Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897)
Firm-rooted, the most northerly of the five towns belonging to the lords of the Philistines, about 11 miles north of Gath. It was assigned to Judah (Josh. 13:3), and afterwards to Dan (19:43), but came again into the full possession of the Philistines (1 Sam. 5:10). It was the last place to which the Philistines carried the ark before they sent it back to Israel (1 Sam. 5:10; 6:1-8). There was here a noted sanctuary of Baal-zebub (2 Kings 1: 2, 3, 6, 16). Now the small village Akir.
C. 702, when Sennacherib set free its king, imprisoned by Hezekiah in Jerusalem, according to the Assyrian record.
Smith's Bible Dictionary (1863)
(torn up by the roots; emigration), one of the five towns belonging to the lords of the Philistines, and the most northerly of the five. (Joshua 13:3) Like the other Philistine cities its situation was in the lowlands. It fell to the lot of Judah. (Joshua 15:45,46; Judges 1:18) Afterwards we find it mentioned among the cities of Dan. (Joshua 19:43) Before the monarchy it was again in full possession of the Philistines. (1 Samuel 5:10) Akir, the modern representative of Ekron, lies about five miles southwest of Ramleh . In the Apocrypha it appears as Accaron. 1Macc 10:89 only.
Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible (1898) & Schaff's Bible Dictionary
EK'RON (emigration), the most northerly of the five cities of the Philistines, Josh 13:3; in the lowlands of Judah, Josh 15:11; conquered by Judah, Josh 15:45; allotted to Dan 19:43; reconquered by Samuel, 1 Sam 5:10; 1 Sam 7:14 again a Philistine city, 1 Sam 17:52 2 Kgs 1:2; Jer 25:20; Am 1:8; Zech 9:5; now called Akir, on a hill 12 miles south-east of Joppa, a wretched village of about 50 mud hovels. " Zeph 2:4.
Hitchcock's Bible Names (1869)
barrenness; torn away