A town on the southwest coast of Palestine, the nearest port to Jerusalem (called Japho in Josh. 19: 46). It became a place of importance as a harbor in Solomon’s reign (2 Chr. 2: 16; see also Ezra 3: 7; Jonah 1: 3; 1 Macc. 14: 5; Acts 9: 36-43; Acts 10: 5 ff.; Acts 11: 5). In N.T. times it was the only town on the coast that was more Jewish than gentile.