Amos 1:8 - Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible

The inhabitant: see Amos 1:5. Ashdod: see Zephaniah 2:4 Malachi 9:6. This was one of the five cities of the Philistines, and had its roitelet. it was afterwards called Azotus, Acts 8:40. In this city was Dagon's temple and statue, 1 Samuel 5:1-3. The like threat against Ashdod did Jeremiah denounce, Jeremiah 25:16, with Jeremiah 25:20. Him that holdeth the sceptre: see Amos 1:5. Ashkelon; another city of the Palestine pentarchy, and a very strong one, of which see Zephaniah 2:7 Malachi 9:5,6, which shall perish with the king and inhabitants thereof; which (besides what Shalmaneser, Sennacherib, or Sargon, kings of Assyria, did, and besides what Hezekiah did against Ashkelon) had some accomplishment in Nabopolassar's and Nebuchadnezzar's time, and in Alexander the Great, to whom this city, as well as Gaza and Ashdod, became subject. I will turn mine hand against Ekron; having destroyed these, saith the Lord, I will proceed on to Ekron, another of the five cities of the Philistines, strong, but, as the rest, cruel to Israel, and very sinfully idolatrous, worshipping Baal-zebub, for which this shall be destroyed also: see Zephaniah 2:4 Malachi 9:5. The remnant of the Philistines; what remaineth either of cities, towns, or people, not already expressly mentioned and threatened. Shall perish; be cut off, and wasted utterly. Saith the Lord God; when all this shall be done, though perhaps ye may not know, yet know ye this, that assuredly it shall be done in its time, for the Lord hath said it.