Joppa in the Bible, also referred to by its Hebrew name “Japho” in some translations, was an important Judean seaport on the Mediterranean coast. Located about forty miles Northwest of Jerusalem, Joppa was the port where timber and supplies arrived from Lebanon to build the first temple under King Solomon and the second temple after the Israelites returned from exile. It was also the city where Jonah boarded a ship for Tarshish to flee from the presence of the Lord and the city where Peter received the famous vision that led him to expand his ministry. Today, Joppa, known as Jaffa, is located in the southern region of Tel Aviv, Israel.
Where Does the Bible Mention Joppa?
The Old Testament mentions Joppa in at least four passages, which appears in two important stories involving Peter in the book of Acts.
After Canaan’s conquest, the book of Joshua recounts the distribution of land to each of Israel’s twelve tribes. Under Joshua’s leadership, the specific boundaries and cities allocated to each tribe were clearly delineated.
In this account, the seventh lot was given to the tribe of Dan (Joshua 19:40-48). Thomas V. Brisco explains in the Holman Bible Atlas that the inheritance of the sons of Dan would touch “the western slopes of the central mountains down through the Shephelah along the Sorek Valley and turned northward to the Kanah River (Yarkon River) along the coast” (89).
These boundaries are recorded in the biblical text, which notes key cities given to Dan, notably the “territory opposite Joppa.” (Joshua 19:46). Whether the tribes of Dan ever took control of Joppa or held its port is unknown. Most ancient maps, however, do include Joppa in the region allocated to the sons of Dan.
When David’s son Solomon began construction on the temple (which was completed in 960 B.C.) Hiram, the king of Tyre, sent Solomon timber and supplies from Lebanon via the Mediterranean to the port of Joppa (2 Chronicles 2:16). There, it could be transported to Jerusalem along one of the few carriage roads from the sea.
Joppa’s post is where the prophet Jonah went to feel the Lord’s presence. God had called Jonah to preach a message of repentance to the people of Nineveh, a major city and later capital of the Assyrian Empire (Jonah 1:3). Instead of making the trip northeast to Nineveh (approximately 700 miles), Jonah fled to the port of Joppa. There, Jonah boarded a ship for Tarshish. Tarshis was located on what is now the Spanish coast, over 3,000 miles in the opposite direction from Ninevah.
Centuries later, when the remnant of Jewish exiles who had returned from captivity in Persia labored to rebuild the temple, the Sidonians and Tyrians again sent timber from the north down to Joppa (Ezra 3:7). However, this was not the last time Joppa would be mentioned in the Bible.
In the New Testament, while Peter was staying in a town called Lydda, disciples from Joppa came and pleaded with him to come and pray over Tabitha, a fellow disciple who had recently died. When Peter arrived, Luke tells us that he prayed over the body, and Tabitha (also known as Dorcas) was brought back to life (Acts 9:32-42).
According to Luke, news of this miracle quickly spread throughout the region, and many believed in the Lord (Acts 9:42). We then read that Peter remained in Joppa and stayed with a man named Simon the tanner, who lived by the sea (Acts 9:43).
While living in Joppa, Peter received a famous vision that prepared him to travel to Caesarea to meet the Gentile centurion Cornelius (Acts 10). The event in Joppa became a major turning point in the early church, as Peter and the apostles recognized God’s heart for the Gentiles, expanding their mission beyond the Jewish world.
Does Joppa Have Other Names?
Like many biblical cities, Joppa has been called by many names throughout history.
In Hebrew, Joppa is known as “Japho,” pronounced “yaw-fo.” Some translations of the Bible call it by this name. Editions that don’t often include a footnote to the original Hebrew, which means “beautiful.”
Today, the region of Joppa (or Japha) goes by Jaffa, which is derived from the original Hebrew.
Before conquesting Canaan, the Israelites did not occupy or control the port city. There’s little evidence to suggest they were even its founders.
So, where did the name Joppa come from? Who established the port at Joppa?
Some scholars believe that the Egyptians might have moved north to settle ports along the Mediterranean coast, including Jappo (or Ye-pu in Egyptian). Others believe the original port could have been controlled by the seafaring Phoenicians, then changed hands between the Israelites and the Philistines. Later, the port changed hands between the Assyrians and Persians. The Persians handed it to the Phoenicians until Judah’s exiles returned.
What Do We Know about Joppa’s History?
Joppa’s history, from its first mention in the Old Testament to its current state in present-day Tel Aviv, is quite extensive. After all, it was a port city with natural harbors and strategic value. Over the centuries, few cities in the region have been attacked, taken, occupied, and pillaged as much as Joppa.
As noted earlier, Israel’s relationship with Joppa didn’t formally begin until Canaan’s conquest, when the region was allocated to the sons of Dan.
But did the sons of Dan ever control the port of Joppa?
It is certainly possible that the sons of Dan had a presence in Joppa following Canaan’s conquest. They had been given the region as their inheritance, and the port had obvious value. Furthermore, in the Song of Deborah, the author references the people of Dan as those who “stay in ships” (Judges 5:17). The sons of Dan clearly became known for their seafaring and shipbuilding prowess, given their proximity to the coast.
However, before Canaan’s conquest, another seafaring people known as the Philistines had migrated from the Aegean Sea, possibly near modern-day Crete (Jeremiah 47:4), to Canaan’s coast, settling in the tribal territories that would eventually be given to Judah and possibly Dan to the north.
Did the Philistines also take up residence in Joppa? It’s highly probable. If they didn’t take an interest, their Phoenician neighbors probably would have taken an interest in the southern port.
In fact, following Israel’s exodus from Egypt, the Bible tells us that God deliberately led His people away from Philistine country, “though that was shorter. For God said, ‘if they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.’ So God led the people around by the desert road toward the Red Sea. The Israelites went up out of Egypt ready for battle” (Exodus 13:17-18).
With their advanced iron weapons and aggressive military tactics, the Philistines would invade, attack, and otherwise harass the children of Israel for much of their early history.
According to historical accounts, around the 13th century B.C., the Philistines began to move inland from the coast. They expanded into the Judean countryside by taking over the cities of Gaza, Ashkelon, Ashdod, Ekron, and Gath (Joshua 13:3). These cities were only a few miles south of Joppa. Therefore, the Philistines could have maintained control of the all-important port city. The Philistines would hold many of these city-states until the time of David. Therefore, the Philistines could have forced the sons of Dan to relocate or move further north to avoid further entanglements.
Though the Philistines had a presence in the region for many years to come, King David’s military assertiveness struck a major blow to their military capabilities. By the time Solomon came to the throne, the Philistines had been driven out of Joppa and rendered nearly powerless (though not obsolete).
In fact, after Solomon’s death, the Philistines retook Joppa for a brief time—it was the Assyrian king Sennacherib who recorded taking Joppa in the late 8th century B.C. Around this time (722 B.C.), the Northern Kingdom of Israel fell to the Assyrian Empire, which invaded from the northeast. They would also eventually fall to the Babylonians and later Persians.
After the Jewish exiles returned from exile (538 B.C.) and began work on rebuilding the second temple (536 B.C.), they would once again utilize Joppa as a receiving port for timber and supplies from Lebanon (Ezra 3:7).
From then on, Joppa would remain an important hub for trade and travel throughout the Greek and Roman empires. Over the centuries, many nations and peoples would capture, conquer, or pillage Joppa for their own advantage. Joppa would also play an important role in the Crusades, changing hands between the Christian and Muslim forces.
Today, Joppa holds historical significance for Christians, Jews, and Muslims, who each have a presence in the port city. It is famous for its bustling trade, beautiful gardens, and popular tourist sites—including the houses of Simon the tanner and Tabitha.
References
Brisco, Thomas. Holman Bible Atlas. Nashville: B&H Publishing Group, 1998.
Photo Credit: Getty Images/Jui-Chi Chan
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