [[Ekron]] (&nbsp; 1 Samuel 6:16 ). Ekron was the border town of a territory that passed in the days of Samuel from the [[Philistines]] to [[Israel]] (&nbsp; 1 Samuel 7:14 ), and it was the limit of the pursuit of the Philistines after the slaying of [[Goliath]] by David (&nbsp; 1 Samuel 17:52 ). Its local <em> numen </em> was Baal-zebub, whose oracle [[Ahaziah]] consulted after his accident (&nbsp; 2 Kings 1:2 ). Like the other Philistine cities, it is made the subject of denunciation by Jeremiah, Amos, Zephaniah, and the anonymous prophet whose writing occupies &nbsp; Zechariah 9:1-17; &nbsp; Zechariah 10:1-12; &nbsp; Zechariah 11:1-17 . This city is commonly identified with <em> ‘Akir </em> , a village on the Philistine plain between [[Gezer]] and the sea, where there is now a [[Jewish]] colony. For the identification there is no basis, except the coincidence of name; there are no remains of antiquity whatever at <em> ‘Akir </em> . </p> <p> R. A. S. Macalister. </p>

<p> ("the firm rooted".) Most northerly of the five Philistine lordship cities, farthest from the sea, to the right of the great road from Egypt northwards to Syria, in the '''''Shephelah''''' (low country). A landmark of Judah on the northern boundary which ran thence to the sea at [[Jabneel]] (&nbsp;Joshua 15:45-46; &nbsp;Judges 1:18). [[Afterward]] in Dan (&nbsp;Joshua 19:43); but the Philistines permanently appropriated it (&nbsp;1 Samuel 5:10; &nbsp;1 Samuel 17:52; &nbsp;Jeremiah 25:20). There the ark of the covenant was taken last before its return to Israel. </p> <p> A shrine and oracle of [[Baalzebub]] was there, to which king Ahaziah applied for consultation in his sickness (&nbsp;2 Kings 1:2; &nbsp;2 Kings 1:16). &nbsp;Zechariah 9:5, "Ekron for her expectation shall be ashamed": she had expected [[Tyre]] would withstand [[Alexander]] in his progress southward toward Egypt; but her expectation shall bear the shame of disappointment. &nbsp;Zephaniah 2:4 plays on her name, ''''''Εkron Tee'Akeer''''' ," the firm-rooted one shall be rooted up." Now Akir, 3 miles E. of Yebna, N. of the wady Surar; a village consisting of 50 mud houses, with two well-built wells, is all that remains of the once leading Philistine city, fulfilling the prophecy that she should be rooted up. </p>

<p> [[Ekron]] ( ''Ĕk'Ron'' ), ''Emigration.'' The most northerly of the five cities of the Philistines, &nbsp;Joshua 13:3; in the lowlands of Judah, &nbsp;Joshua 15:11; conquered by Judah, &nbsp;Joshua 15:45; allotted to Dan, &nbsp;Joshua 19:43; reconquered by Samuel, &nbsp;1 Samuel 5:10; &nbsp;1 Samuel 7:14; again a Philistine city, &nbsp;1 Samuel 17:52; &nbsp;2 Kings 1:2; &nbsp;Jeremiah 25:20; &nbsp;Amos 1:8; &nbsp;Zechariah 9:5; now called ''Akir,'' on a hill 12 miles southeast of Joppa, a wretched village of about 50 mud hovels. The prophecy has been fulfilled, "Ekron shall be rooted up." &nbsp;Zephaniah 2:4. </p>

<p> (Hebrews Ekron', '''''עֶקְרוֹן''''' , ''Eradication,'' comp. &nbsp;Zephaniah 2:4, which apparently contains a play upon the word; Sept. [usually] and [[Josephus]] '''''Ἀκκαρών''''' , Vulg. Accaron), one of the five towns belonging to the lords of the Philistines, and the most northerly of the five (&nbsp;Joshua 13:3). Like the other Philistine cities, its situation was in the maritime plain. In the general distribution of territory (unconquered as well as conquered) Ekron was assigned to Judah, as being upon its border (&nbsp;Joshua 13:3), between [[Bethshemesh]] and Jabneel (&nbsp;Joshua 15:11; &nbsp;Joshua 15:45), but apparently was afterwards given to Dan, although conquered by Judah (&nbsp;Joshua 15:11; &nbsp;Joshua 15:45; &nbsp;Joshua 19:43; &nbsp;Judges 1:18; comp. Josephus, ''Ant.'' 5:1, 22; 5:2, 4). But it mattered little to which tribe it nominally belonged, for before the monarchy it was again in full possession of the Philistines (&nbsp;1 Samuel 5:10). In [[Scripture]] Ekron is chiefly remarkable from the ark having been sent home from thence, upon a new cart draw n by two much kine (&nbsp;1 Samuel 5:10; &nbsp;1 Samuel 6:1-8). Ekron was the last place to which the ark was carried before its return to Israel, and the mortality there in consequence seems to have been greater than at either Ashdod or Gath. (The Sept. in both MSS., and Josephus [Ant. 6:1, 1], substitute [[Ascalon]] for Ekron throughout this passage [&nbsp;1 Samuel 5:10-12]. In support of this it should be remarked that, according to the Hebrew text, the golden trespass-offerings were given for Ashkelon, though it is omitted from the detailed narrative of the journeyings of the ark. There are other important differences between the Sept. and Hebrew texts of this transaction. See especially v. 60) From Ekron to Bethshemesh (q.v.) was a straight highway (Thomson, Land and Book, 2:309). After David's victory over Goliath, the Philistines were pursued as far as this place (&nbsp;1 Samuel 17:52). [[Henceforward]] Ekron appears to have remained uninterruptedly in the hands of the Philistines (&nbsp;1 Samuel 17:52; &nbsp;2 Kings 1:2; &nbsp;2 Kings 1:16; &nbsp;Jeremiah 25:20). Except the casual mention of a noted sanctuary of Baalzebub (q.v.) existing there (&nbsp;2 Kings 1:2-3; &nbsp;2 Kings 1:6; &nbsp;2 Kings 1:16), there is nothing to distinguish Ekron from any other town of this district. In later days it is merely named with the other cities of the Philistines in the denunciations of the prophets against that people (&nbsp;Jeremiah 25:20; &nbsp;Amos 1:8; &nbsp;Zephaniah 2:4; &nbsp;Zechariah 9:5). The name occurs in the cuneiform inscriptions (q.v.) of the [[Assyrian]] monuments. In the Apocropha it appears as Accaron ( '''''Ἀκκαρών''''' , &nbsp;1 Maccabees 10:89, only), bestowed with its borders ( '''''Τὰ''''' '''''Ὅρια''''' '''''Αὐτῆς''''' ) by Alexander Balas on [[Jonathan]] Maccabaeus as a reward for his services. [[Eusebius]] and [[Jerome]] describe it (Onomast. s.v. ] '''''Ακκαρών''''' '', Accaron'' ) as a large village of the Jews, between [[Azotus]] and [[Jamnia]] towards the east, or eastward of a line drawn between these two places., The same name [[Accaron]] occurs incidentally in the histories of the [[Crusades]] ''(Gesta Dei Per Francos,'' page 404). The site of Ekron has lately been recognized by Dr. Robinson (Bib. Researcher, 3:24) in that of 'Akir, in a situation corresponding to all that we know of Ekron. The radical letters of the Arabic name are the same as those of the Hebrew, and both the [[Christians]] and [[Moslems]] of the neighborhood regard the site as that of the ancient Ekron. It is a considerable Moslem village, about five miles southwest of Ramleh, and three due east of Yebna, on the northern side of the important valley [[Wady]] Surar. It is built of unburnt bricks, and, as there are no apparent ruins, the ancient town was probably of the same materials. It is alleged, however, that cisterns and the stones of hand-mills are often found at Akir and in the adjacent fields. The plain south is rich, but immediately round the village it has a dreary, forsaken appearance (hence perhaps the name = "wasteness"), only relieved by a few scattered stunted trees (Porter, Handb. page 275; and see [[Van]] de Velde, 2:169). </p>