Boyd’s Bible Dictionary:
(stronghold). A Philistine city between Gaza and Joppa; assigned to Judah (Josh. 15:47; 1 Sam. 5:1). Azotus (Acts 8:40).
Concise Bible Dictionary:
One of the five chief cities of the Philistines. It was assigned to Judah, but was not subdued by them, and thus became a thorn in their sides (Num. 33:55). It was to this city that the ark was taken by the Philistines, and where Dagon their fish-god fell before it (1 Sam. 5:1-7). Uzziah broke down its wall, and built cities near it (2 Chron. 26:6). It was on the high road from Palestine to Egypt, which doubtless led Sargon king of Assyria to take it by his general, about B.C. 714 (Isa. 20:1). Herodotus records that Psammetichus, king of Egypt, besieged it for 29 years. Jeremiah speaks of Ashdod as one of the places which was made to drink of the fury of God (Jer. 25:15-20). The Maccabees destroyed the city, but Gabinius rebuilt it at the time of the conquest of Judna by the Romans (B.C. 55), and it was afterward assigned on the death of Herod the Great to his sister Salome. It was situated about 3 miles from the Mediterranean, and midway between Gaza and Joppa. It is now called Esdud or Esdood, 31° 46' N, 34° 40' E, and is wretched in the extreme, though lying in a fertile plain. It is called in the New Testament AZOTUS, where Philip was found after baptizing the eunuch (Acts 8:40). Its inhabitants are referred to as ASHDODITES, ASHDOTHITES (Josh. 13:3; Neh. 4:7).
Strong’s Dictionary of Hebrew Words:
Transliteration:
’Ashdowdiyth
Meaning:
feminine of 796; (only adverb) in the language of Ashdod
KJV Usage:
in the speech of Ashdod