Ekron
The northernmost of the five main Philistine cities.
Description
This city is mentioned, but not visited.
Notable events
"Then accompanied only by John, Jesus walks towards Ekron."[1]
A few days later: "Say: what happened to you at Ekron?"[2] But neither John, nor Jesus mention it then. It is much later[3] that we learn that between Jabneel and Ekron, John, first among all the Apostles, performed his first miracle.
The various anathemas Against the Philistine cities (see below) explain the tense relations between the Jews and Philistines which degenerate at Ascalon when Judas reprimands them during an unfortunate sermon.[4]
Its name
Eqrôn – Ekron – Accaron.
Where is it mentioned in the work?
GRM 222 GRM 503
Learn more about this place
The worship of Baal-Zebul (Beelzebub) was celebrated here. The people of Ashdod, then those of Gath, were afraid to keep the Ark they had taken in battle and sent it to Ekron, from where it returned to Israel.[5] Later, the Philistines, fleeing after Goliath’s defeat, were pursued to its gates.[6] The prophets Jeremiah[7], Amos[8], Zephaniah[9] and Zechariah[10] announced the judgment Against Ekron and the other Philistine cities.[11]City mentioned on three other occasions, during biblical references:
- By John and Thomas at Ascalon: “At this sight, Ascalon will be seized with terror and Gaza in great anguish as well as Accaron because your hope is vanished. Gaza will have no king.”[12]
- By the healed Samaritan leper near Ephraim: “Do not act like the fool Ochaziah, who sent to consult the God of Accaron when the Most High was in Israel.”[13]
- Finally by Jesus, near Jericho: “Now I tell you the same answer Elijah gave to Ochaziah: Why did you send messengers to consult Beelzebub, God of Accaron, as if there were no God in Israel to consult?”[14]
Explore
31° 51’ 36’’ N / 34° 49’ 23’’ E
Notes and references
Note: Quotations from the work of Maria Valtorta on this page currently use machine-translated text and will gradually be replaced by the official English translation. Until then, the official translation may be consulted through the reference link provided with each quotation.
- ↑ GRM 221.9.
- ↑ GRM 222.3-4.
- ↑ GRM 259.11.
- ↑ GRM 219.
- ↑ 1 Sa 5.10-11.
- ↑ 1 Sa 17,52.
- ↑ Jer 25,15-20.
- ↑ Am 1,8.
- ↑ Soph 2,4.
- ↑ Zach 9,5-7.
- ↑ Geographical Dictionary of the Gospel According to Maria Valtorta, by Jean-François Lavère :
- ↑ GRM 219;5, according to Za 9,5.
- ↑ GRM 483.8, according to 2 R 1,2-9.
- ↑ GRM 503.7 (ibid.).