Gaza, known as Azzah, is first mentioned in Genesis 10:15–19 as one of the border cities of Canaan, situated on the border of Israel and Egypt in the southwest part of Israel near the Mediterranean Sea. Gaza’s historical narrative intertwines with the Philistines, a people associated with the city since ancient times.
Inhabited originally by the Avvites, the Caphtorites displaced them, settling in Gaza (Deuteronomy 2:23). The Philistines, descendants of or related to the Caphtorites from Crete, also ventured to Canaan (Jeremiah 47:4).
In the era of Joshua, the Israelites conquered the land, including Gaza, which fell to the tribe of Judah. However, the city’s control oscillated between the Israelites and Philistines (Judges 16:1–30).
The Philistines continued to control Gaza during the time of Samuel (1 Samuel 6:17). King Hezekiah won victories over the Philistines but did not conquer Gaza (2 Kings 18:8).
Gaza, often a city associated with judgment, felt the prophetic warnings of Jeremiah, Amos, Zephaniah, and Zechariah due to the sin of the Philistines. Amos 1:6–7 records God’s judgment on Gaza, emphasizing its impending destruction as divine retribution.
Historically, King Sargon of Assyria conquered and likely destroyed Gaza in 720 BC, while Alexander the Great dealt another blow in 332 BC. Biblical figures like Hezekiah and Jonathan had encounters with Gaza, marking victories and subjugation during different periods.
The New Testament introduces a transformative chapter in Gaza’s narrative. Acts 8:26 recounts the angelic instruction to Philip the Evangelist to journey south to the road that leads to Gaza.
On this desert road, Philip encountered an Ethiopian eunuch, sharing the gospel and baptizing him. It marked a significant shift—from a city historically associated with hostility toward the Lord to becoming a pivotal location for spreading the gospel.
The Bible has always associated Gaza with the Philistines but never the Palestinians.
God had given the city to Judah, but the Israelites had failed to obey God in driving out the former occupants of Canaan (Numbers 33:51–53). Because of that disobedience, the Philistines and the city of Gaza have remained a thorn in the side of Israel ever since (see Judges 2:3).
The Old Blog in the Desert 