Γάζα
Gáza
G1048 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Gaza; the principal city on the southwestern coastal plain, an ancient settlement known from Egyptian, Philistine, and Israelite periods, serving as a major fortified town and regional center. The term refers specifically to the city itself, but can in broader contexts indicate its surrounding territory or, metonymically, its inhabitants.
Semantic Range
city of Gaza, fortified settlement, region surrounding Gaza, metonym: inhabitants of Gaza
Root / Etymology
Borrowed from Hebrew עַזָּה (ʿazzāh), itself of uncertain etymology, known as a toponym long prior to the Hellenistic period. The Greek Γάζα is a direct transliteration of the Semitic place name.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Γάζα appears in Greek literature and the Septuagint to denote a historically prominent city situated at the southwestern edge of ancient Canaan. It was one of the major Philistine city-states (pentapolis). Its earliest Greek attestations are as a coastal fortress significant in trade between Egypt and the Levant. By the Hellenistic and Roman periods, Gaza was recognized for its strategic and economic importance. In the New Testament (Acts 8:26), Γάζα designates a geographic location along a major road, not a people group or abstract concept. English renderings as 'Gaza' preserve the ancient toponym, but older translations sometimes used variant spellings (e.g., 'Azzah'). The term never carries religious or ethnic connotations in Greek sources; its referent is strictly geographic.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
of Hebrew origin (עַזָּה); Gazah (i.e. Azzah), a place in Palestine:--Gaza.
Root Family
Γάζα (Gaza) — city, fortified place, Gaza (proper name)
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G1048-01 |
Γάζαν | gazan | N ACC F SG |
Gaza | Gaza | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G1048-01 |
Acts 8:26 | Γάζαν | gazan | N ACC F SG |
Gaza | Gaza |