Joppa in Biblical History

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Schaff's Bible Dictionary

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What is Joppa?
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 partially destroyed. Toward the end of the eighteenth century the town was surrounded by walls, which enabled the inhabitants to resist for several days the attacks of the French army under Kleber. The place was taken by storm, and 4000 prisoners were massacred by order of Napoleon, March 4, 1799. Present Appearance. -- To the traveller approaching Joppa by sea the city presents a beautiful appearance, but a closer contact is disappointing. Steamers are obliged to anchor half a mile from the quay, and passengers and baggage are taken ashore in boats. The quay is very badly paved, and becomes a pond of mud after a rain. The streets are narrow, dirty, crooked, and steep. The houses, built of tufa-stone, are crowded together without any order. Among the prominent buildings are the Greek monastery, the Latin hospice (founded in 1654), and the Armenian monastery. The traditional "house of Tabitha" and "the house of Simon the tanner" are still pointed out. Exterior of the supposed house of Simon The Tanner. (From Photograph of Pal. Fund.) The open space is the little courtyard at the rear of the house, between the house and the wall overlooking the sea. The spectator has his back to the sea. The well from which Peter is said to have baptized is sunk in the ground on the right. In population Joppa has greatly increased within 25 years. A Turkish calendar enumerates 865 Moslem, 135 Greek, 70 Greek Catholic, 50 Latin, 6 Maronite, and 5 Armenian families, which would give a total of about 8000 inhabitants. To these must be added a flourishing German Protestant colony of the Temple Society, which settled there in 1857 under the lead of Rev. Christopher Hoffman, and introduced various industries. Miss Arnot, a Scotch lady, conducts a good school for girls. A considerable trade is carried on with Egypt, Syria, and Constantinople. But one of the chief means of livelihood for the people is the annual passage of numerous pilgrims and travellers through the town. It is the landing-place of most travellers to Palestine, and is connected with Jerusalem by a rough carriage-road -- the only one in that country. A railroad has been projected and may be built before many years. The oranges of Joppa are famous and supply the market at Jerusalem.

Bibliography Information
Schaff, Philip, Dr. "Biblical Definition for 'joppa' in Schaffs Bible Dictionary".
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