Bible Meaning: The strong
Strong's Concordance #H5804
Gaza is the southernmost of the five major cities controlled by the Philistines (Joshua 13:3). Although it was given to the tribe of Judah as an inheritance, the Philistines dominated it for many years.
Gaza is famous as the place where Samson, after he used the services of a harlot, broke off the city's two gates and carried them with him to the top of a hill (Judges 16:1 - 3)!
New Testament Mention
An angel of the Lord tells Philip the evangelist to travel near Gaza. The purpose of the journey is so that he can evangelize and baptize an Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8:26 - 40).
The modern-day territory named the Gaza strip, a section of land occupied by Israel after its 1967 Six-Day War victory, gets its name from the ancient city.
Important Verses
Genesis 10:19
And the border of the Canaanite was from Sidon, as thou goest toward Gerar, unto Gaza: as thou goest toward Sodom and Gomorrah and Admah and Zeboiim, unto Lasha.
Joshua 11:22
And at that time came Joshua, and cut off the Anakims from the mountains, from Hebron, from Debir, from Anab, and from all the mountains of Judah, and from all the mountains of Israel: Joshua destroyed them utterly with their cities.
There was none of the Anakim left in the land of the children of Israel: only in Gaza, in Gath, and in Ashdod, did some remain.
Judges 16:1, 3
And Samson went to Gaza, and saw there a harlot, and went in unto her.
And Samson lay till midnight, and arose at midnight, and took the doors of the gate of the city, and the two posts, and went away with them, bar and all, and put them upon his shoulders, and carried them up to the top of an hill that is before Hebron.
And the Philistines laid hold on him, and put out his eyes: and they brought him down to Gaza, and bound him with fetters of brass: and he did grind in the prison-house.
1Samuel 6:17
And these are the golden tumors which the Philistines returned for a trespass-offering unto Jehovah: for Ashdod one, for Gaza one, for Ashkelon one, for Gath one, for Ekron one:
Amos 1:1, 6
The words of Amos, who was among the herdmen of Tekoa, which he saw concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel, two years before the earthquake.
Thus saith Jehovah: For three transgressions of Gaza, yea, for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof: because they carried away captive the whole people, to deliver them up to Edom.
Acts 8:26
But an angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza: the same is desert.