Eker (Hastings' Dictionary)

A Jerahmeelite (1 Ch 2"). See Genealogy. EKREBEL ('EK/)e;9i5X), Jth 7".— Apparently the town of 'Akrabeh, E. of Shechem, the capital of Akrabattine (SWF ii. sh. 12). EERON d'npv, 'Ax/copiiv), one of the five principal cities of the Philistines, the one farthest to the N. (Jos 13'). It was a centre, having towns and villages dependent upon it (Jos 15"). In the first division of the land W. of the Jordan it was assigned to Judah, being on the N.

boundary of that tribe (Jos IS'"- •"•"), but in the later division the boundaries were so rectified as to give it to Dan (Jos 19"). It is mentioned as among the cities not captured under Joshua (Jos 13^). After his death it was taken by Judah (Jg 1") ; but the possession was not permanent, for we afterwards find it in the hands of the Philistines till the time of David. It is prominently mentioned in the history of the time when the ark was in the land of the Philistines (1 S 5.

6), and in connexion with later events (1 S 7'* 17'>f). Like the rest of the Phil, cities, it became practically indfjpendent soon after the disruption. It is mentioned in history in the time of Jehoshaphat (2 K P- '■ "• "), in the time of Amos (Am 1°, Zee 9'-'), and in the time of Jeremiah (Jer 25-°). The records of Sennacherib, king of Assyria, mention a revolt of E. from the Assyrians to Hezekiah, and the condign punishment inflicted (see, e.g., Smith's Assijr. Disc. pp. 304-306).

It is found in the Apocrypha (1 Mac 10^, AV Accaron) as a place given by Alexander Balas to Jonathan MaccabiEus in reward for his services. It is spoken of in connexion with a march of king Baldwin the crusader, A.D. 1100 (Robinson, BRP ii. 228). It is apparently identified with 'Akir, 4 miles E. of Ycona, and is now a station on the railway from Jafi'a to .Jerusalem. (See PHILISTINES. See also Smith, HGHL 193, 218). Ekronite A citizen of Ekron.

The word is used in the singular in Jos 13', where ' the Ekronite ' is spoken of, meaning the people of Ekron collectively, and in the plur.al in 1 S 5'°, where the citizens are siioken of individually. W. J. Beecher.