Aphek (â'fek), strength. The name of several towns. 1. A royal city of the Canaanites whose king was slain by Joshua. Joshua 12:18. It was near Hebron, and probably the same as Aphekah. Joshua 15:53. 2. A city of Asher, Joshua 19:30, in the north of Palestine, near Sidon, Joshua 13:4; supposed to be the same as Aphik, Judges 1:31, and the classical Aphaca, noted in later history for its temple of Venus; now Afka, near Lebanon. 3. A place where the Philistines encamped before the ark was taken, 1 Samuel 4:1, northwest of Jerusalem and near Shocho, now Belled el-Foka. 4. A place near Jezreel, in Issachar, where the Philistines were, before defeating Saul, 1 Samuel 29:1, and cannot be identified with No. 3, as some have suggested. 5. A walled city in the plains of Syria, on the road to Damascus. 1 Kings 20:26; 1 Kings 20:30; 2 Kings 13:17. It was about six miles east of the Sea of Galilee; now called Fik.