Lexical Summary Akko: Akko Original Word: עַכּוֹ Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Acco Apparently from an unused root meaning to hem in; Akko (from its situation on a bay) -- Accho. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originof uncertain derivation Definition a city in Asher NASB Translation Acco (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs עַכּוֺ proper name, of a location Ακχω, Acco, in Asher, Judges 1:31, + Joshua 19:30 (P), reading ׳ע for ᵑ0 עֻמָּה, Di Kau Benn Ency. Bib., after ᵐ5 Manuscripts; a seaport north of Carmel (= Acre, Ptolemais), modern `Akka, compare BuhlGeogr. 228 (Egyptian ±A-ka, Ἀκη WMMAs.u.Eur.181; Assyrian Akkû, COTGloss, Tel Amarna Ak-ka). עכן (√ of following; meaning unknown). Topical Lexicon Geographical Setting Akko (modern Acre), situated on a promontory at the northern end of the Bay of Haifa, commands a natural harbor on the Mediterranean Sea. Sheltered by the Carmel range to the south and connected to the Phoenician coastal plain to the north, it lay on the Via Maris, the key coastal highway linking Egypt with Syria and Mesopotamia. The fertile hinterland, plentiful fresh-water springs, and ready maritime access made the site a coveted strategic and commercial center from Canaanite, Phoenician, and later Hellenistic times. Biblical Occurrence and Narrative Context The place name appears once: Judges 1:31 — “Asher failed to drive out the inhabitants of Acco or of Sidon or of Ahlab, Achzib, Helbah, Aphik, and Rehob.” The verse stands within the catalogue of Israel’s incomplete conquest, which contrasts the ideal expressed in Deuteronomy 7:1-5 with the historical reality recorded in Judges 1. Akko thus becomes a witness to partial obedience and its enduring consequences in Israel’s early settlement. Historical Significance 1. Canaanite and Phoenician Eras: Archaeological strata at Tel Akko reveal Late Bronze Age ramparts and a Phoenician quarter, confirming a vigorous maritime culture contemporaneous with Tyre and Sidon. Theological Reflections Akko’s lone Old Testament mention underscores the peril of half-hearted obedience. Asher’s failure allowed a strong pagan foothold within Israel’s territory, modeling how tolerated sin frustrates covenant blessings (compare Joshua 23:12-13). The city’s later prominence in international commerce reminds readers that worldly allure often competes with wholehearted devotion. Yet God’s sovereign purposes still unfold: centuries after Judges 1, the same harbor welcomed Paul, demonstrating the Lord’s ability to redeem places once marked by Israel’s compromise for the advance of the Gospel. Archaeological Insights Excavations distinguish a densely built Canaanite citadel, Phoenician industrial quarters with purple-dye installations, and extensive Hellenistic fortifications. Pottery imports from Cyprus, Egypt, and the Aegean corroborate the biblical image of a cosmopolitan hub. Crusader tunnels and vaulted warehouses still visible in modern Acre evoke the continuity of strategic value first implied by its mention in Judges. Ministry Applications • Incomplete obedience leaves spiritual “strongholds” that hinder future faithfulness; believers must drive out lingering sin decisively (Hebrews 12:1). Related References Joshua 19:24-31 – Tribal allotment to Asher, including coastal towns. Acts 21:7 – Paul’s stop at Ptolemais, the later name of Akko. Forms and Transliterations עַכּ֔וֹ עכו ‘ak·kōw ‘akkōw akKoLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Judges 1:31 HEB: אֶת־ יֹשְׁבֵ֣י עַכּ֔וֹ וְאֶת־ יוֹשְׁבֵ֖י NAS: out the inhabitants of Acco, or the inhabitants KJV: the inhabitants of Accho, nor the inhabitants INT: drive the inhabitants of Acco the inhabitants of Sidon 1 Occurrence |
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