Ascalon
LocationsGeographical Setting
Ascalon, known today as Ashkelon, is an ancient coastal city in the Levant that served as a major Philistine stronghold and later a Hellenistic and Roman settlement.
What is the meaning of Ascalon in the Bible?
Ascalon is a coastal city in the Levant, identified with the modern site of Ashkelon, Israel. It appears in the deuterocanonical books of Judith and 1 Maccabees as a strategic Philistine center.
SIGNIFICANCE
Understanding Ascalon provides context for the geopolitical landscape of the Second Temple period, illustrating the interactions between Jewish forces and neighboring Philistine and Hellenistic powers during the Maccabean revolt.
Bible Study Quick-Reference Guide
- Why did the biblical author mention Ascalon in this passage?
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Source Attribution
Built upon the 1915 International Standard Bible Encyclopedia and Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897). Entries have been modernized, checked for academic truthfulness, and shortened for clarity.