Gazathites

The Gazathites are the inhabitants of Gaza, one of the five Philistine cities. The umbrella term carries the older form; in UPDV the population is consistently called "Gazites." They appear in the unconquered-territory list at the close of Joshua's allotments, and again in the Samson narrative when they surround the city to take him.

Inhabitants of Gaza in the Pentapolis

The opening of Joshua's allotment chapter notes the lands still unconquered, and lists Gaza's population among the Philistine pentapolis: "from the Shihor, which is before Egypt, even to the border of Ekron northward, [which] is reckoned to the Canaanites; the five lords of the Philistines; the Gazites, and the Ashdodites, the Ashkelonites, the Gittites, and the Ekronites; also the Avvim," (Jos 13:3).

The Ambush of Samson at the Gate

The Gazites reappear by name in the Samson cycle, when they catch wind of his arrival and lay an overnight ambush at the city gate: "The Gazites [were told], saying, Samson has come here. And they compassed him in, and laid wait for him all night in the gate of the city, and were quiet all the night, saying, [Wait] until morning light, then we will kill him" (Judg 16:2).