5910. Akko
Lexical Summary
Akko: Akko

Original Word: עַכּוֹ
Part of Speech: Proper Name Location
Transliteration: `Akkow
Pronunciation: ah-KOH
Phonetic Spelling: (ak-ko')
KJV: Accho
NASB: Acco
Word Origin: [apparently from an unused root meaning to hem in]

1. Akko (from its situation on a bay)

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 Origin
of 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.
2. Assyrian and Persian Periods: Tribute lists of Tiglath-Pileser III and later Persian administrative texts mention the city, indicating its continued economic weight.
3. Hellenistic and Roman Times: Renamed Ptolemais under the Ptolemies, the port flourished as a Greco-Roman polis. Acts 21:7 notes Paul’s brief visit, highlighting the city’s role as a stepping-stone for Gospel travel along the coast.
4. Early Christian and Crusader Eras: Church fathers record a local Christian presence by the third century. During the Crusades, Acre (Akko) became the capital of the Latin Kingdom’s remnant after Jerusalem fell, further shaping Christian history.

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).
• Akko’s transformation from a Canaanite enclave to a waypoint for apostolic mission illustrates God’s capacity to repurpose even compromised spaces for His glory.
• Coastal gateway cities today, much like ancient Akko, influence vast cultural networks; intentional evangelism in such centers can ripple far beyond their walls.

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 akKo
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Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman'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

Strong's Hebrew 5910
1 Occurrence


‘ak·kōw — 1 Occ.

5909
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