Note 1 at Acts 8:26: Gaza was an ancient city of the Philistines that was inhabited long before Abram came into the land of Cannan (Gen. 10:19). It was located on the main trade route between Egypt and Mesopotamia, and was frequently mentioned in Old Testament scripture (Josh. 10:41; 11:22; 15:47; Jud. 1:18; 16:1, 21; 1 Sam. 6:16; 2 Ki. 18:8; J34. 47:1, 5). The Lord prophesied the destruction of Gaza because of its wickedness (Amos 1:6-7; Zeph. 2:4; Zech. 9:5), which came to pass in 96 B.C. under Alexander Jannaeus (Antiq. xiii. 13, 3).

In 62 B.C., Pompeii gave the jurisdiction of Gaza to Syria and Gabinius, the Roman governor of Syria, rebuilt the city in 57 B.C. on a site closer to the sea (approx. 2.5 miles from the sea). The new site was sometimes referred to as Gaza-by-the-sea and the old site as Desert Gaza. It is possible the terminology used by Luke in this verse is designating the old site.