Cities & towns · Philistia
Gaza
What was Gaza?
Gaza was a chief city of the Philistines — where Samson died, and on whose desert road an Ethiopian found Christ in Isaiah.
TodayGaza City, the Gaza Strip
PentapolisOne of five Philistine cities
EventsSamson’s death; the Ethiopian’s baptism
Southernmost of the five Philistine cities, Gaza guarded the coast road to Egypt. Samson carried off its gates by night — and later, blinded, pulled its temple down on the lords of the Philistines.
The prophets pronounced judgment on Gaza’s slave trade.
On “the desert road” from Jerusalem toward Gaza, Philip met an Ethiopian official reading Isaiah 53 in his chariot — and beginning from that Scripture, preached Jesus to him.
Key verses BSB · Public Domain (CC0)
Judges 16:21 “Then the Philistines seized him, gouged out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza, where he was bound with bronze shackles and forced to grind grain in the prison.” Judges 16:30 “Samson said, “Let me die with the Philistines.” Then he pushed with all his might, and the temple fell on the lords and all the people in it. So in his death he killed more than he had killed in his life.” Acts 8:26 “Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Get up and go south to the desert road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.””
Related places
Original BibleDawn profile. Drafted with AI assistance and reviewed for accuracy. Scripture quoted from the public-domain Berean Standard Bible.