Joppa

Joppa is a seaport, and its first appearance is a practical one. Solomon’s builders promise to cut timber in Lebanon and bring it “in floats by sea to Joppa,” where it can be carried up to Jerusalem. Centuries later, in Acts 10, Peter is staying in the town when he goes up on the housetop to pray, grows hungry and falls into a trance. A great sheet comes down full of animals, and a voice says, “Rise, Peter; kill, and eat.” He answers, “Not so, Lord,” and is told, “What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.” It happens three times. Acts 10 carries the whole scene.

11 verses

2 Chronicles

2 Chronicles 2:16

And we will cut wood out of Lebanon, as much as thou shalt need: and we will bring it to thee in floats by sea to Joppa; and thou shalt carry it up to Jerusalem.

Acts

Acts 10:9

On the morrow, as they went on their journey, and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray about the sixth hour:

Acts 10:10

And he became very hungry, and would have eaten: but while they made ready, he fell into a trance,

Acts 10:11

And saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending unto him, as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners, and let down to the earth:

Acts 10:12

Wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air.

Acts 10:13

And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat.

Acts 10:14

But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean.

Acts 10:15

And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.

Acts 10:16

This was done thrice: and the vessel was received up again into heaven.

Acts 10:17

Now while Peter doubted in himself what this vision which he had seen should mean, behold, the men which were sent from Cornelius had made enquiry for Simon's house, and stood before the gate,

Acts 10:18

And called, and asked whether Simon, which was surnamed Peter, were lodged there.

From Easton's Bible Dictionary

Matthew George Easton, 1897

Beauty, a town in the portion of Dan (Josh. 19:46; A.V., “Japho”), on a sandy promontory between Caesarea and Gaza, and at a distance of 30 miles north-west from Jerusalem. It is one of the oldest towns in Asia. It was and still is the chief sea-port of Judea. It was never wrested from the Phoenicians. It became a Jewish town only in the second century B.C. It was from this port that Jonah “took ship to flee from the presence of the Lord” (Jonah 1:3). To this place also the wood cut in Lebanon by Hiram’s men for Solomon was brought in floats (2 Chr. 2:16); and here the material for the building of the second temple was also landed (Ezra 3:7). At Joppa, in the house of Simon the tanner, “by the sea-side,” Peter resided “many days,” and here, “on the house-top,” he had his “vision of tolerance” (Acts 9:36-43). It bears the modern name of Jaffa, and exibituds all the decrepitude and squalor of cities ruled over by the Turks. “Scarcely any other town has been so often overthrown, sacked, pillaged, burned, and rebuilt.” Its present population is said to be about 16,000. It was taken by the French under Napoleon in 1799, who gave orders for the massacre here of 4,000 prisoners. It is connected with Jerusalem by the only carriage road that exists in the country, and also by a railway completed in 1892. It is noticed on monuments B.C. 1600-1300, and was attacked by Sannacharib B.C. 702.

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From Smith's Bible Dictionary

William Smith, 1884

(beauty), now Jaffa , a town on the southwest coast of Palestine, in the portion of Dan. (Joshua 19:46) Having a harbor attached to it --though always, as still, a dangerous one --it became the port of Jerusalem in the days of Solomon, and has been ever since. Here Jonah "took ship to flee from the presence of his Maker." Here, on the house-top of Simon the tanner, "by the seaside," St. Peter had his vision of tolerance. (Acts 11:5) The existing town contains about 4000 inhabitants.