Tel Aviv-Jaffa

Acts 10:32 (KJS) Send therefore to Joppa, and call hither Simon, whose surname is Peter; he is lodged in the house of [one] Simon a tanner by the sea side: who, when he cometh, shall speak unto thee.

The starting point of our trip was Tel Aviv-Jaffa. The word "Tel" means city. Most "Tels" are where conquering nations built upon one another. Some tels have had has many as 15 to 20 cities built on that very spot.

Above to the left is a picture of Tel Aviv-Jaffa. The map shows where in Israel Tel Aviv-Jaffa is located. Jerusalem is Southeast & Caesarea is North along the coast line about 40 miles.

Tel Aviv-Jaffa by the sea

Left is a picture of Tel Aviv-Jaffa's coast line. It is just like the beaches back home in the USA. It is Israel's largest city (pop 343,300 1989). Jaffa(joppa) is one of the oldest known cities today.

Thought to be named for Noah's son Japhet, it was already ancient when mentioned in 15th century documents as an Egyptian and Canaainte port. Joshua allocated it to the tribe of Dan, and during David's and Solomon's rule it was Jerusalem's outlet to the great world. From here Jonah set sail to Tarshish and was swallowed by a whale. Here Peter lodged with Simon the tanner.

Below Jaffa(joppa) described by Easton's Dictionary:

Easton's Dict. [Joppa] # 2110
Joppa beauty, a town in the portion of Dan

Josh 19:46 And Mejarkon, and Rakkon, with the border before Japho. {before: or, over against} {Japho: or, Joppa}

A.V., "Japho", on a sandy promontory between Caesarea and Gaza, and at a distance of 30 miles north-west from Jerusalem. It is one of the oldest towns in Asia. It was and still is the chief sea-port of Judea. It was never wrested from the Phoenicians. It became a Jewish town only in the second century B.C. It was from this port that Jonah "took ship to flee from the presence of the Lord"

Jonah 1:3 But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD.

To this place also the wood cut in Lebanon by Hiram's men for Solomon was brought in floats.

2Chr 2:16 And we will cut wood out of Lebanon, as much as thou shalt need: and we will bring it to thee in floats by sea to Joppa; and thou shalt carry it up to Jerusalem.

Here the material for the building of the second temple was also landed.

Ezra 3:7 They gave money also unto the masons, and to the carpenters; and meat, and drink, and oil, unto them of Zidon, and to them of Tyre, to bring cedar trees from Lebanon to the sea of Joppa, according to the grant that they had of Cyrus king of Persia. {carpenters: or, workmen}

At Joppa, in the house of Simon the tanner, "by the sea-side," Peter resided "many days," and here, "on the house-top," he had his "vision of tolerance"

Acts 9:36 Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas: this woman was full of good works and almsdeeds which she did. {Dorcas: or, Doe, or, Roe}
37 And it came to pass in those days, that she was sick, and died: whom when they had washed, they laid [her] in an upper chamber.
38 And forasmuch as Lydda was nigh to Joppa, and the disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sent unto him two men, desiring [him] that he would not delay to come to them. {delay: or, be grieved}
39 Then Peter arose and went with them. When he was come, they brought him into the upper chamber: and all the widows stood by him weeping, and shewing the coats and garments which Dorcas made, while she was with them.
40 But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down, and prayed; and turning [him] to the body said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes: and when she saw Peter, she sat up.
41 And he gave her [his] hand, and lifted her up, and when he had called the saints and widows, presented her alive.
42 And it was known throughout all Joppa; and many believed in the Lord.
43 And it came to pass, that he tarried many days in Joppa with one Simon a tanner.

It bears the modern name of Jaffa, and exibituds all the decrepitude and squalor of cities ruled over by the Turks. "Scarcely any other town has been so often overthrown, sacked, pillaged, burned, and rebuilt." It was taken by the French under Napoleon in 1799, who gave orders for the massacre here of 4,000 prisoners. It is connected with Jerusalem by the only carriage road that exists in the country, and also by a railway completed in 1892. It is noticed on monuments B.C. 1600-1300, and was attacked by Sannacharib B.C. 702.

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