Ecrón (Heb. ‘Eqrôn, perhaps “eradication”; ac. Amqarruna; Eg. ‘Ngrn). One of the 5 main cities of the Philistines. Formerly it was believed that it was in the present place of Qatr~ (about 13 km northeast of Ashdod) or in ‘
Source: Evangelical Bible Dictionary
one of the five confederate city-states of the Philistines, on the southern coast of Palestine, the northernmost of them, Jos 13, 3. At the head of E., as well as of the other cities, was a lord or prince, 1 S 29, 1-7. Am 1, 8. In E. the god Baal Zebub was worshiped, 2 R 1, 6/2/16. The city of E. fell to the tribe of Judah, according to Jos 15, 11 and 45; Jc 1, 18; and according to Jos 19, 40-43, to that of Dan; however, E. was one of the Philistines until King David conquered it. The Ark was in this city when the Philistines returned it to the Israelites, after having remained in Ashdod for seven months, captured by the Philistines, 1 S 5, 10-12.
Digital Bible Dictionary, Grupo C Service & Design Ltda., Colombia, 2003
Source: Digital Bible Dictionary
(Heb., †™eqron, removal).
The northernmost of the five main cities of the Philistines (1Sa 6:17). Located on the border between Judah and Dan (Jos 15:11; Jos 19:43), it was assigned to Judah (Jos 15:45). After the Philistines returned the ark to Ekron to escape God’s wrath (1 Samuel 6), the Israelites regained control of Ekron and other cities (1Sa 7:14). After David’s victory over Goliath, the Israelites pushed the Philistines back to Ekron (1Sa 17:52).
The god of this city was Baal-zebub (2Ki 1:3). The prophets mention Ekron along with other Philistine cities (Jer 25:20; Amos 1-8; Zep 2:4; Zec 9:5, Zec 9:7).
Source: Hispanic World Bible Dictionary
Ekron, the northernmost city of the Philistine pentapolis, was temporarily occupied by the men of Judah during the period of the judges (Judges 1:18); but he returned to the Philistines. From Gath, the ark of the covenant was taken to Ekron, after which it was sent to Beth-shemesh in Israel (1 Sam. 5:10-6:12).
Ekron’s fortunes varied throughout its long history. Padi, his king in the days of Sennacherib, remained loyal to the Assyrians; but a group of rebels seized the throne, returning Padi to Hezekiah, who was evidently a leader in opposition to Sennacherib. The annals of *Sennacherib tell how the Assyrians took Ekron and restored Padi to his throne. Esar-Haddon also mentions Ekron as a Philistine city loyal to its Assyrian overlords.
The god of Ekron was Baalzebub. Ahaziah of Israel was on his way to the sanctuary of Baal-zebub, when Elijah intercepted him, wanting to know if Israel was without God since the god of Ekron was going to be consulted (2 Kings 1:1-6, 16). Baal-zebub, “lord of the flies”, may be an intentional alteration by the Hebrews of the Canaanite name Baal-zebul, “Baal exalted” or “Lord of the high place”. Baal-zebub (or Beelzebub), in the New Testament, appears as a synonym for Satan, the “prince of demons” (Mt. 12:24-29).
In 147 BC AD, Alexander Balas, king of Syria, transferred Ekron to the Maccabean governor Jonathan (1 Macc. 10:89). According to the historian Eusebius, Ekron had a large Jewish population during the 3rd century AD. JC In the following centuries the site was abandoned and its identification has been lost. Edward Robinson, in the 19th century, indicated that it could be identified with †˜Akir, 16 kms. northwest of Ashdod. Others identify Ekron with Khirbet el-Muquenna†™, 10 kms. southeast of †™Akir, although el-Muquenna†™ is generally considered to contain the remains of Eltekeh.
Source: Archaeological Biblical Dictionary
(arid place). Of the five major cities of the Philistines, it was the furthest N. It was awarded to the tribe of Judah (Jos 15:11) and indeed conquered (Jdg 1:18). It changed hands several times, either with the Israelites or the Philistines. In the times of Eli and Samuel it was under Philistine rule, which took the ark of God in battle and took it to E. (1Sa 5:10), but they had to return it because of the problems that this caused them (1Sa 6:1- 17). When David killed Goliath, the Philistines fled to E. (1Sa 17:52). In Elijah’s time, King Ahaziah consulted “Baal-zebub god of E.† after suffering a fall, prompting a rebuke from the prophet (2Ki 1:3, 2Ki 1:6, 2Ki 1:16). Several times in the OT prophecies appear against the five Philistine cities, among them E. In Jer 25:17-20 it is mentioned among those who would drink from the cup of divine wrath “to put them in ruins, in derision and in mockery and cursing† . At Amo 1:8, God says: “I will turn my hand against E. and the rest of the Philistines will perish.” †œE. will be uprooted† (Zeph 2:4). “His hope will be disappointed” (Zech 9:5). These prophecies point to the disasters that befell E. by way of the Assyrian invasion of Sargon II in 712 BC. Much later it was also sacked by the Chaldeans. Several places are mentioned as a possible location of E. Among others, `Aquir, which is located 16 km NE of Ashdod and Qatra, about 13 km in the same direction.
Source: Christian Bible Dictionary
type, CITY
sit, a2, 187, 428
see, =. rootless. The city that fell to Judah in the distribution made by Joshua according to Jos. 15:45, and later belonged to Dan.
Source: New Illustrated Bible Dictionary
One of the five main cities of the Philistines, and a place of importance, with dependent villages (Josh. 15.45-46). Recent explorations suggest that we should consider it to be Jirbet al-Muqanna, which has so far been equated with *Elteque. Surface explorations carried out in 1957 showed that the site was occupied in the early bronze age, but evidently not again until the early iron age. The main period, when the walled city covered an area of some 160 areas, making it the largest Iron Age settlement ever found in Palestine, was characterized by its typical Philistine pottery. The tell has a ledge at the NE angle, perhaps representing the acropolis, and traces of a double wall with gates and towers have been found on the S slopes. In the assignment of territories, Ecrón was located on the border between Judah and Dan (Jos. 15.11, 45–46; 19.43), but at the death of Joshua it had not yet been taken. It was finally captured by Judah (Judges 1.18), but it must have been recovered by the Philistines, because there they carried the ark when it was brought out of Gath (1 Sam. 5.10), and from there it was sent to Beth-shemesh on the drawn chariot by rods (1 Sam. 6). It would seem that it was again in the hands of the Israelites temporarily in the time of Samuel (1 Sam. 7.14), but the Philistines had taken it again already in the time of Saul (1 Sam. 17.52), and it was still in their possession in the days of Amos (1.8). In 701 BC Padi, governor of Ekron, a vassal of the Assyrians, was expelled by certain Echronites and held captive by Hezekiah in Jerusalem, but Sennacherib, in his campaign that year, recaptured Ekron (am-qar-ru-na) and restored Padi (ANET, pp. 287–288; DOTT, pp. 66–67). The annals of Esar-haddon mention the city as a tributary (ANET, pp. 291; DOTT, pp. 74), but still at that time it was considered a Philistine city from the ethnic point of view (Jer. 25.20; Sof. 2.4; Zach 9.5, 7). The Bible does not deal with the later history of the city, although the name of its god *Elteque-zebub (2 Kings 1.2–3) is familiar from the NT.
Bibliography. °GHTS, pp. 97–111; GE Wright, Biblical Archaeology, 1975, pp. 129ff; CF Pfeiffer, “Ekron”, °DBA, pp. 228; M. Noth, The World of the Old Testament, 1976.
J. Naveh, YES 8, 1958, p. 87–100, 165–170; Y. Aharoni, PEQ 90, 1958, p. 27–31; Honigmann, Reallexikon der Assyriologie, 1, 1932, pp. 99; TC Mitchell in AOTS, pp. 405–406.
TCM
Douglas, J. (2000). New Biblical Dictionary: First Edition. Miami: United Bible Societies.
Source: New Bible Dictionary
The northernmost of the five main Philistine cities (Joshua 13,3; 15,11.46). We do not know if it was founded by the Philistines or by the Hivites. First it was given to the tribe of Judah (Jos. 15,11.45) and then to Dan (Jos. 19,43). Judah conquered it for a time (Judges 1,18), but it fell back into the hands of the Philistines, who took the captive Ark of the Covenant there after having passed it through Azoto and Gat (1 Sam. 5,10). It was about to be reconquered by Israel after the defeat of Goliath (1 Sam. 7,14). The city had a famous sanctuary to Beelzebul (2 Kings 1,2-3.6.16), and the prophets often denounced it (Jer. 25,20; Amos 1,8; Sof. 2,4; Zec. 9, 5). King Alejandro Bales gave the city to Jonathan Macabeo (1 Mac. 10,89). Robinson identified it with the village of Akir, a railway station running from Jaffa to Jerusalem.
Bibliography: HAGEN, Lexicon Biblicum (Paris, 1905); GUERIN in Dict. of the Bible (Paris, 1895).
Source: Maas, Anthony. “Accaron.” The Catholic Encyclopaedia. Vol. 1. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1907. http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01093b.htm
Translated by Luz María Hernández Medina
Source: Catholic Encyclopedia