Jonah 1:3 Joppa is a small port city on the Mediterranean coast of Israel that was allotted to Dan (Josh 19:46) that was known as “the gate of Jaffa” in the Egyptian correspondence of the fourteenth century BC in the El-Amarna letters.  Here Solomon imported lumber from Tyre to build the temple (and his palace; see also Ezra 3:7). 

From Joppa, Jonah set sail for Tarshish, going west instead of east, fleeing the call of God for the Gentiles.  Here is where Peter received that same message while on Simon the Tanner’s roof in Joppa: that God cares about the Gentiles and has declared Gentiles as “pure” (Acts 10).  Peter had to be reminded that while “menu” had ritually pure and impure distinctions, “man” was created in the image of God and was not to be considered “unclean” (Acts 10:28,34-45; footnote: Chris Miller, "Did Peter's Vision in Acts 10 Pertain to Men or the Menu?" Bibliotheca Sacra 159 (2002).  Unfortunately, the traditional house of Simon the Tanner has been occupied in the late 1990s by a Muslim family and is not open to the public.

Earlier, Judah the Maccabean had taken the city after 200 Jews were drowned (2 Macc 12:3ff) and Peter here raised Dorcas to life (Acts 9:36).  Excavations have revealed an ancient Egyptian gate (14th century) as well as domestic architecture from the Hellenistic and Roman period in the underground Jaffa Museum.

Joppa is a small port city on the Mediterranean coast of Israel that was allotted to Dan (Josh 19:46) It was known as “the gate of Jaffa” in the Egyptian correspondence of the fourteenth century BC in the El-Amarna letters and was Israel's main port until the construction of Herod's artificial port at Caesarea. 

Here Solomon imported lumber from Tyre to build the temple (and his palace; see also Ezra 3:7). From Joppa, Jonah set sail for Tarshish, going west instead of east, fleeing the call of God for the Gentiles. Here is where Peter received that same message while on Simon the Tanner’s roof in Joppa: that God cares about the Gentiles and has declared Gentiles as “pure” (Acts 10). Peter had to be reminded that while “menu” had ritually pure and impure distinctions, “man” was created in the image of God and was not to be considered “unclean” (Acts 10:28,34-45; see Chris Miller, "Did Peter's Vision in Acts 10 Pertain to Men or the Menu?" Bibliotheca Sacra 159 [2002]). Apparently, the traditional house of Simon the Tanner was occupied in the late 1990s by a Muslim¹ family and is not open to the public.

Earlier, Judah the Maccabean had taken the city after 200 Jews were drowned (2 Macc 12:3ff) and Peter here raised Dorcas to life (Acts 9:36). Excavations have revealed an ancient Egyptian gate (14th century), as well as domestic architecture from the Hellenistic and Roman period, housed in the underground Jaffa Museum.