Joppa, an ancient seaport on the Mediterranean coast, served as the main port for Jerusalem in biblical times.
Also known as Japho
Joppa, also known as Japho in the Old Testament and modern-day Jaffa, is one of the oldest cities in the world, located on the Mediterranean coast of Israel. It is first mentioned as part of the inheritance of the tribe of Dan (Joshua 19:46). Joppa served as the main seaport for Jerusalem, and it was here that the cedar wood from Lebanon arrived for the construction of Solomon's Temple (2Ch.2.16) and later for the Second Temple (Ezra 3:7). The prophet Jonah set sail from Joppa when he tried to flee from God's command to preach in Nineveh (Jonah 1:3). In the New Testament, Joppa is significant as the place where Peter stayed with Simon the tanner and had a vision that led him to preach to the Gentiles (Act.9.36-43; 10:5-23). It was also the home of Tabitha (Dorcas), whom Peter raised from the dead (Act.9.36-42). Joppa has a long and rich history, and its strategic location made it an important city throughout biblical times.
Approximate location: 32.054, 34.750 · view on a map · on the Bible atlas
Beauty, a town in the portion of Dan (Josh. 19:46; A.V., “Japho”), on a sandy promontory between Caesarea and Gaza, and at a distance of 30 miles north-west from Jerusalem. It is one of the oldest towns in Asia. It was and still is the chief sea-port of Judea. It was never wrested from the Phoenicians. It became a Jewish town only in the second century B.C. It was from this port that Jonah “took ship to flee from the presence of the Lord” (Jonah 1:3). To this place also the wood cut in Lebanon by Hiram’s men for Solomon was brought in floats (2 Chr. 2:16); and here the material for the building of the second temple was also landed (Ezra 3:7). At Joppa, in the house of Simon the tanner, “by the sea-side,” Peter resided “many days,” and here, “on the house-top,” he had his “vision of tolerance” (Acts 9:36-43). It bears the modern name of Jaffa, and exibituds all the decrepitude and squalor of cities ruled over by the Turks. “Scarcely any other town has been so often overthrown, sacked, pillaged, burned, and rebuilt.” Its present population is said to be about 16,000. It was taken by the French under Napoleon in 1799, who gave orders for the massacre here of 4,000 prisoners. It is connected with Jerusalem by the only carriage road that exists in the country, and also by a railway completed in 1892. It is noticed on monuments B.C. 1600-1300, and was attacked by Sannacharib B.C. 702.
(beauty), now Jaffa, a town on the southwest coast of Palestine, in the portion of Dan. (Joshua 19:46) Having a harbor attached to it—though always, as still, a dangerous one—it became the port of Jerusalem in the days of Solomon, and has been ever since. Here Jonah “took ship to flee from the presence of his Maker.” Here, on the house-top of Simon the tanner, “by the seaside,” St. Peter had his vision of tolerance. (Acts 11:5) The existing town contains about 4000 inhabitants.
JOP'PA (beauty), an ancient maritime city in the territory of Dan, on the Mediterranean, about 30 miles south of Caesarea, 35 miles north-west of Jerusalem, and upon a promontory, 116 feet high, jutting out into the sea. From its summit there is a fine view of the coast and the sea. Ezr 3:7; Jon 1:3; Acts 9:36-43; Acts 10:5-32; Acts 11:5-13. It is also called "Japho," Josh 19:46; 2 Chr 2:16, margin. The modern name of the city is Yafa or Jaffa. History. — Joppa is said to be one of the oldest towns in the world. A Roman writer says that it antedates the deluge. When the chosen people divided the Holy Land amongst the several tribes, Japho, a Phoenician colony in the land of the Philistines, was one of the landmarks designating the territory of the tribe of Dan. Josh 19:46. It was the seaport to which wood from Lebanon was brought for the building of Solomon's temple, 2 Chr 2:16, and when the house of the Lord was rebuilt after the Captivity. Cedar trees were brought from Lebanon to Joppa. Ezr 3:7. It was at this port also that Jonah took ship for Tarshish. Jon 1:3. Thus the city is mentioned four times (once as Japho) in the O.T. In an inscription relating the victorious campaigns of Sennacherib, the town is called Ja-ap-pu, and its situation is correctly described. The Maccabees brought the city under the Jewish yoke. Afterward it fell successively under the Greek and the Roman sway. The Romans took it b.c. 63. In the N.T., Joppa is only mentioned in the book of Acts, and in connection with two events: (1) The raising of Tabitha to life by Peter, Acts 9:36-43; (2) Peter's vision on the housetop. Acts 10:11. Several bishops of Joppa are mentioned as having attended various Church synods. During the Crusades, Joppa was several times captured by opposing forces, and…
JOP'PA (beauty), an ancient maritime city in the territory of Dan, on the Mediterranean, about 30 miles south of Caesarea, 35 miles north-west of Jerusalem, and upon a promontory, 116 feet high, jutting out into the sea. From its summit there is a fine view of the coast and the sea. Ezr 3:7; Jon 1:3; Acts 9:36-43; Acts 10:5-32; Acts 11:5-13. It is also called "Japho," Josh 19:46; 2 Chr 2:16, margin. The modern name of the city is Yafa or Jaffa. History. — Joppa is said to be one of the oldest towns in the world. A Roman writer says that it antedates the deluge. When the chosen people divided the Holy Land amongst the several tribes, Japho, a Phoenician colony in the land of the Philistines, was one of the landmarks designating the territory of the tribe of Dan. Josh 19:46. It was the seaport to which wood from Lebanon was brought for the building of Solomon's temple, 2 Chr 2:16, and when the house of the Lord was rebuilt after the Captivity. Cedar trees were brought from Lebanon to Joppa. Ezr 3:7. It was at this port also that Jonah took ship for Tarshish. Jon 1:3. Thus the city is mentioned four times (once as Japho) in the O.T. In an inscription relating the victorious campaigns of Sennacherib, the town is called Ja-ap-pu, and its situation is correctly described. The Maccabees brought the city under the Jewish yoke. Afterward it fell successively under the Greek and the Roman sway. The Romans took it b.c. 63. In the N.T., Joppa is only mentioned in the book of Acts, and in connection with two events: (1) The raising of Tabitha to life by Peter, Acts 9:36-43; (2) Peter's vision on the housetop. Acts 10:11. Several bishops of Joppa are mentioned as having attended various Church synods. During the Crusades, Joppa was several times captured by opposing forces, and…
Easton (1897), Smith (1863), Hitchcock (1869), Hastings (1898) and Schaff are in the public domain. Parsed text: neuu-org/bible-dictionary-dataset (CC BY 4.0). Headwords and whitespace normalised for this site.
14 verses in 5 books · English text: BSB (change it from the menu at the top) · Strong’s H3305
Me-jarkon, and Rakkon, including the territory across from Joppa.
We will cut logs from Lebanon, as many as you need, and we will float them to you as rafts by sea down to Joppa. Then you can take them up to Jerusalem.”
They gave money to the masons and carpenters, and food and drink and oil to the people of Sidon and Tyre to bring cedar logs from Lebanon to Joppa by sea, as authorized by Cyrus king of Persia.
Jonah, however, got up to flee to Tarshish, away from the presence of the LORD. He went down to Joppa and found a ship bound for Tarshish. So he paid the fare and went aboard to sail for Tarshish, away from the presence of the LORD.
In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which is translated as Dorcas), who was always occupied with works of kindness and charity.
Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to urge him, “Come to us without delay.”
This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord.
And Peter stayed for several days in Joppa with a tanner named Simon.
Now send men to Joppa to call for a man named Simon who is called Peter.
He explained what had happened and sent them to Joppa.
So Peter invited them in as his guests. And the next day he got ready and went with them, accompanied by some of the brothers from Joppa.
Therefore send to Joppa for Simon, who is called Peter. He is a guest in the home of Simon the tanner, by the sea.’
“I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision of something like a large sheet being let down from heaven by its four corners, and it came right down to me.
He told us how he had seen an angel standing in his house and saying, ‘Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter.
Names, family links and references: STEPBible TIPNR (Tyndale House Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). Short descriptions were drafted with AI assistance by STEPBible. Family links follow STEPBible’s scholarly decisions where genealogies are ambiguous.