A very old city. It can also be spelled Askelon.
In the Bible, Ashkelon was one of the five main Philistine cities, also known as the "pentapolis," along with Gaza, Ashdod, Gath, and Ekron (Joshua 13:3). It was located on the Mediterranean coast, about 30 miles or 48 kilometers south of modern Tel Aviv. Ashkelon was always an important port. It often conflicted with Egypt and was captured by Ramses II around 1286 BC and by Merneptah around 1220 BC.
Ashkelon is mentioned as one of the cities conquered by Judah (Judges 1:18). After the Philistines invaded Canaan in the 12th century BC, it became one of their major centers. When Samson's riddle was solved through the deceit of his Philistine wife, he vented his anger in Ashkelon by killing 30 men (Judges 14:19). The city was partly responsible for driving the tribe of Dan from their land, so Samson, who was from that tribe, probably held a grudge against it.
Ashkelon also appears in the story of the Philistine control of the ark (1 Samuel 4–6). When Saul and Jonathan died, David mourned their loss and said that their deaths should not be announced in Ashkelon (2 Samuel 1:20). Various Old Testament prophets also refer to Ashkelon (Jeremiah 25:20; 47:5–6; Amos 1:8; Zephaniah 2:4–7; Zechariah 9:5).
During Israel's decline, King Pekah of Israel, King Rezin of Damascus, and the king of Ashkelon rebelled against Assyria. Tiglath-pileser III, king of Assyria, responded with three successive campaigns from 734 to 732 BC, the first of which conquered Ashkelon.
Later, Nebuchadnezzar destroyed the city and deported many of its inhabitants to Egypt during his conquest of Palestine in 604 BC. Over time, various groups took control of the city, including the Scythians, Chaldeans, Persians, Greeks, and Maccabees.
Ashkelon was Herod the Great's birthplace, and ruins of his building projects can still be found there. Although Ashkelon is not mentioned in the New Testament, it was a battleground during the Jewish rebellion against Rome in AD 66.