Joppa, meaning beautiful, is located on Israel's Mediterranean seacoast between Caesarea and Gaza, about 35 miles (57 kilometers) northwest of Jerusalem. It is known variously in the Bible as Japho, Jaffe, or Yafo. Today, the ancient city of Joppa (in photograph) is annexed to the modern city of Tel Aviv, Israel's largest city.

• The earliest known written reference to Joppa is found in inscriptions on the wall of the temple of Karnak at Thebes (see Ancient Egypt). In it, Thutmose II, who ruled from 1490 to 1436 B.C., boasts of capturing a number of cities of Israel, including Joppa.

• After the Israelites entered the Promised land under Joshua, the tribe of Dan received Joppa and Tribal Lands), but it was later lost to the Philistines.

• King David re-took Joppa in his time, and when Solomon succeeded his father as king, he developed it into Israel's major seaport. It was to Joppa that Hyram, king of Tyre sent cedar logs to use in building the original Temple of God in Jerusalem (2 Chronicles 2:11,16)

• Through Bible history, the city was in turn taken by the Assyrians (see Ancient Assyria), Babylonians and King Nebuchadnezzar, Persians (see Ancient Persia), Greeks (see Ancient Greece) and Romans (see Ancient Rome and in which it was included in the kingdom of Herod the Great.

• In the New Testament, Joppa was the home of Tabitha, also known as Dorcas, a Christian lady known for her goodness and generosity. When she became ill and died, Peter, by the power of God, restored her to life (Acts 9:36-41). It was also at Joppa, while in the home of Simon the tanner, that Peter had the vision that showed him that the Gospel was to go out to Gentiles as well as Jews (Acts 10:9-16, 36-43).