‘ Ekron, with her towns (daughters) and her villages, from Ekron even to the sea, all that were by the side of Ashdod, with their villages. Ashdod, her towns and her villages, Gaza, her towns and her villages, to the Brook of Egypt and the Great Sea and its border.'
We must remember that all these cities, both those mentioned before and those described here, were allotted to Judah for her to possess. (These Philistine cities were specifically stated as not being possessed during Joshua's lifetime - Joshua 13:3). As with the other tribes mentioned later it was their responsibility under God to go forward and possess them. That they failed in God's purpose history has revealed, and the Book of Judges makes clear the reason for the failure, loss of impetus, failure to fully observe the covenant and sin, even though in the time of Samuel some of them appear to have been in Israel's hands (1 Samuel 7:14).
“Ekron, with her towns (daughters) and her villages, from Ekron even to the sea, all that were by the side of Ashdod, with their villages.” The sea is of course the Mediterranean, ‘the great Sea'. Ekron, along with Ashdod and Gaza, was one of the five major Philistine cities. This use of ‘daughters' is reminiscent of Numbers 21:25; Numbers 32:42. For ‘and her villages' compare Genesis 25:16; 1 Chronicles 6:56. The description indicates Ekron's sphere of influence. It should be noted that it is elsewhere described as one of the cities that had been ‘taken from Israel' by the Philistines (1 Samuel 7:14). That may be referring to Judges 1:18. It was on the border with Dan (Joshua 19:43).
If Ekron is to be identified with Khirbet al-Muqanna‘ it was occupied in the early bronze age and then not in any density until the early iron age. It was at one stage a walled city of some forty acres.
“Ashdod, her towns and her villages, Gaza, her towns and her villages, to the River (Nahal) of Egypt and the Great Sea and its border.” This boldly makes clear that all Philistine territory was Judah's by divine right. The River of Egypt was the torrent-wadi of el-‘Arish. The description covers the whole coastal plain within Judah's boundaries. Ashdod is Tel Ashdod, six kilometres south east of the modern village. It had a principal port (Asudimmu in Akkadian sources) and a temple of Dagon (1 Samuel 5:1). Gaza was the southernmost of the Philistine cities, and it occupied an important position on the trade routes. It would appear that Joshua possibly captured it (Joshua 10:41 - although the reference may only mean that he reached that landmark). The site of the ancient city lies within the modern city. Limited excavation has revealed evidence of both late bronze age and iron age occupation and the presence of Philistine pottery.