Original Word: אַשְׁדּוֹד
Part of Speech: Proper Name Location
Transliteration: Ashdowd
Pronunciation: ash-dode'
Phonetic Spelling: (ash-dode')
KJV: Ahdod
NASB: Ashdod
Word Origin: [from H7703 (שָׁדַד - destroyed)]

1. ravager
2. Ashdod, a place in Israel

Ahdod

From shadad; ravager; Ashdod, a place in Palestine -- Ahdod.

see HEBREW shadad

Word Origin
of foreign origin
Definition
a city of the Philistines
NASB Translation
Ashdod (17).

אַשְׁדּוֺד proper name, of a location Ashdod (Assyrian Asdudu, COT^Gloss Dl^{Pa 289}; Thes MV derive from √ שׁדד q. v.) a powerful city of the Philistines on Mediterranean Sea, west from Jerusalem, modern Esdûd, Joshua 11:22; Joshua 15:46,47 (where assigned to Judah) 1 Samuel 5:5,6 (but strike out Dr compare ᵐ5) 1 Samuel 6:17; Amos 1:8; Amos 3:9; Zephaniah 2:4; Zechariah 9:6; Isaiah 20:1; Jeremiah 25:20; 2Chronicles 26:6 with ָ  ה locative 1 Samuel 5:1; Isaiah 20:1; ׳אַנְשֵׁי א 1 Samuel 5:7; apparently = territory of Ashdod 2Chronicles 26:6 וַיִּבְנֶה עָרִים בְּאַשְׁדּוֺד. (compare Survey^{J, 442}.)

Geographical Setting

Ashdod lay on the southern coastal plain of Canaan, roughly halfway between Gaza and Joppa and about thirty-five miles west of Jerusalem. Sitting astride the Via Maris, it controlled a major caravan route linking Egypt with Mesopotamia, and its port facilities opened Philistia to Mediterranean trade. The site—modern Tel Ashdod and nearby Ashdod-Yam—includes an upper acropolis and a lower city fortified by walls and ramparts typical of Late Bronze and Iron Age strongholds.

Place within the Philistine Pentapolis

Together with Gaza, Ashkelon, Ekron, and Gath, Ashdod formed the Pentapolis that dominated Israel’s southwestern frontier (Joshua 15:46-47). Ashdod’s cult of Dagon and its strategic position made it a linchpin of Philistine political and religious life; thus Scripture repeatedly focuses on Ashdod when describing Philistine power or its eventual demise.

Early Biblical Notices

Joshua’s conquests reached Ashdod’s environs, but the city itself remained under Philistine control (Joshua 11:22). Its continued strength illustrates that Israel’s partial obedience left enemy pockets capable of future oppression.

The Ark and the Fall of Dagon (1 Samuel 5–6)

When the Philistines captured the Ark at Ebenezer, they carried it to the “house of Dagon” in Ashdod (1 Samuel 5:1). Twice the idol fell before the Ark; after the second fall its head and hands were severed, a visible token that “the hand of the LORD was heavy against the people of Ashdod” (1 Samuel 5:6). Afflicted by tumors, the inhabitants acknowledged Israel’s God to be supreme and hurried the Ark away—an enduring testimony to Yahweh’s sovereignty over all deities and nations.

Royal Conquest and Brief Israelite Control

King Uzziah “broke down the wall of Ashdod…and built cities around Ashdod” (2 Chronicles 26:6). His advance fulfilled earlier promises that covenant faithfulness would bring victory even over entrenched enemies. The gain proved temporary, yet it foreshadowed the day when Philistia would lose its separate identity.

Prophetic Oracles of Judgment

Isaiah, Jeremiah, Amos, Zephaniah, and Zechariah all single out Ashdod:

• “In the year that the commander came to Ashdod…so shall the king of Assyria lead away the captives of Egypt” (Isaiah 20:1, 4).
• Amos warns, “I will cut off the inhabitant from Ashdod” (Amos 1:8), and summons the Philistine nobles to witness Samaria’s corruption (Amos 3:9).
• Zephaniah declares, “Ashdod will be uprooted at noon” (Zephaniah 2:4).
• Zechariah foresees that “a mixed people will dwell in Ashdod, and I will cut off the pride of the Philistines” (Zechariah 9:6).

These prophecies reveal a pattern: the Lord employs foreign powers to humble Ashdod, yet even His judgments serve larger redemptive purposes, breaking the pride of idolatrous nations so that blessing can extend beyond Israel.

Archaeological Corroboration

Excavations at Tel Ashdod have uncovered Philistine bichrome pottery, remnants of a large temple platform, and Assyrian siege works. Later strata confirm Persian and Hellenistic occupation, aligning with Zechariah’s prediction of a cosmopolitan populace. Nearby Ashdod-Yam has yielded Byzantine churches, attesting to eventual Christian witness in the region.

Intertestamental and New Testament Link

Under Greek rule the city was known as Azotus. Acts 8:40 records that after baptizing the Ethiopian, “Philip was found at Azotus, and he traveled through that region, preaching the gospel in all the towns”. The same ground that once housed Dagon’s fallen image later hosted apostolic proclamation, underscoring the triumph of the gospel over former pagan centers.

Theological Themes

1. God’s supremacy over idols: Dagon’s humiliation (1 Samuel 5) prefigures every future overthrow of false worship.
2. Sovereignty in world affairs: Prophetic judgments against Ashdod showcase the Lord directing international events to fulfill covenant promises.
3. Mercy beyond Israel: Zechariah’s vision of a “mixed people” anticipates the inclusion of Gentiles in Messianic blessing.
4. Accountability of nations: Ashdod’s downfall warns every culture that economic strength and military fortifications cannot shield from divine justice.

Ministry Lessons

• Persistent Idolatry: Modern believers must guard against contemporary forms of idolatry, remembering that God still topples rivals to His glory.
• Evangelistic Hope: Philip’s ministry in Azotus encourages outreach to places once hostile to biblical faith; no territory is beyond reclamation.
• Cultural Engagement: Like the prophets, Christians speak truth to power, calling societies to repentance while trusting God’s ultimate vindication.

Key Passages for Study

1 Samuel 5:3–4; 1 Samuel 5:6

Amos 1:8

Zephaniah 2:4

Zechariah 9:6–7

Ashdod’s scriptural arc—from fortified Philistine citadel to stage of divine judgment, and finally to a waypoint of gospel advance—illustrates the consistent biblical narrative that “the earth is the LORD’s, and the fullness thereof” (Psalm 24:1).

אַשְׁדּ֑וֹד אַשְׁדּ֔וֹדָה אַשְׁדּ֖וֹד אַשְׁדּ֗וֹד אַשְׁדּ֞וֹד אַשְׁדּֽוֹדָה׃ אַשְׁדּֽוֹד׃ אשדוד אשדוד׃ אשדודה אשדודה׃ בְּאַשְׁדּ֑וֹד בְּאַשְׁדּ֔וֹד בְּאַשְׁדּ֖וֹד באשדוד וּבְאַשְׁדּ֖וֹד ובאשדוד לְאַשְׁדּ֨וֹד לאשדוד מֵֽאַשְׁדּ֔וֹד מאשדוד ’aš·dō·w·ḏāh ’aš·dō·wḏ ’ašdōwḏ ’ašdōwḏāh ashDod ashDodah bə’ašdōwḏ bə·’aš·dō·wḏ beashDod lə’ašdōwḏ lə·’aš·dō·wḏ leashDod mê’ašdōwḏ mê·’aš·dō·wḏ meashDod ū·ḇə·’aš·dō·wḏ ūḇə’ašdōwḏ uveashDodInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts