Asdood
or ASDOUD, a small seaport of Palestine, on the Mediterranean, 35 miles W. of Jerusalem. It was the Ashdod of Scripture, one of the five confederate cities of the Philistines, and one of the seats of the worship of Dagon. It occupied a commanding position on the high road from Palestine to Egypt, and was never subdued by the Israelites.
It sustained against Psammetichus a siege of 29 years B. C. 630; was destroyed by the Maccabees, and restored by the Romans, B. c. 55. It is now an insignificant village called Esdud, from which the sea is constantly receding.