John Gill Commentary Acts 8:40

"But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached the gospel to all the cities, till he came to Caesarea." — Acts 8:40 (ASV)

But Philip was found at Azotus. The same with the Ashdod of the Philistines, famous for the temple of Dagon, (1 Samuel 5:1) where the Septuagint call it Azotus, as here:

However all the hindmost of them were slain with the sword: for they pursued them unto Gazera, and unto the plains of Idumea, and Azotus, and Jamnia, so that there were slain of them upon a three thousand men.'' ``Whereof when Apollonius heard, he took three thousand horsemen, with a great host of footmen, and went to Azotus as one that journeyed, and therewithal drew him forth into the plain, because he has a great number of horsemen, in whom he put his trust.'' ``But Jonathan set fire on Azotus, and the cities round about it, and took their spoils; and the temple of Dagon, with them that were fled into it, he burned with fire.'' ``And when he came near to Azotus, they showed him the temple of Dagon that was burnt, and Azotus and the suburbs thereof that were destroyed, and the bodies that were cast abroad and them that he has burnt in the battle; for they had made heaps of them by the way where he should pass.''

where mention is made of Beth Dagon, and the idol's temple in it; and by Herodotus ^F16, Pliny ^F17, and Ptolomy ^F18; and it is now called Palmis, according to R. Benjamin ^F19; it was about fifty four miles from Jerusalem, and two hundred and seventy furlongs, Or four and thirty miles ^F20 from Gaza:

and passing through; or, as he passed along through that and other places:

he preached in all the cities; that lay in his way; which shows his zeal and diligence:

till he came to Caesarea; not Caesarea Philippi, (Matthew 16:13) but that which was before called Strato's tower, and was rebuilt by Herod, and called Caesarea, in honour of Augustus Caesar ^F21; and not by Caesar himself, as R. Benjamin says ^F23: it was six hundred furlongs, or seventy five miles from Jerusalem ^F24, This place was famous for Jewish Rabbins, and their schools of learning; frequent mention is made of (Nyroyqd Nynbr) , "the Rabbins of Caesarea" ^F25; here Philip seems to have stopped, and stayed awhile.

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FOOTNOTES:

• F16: L. 2. c. 157.
• F17: L. 5. c. 13.
• F18: L. 5. c. 16.
• F19: Itinerar. p. 51.
• F20: Diodor. Sicul. l. 19. c. 95.
• F21: Joseph. de Bello Jud. l. 1. c. 7. sect. 8. & c. 21. sect. 5. 7.
• F23: ltinerar. p. 37.
• F24: Joseph. de Bello Jud. l. 1. c. 3. sect. 5. & Antiqu. l. 13. c. 19.
• F25: T. Hieros. Challa, fol. 57. 2. & passim.