Ek´ruhn; Heb., meaning uncertain, possibly “barren place” or “fertile place”
The northernmost city of the Philistine Pentapolis. Now identified as Khirbet el Muqanna’ (Tel Miqne), it lies about twenty-two miles west of Jerusalem. It was assigned to the territory of Judah (Josh 15:11) or to Dan (Josh 19:43), but was reported to be in Philistine hands when the Ark was taken there (1Sam 5:10). The town received defeated forces of the Philistines (1Sam 17:52) as David’s gains brought compression of Philistine territory. In prophetic traditions Elijah was called to challenge the authority of Ekron’s god, Baal-zebub, to indicate Israelite king Amaziah’s fate (2Kgs 1:2-16). (Amos 1:8), (Jer 25:20), (Zeph 2:4), and (Zech 9:5, Zech 9:7) denounced Ekron as a symbol of evil power to be destroyed.
