Biblical Nations - Philistines

Philistines

Key Scripture: Zephaniah 2:5

Figures: Abimelech, Goliath, Achish

During our study of Biblical people groups, some of the names that have been studied are quite familiar while others are obscure and relatively unknown.  This week we'll dive into the Philistines - a nation that is discussed frequently in Scripture, but has certain mysterious details absent from their story.  This has led to some misconceptions and guesswork from readers, especially regarding their origin and ultimate destiny.  Let's dig deeper into this familiar name and see if we can't uncover some facts that we may not have known before. 

Like so many of the nations discussed in the Old Testament, we are first introduced to the Philistine people when they are mentioned in Genesis 10.  While it is clear that the inhabitants of Philistia are descended from Ham's son Mizraim, their specific geographic origin has become disputed because of conflicting translations.  Two specific names are mentioned, either or both of which could be interpreted as the source of the Philistine people: Casluh and Caphtor.  Currently, scholars link Caphtor with the island of Crete due to a connection with the Minoan civilization centered there in the 15th century BC, while Casluh may be related to modern Greek lands surrounding the Aegean Sea.  Modern DNA tests of infants found buried beneath Ashkelon suggest a strong link to either Crete or the Iberian Peninsula.  There is a well-known collapse of many Late Bronze Age civilizations beginning around 1200 BC caused in part by the arrival of invading "Sea Peoples".  Minoan, Hittite, and numerous Canaanite groups were destroyed and sent into a prolonged Dark Age, while Egypt and Assyria were able to survive and document the disaster.  It has been theorized that Egyptian records indicate that the Philistine people were among the invaders, and the records of Rameses III suggest he defeated the invaders but permitted them to settle in cities along the major trade route that extended east from Egypt along the Mediterranean coast. 

The timing of Philistine involvement in the Canaanite region can easily be traced to the era that roughly coincides with the Exodus, approximately 1200 BC, but what about the interactions between the Philistines and both Abraham and Isaac?  Some Biblical and rabbinical scholars insist the people in Genesis couldn't be the same group that are later encountered in Judges.  Were inhabitants from the islands off the Greek coast living among the Semitic peoples 700 years earlier?  The two patriarchs both visited a city named Gerar under the rule of Abimelech, and archeologists have identified a location called Tel Haror near Gaza as the same historical location.  Among their findings there from several centuries before the Philistines were thought to have arrived are multiple examples of Minoan graffiti and pottery that matches Greek form (but not Canaanite).  Perhaps the reason for the Egyptian pharaoh settling the defeated invaders in the five cities that eventually became so associated with Philistine culture was that an Aegean society had already existed there, and maybe he believed such a move would reinforce his control over the vital trade route into the Levant.

God deliberately had Moses avoid the road that led toward Philistine territory when the Israelites left Egypt, leading them instead toward the road that found an apparent dead end at the Red Sea.  Despite their presence among the Canaanites within the Promised Land, however, the Philistines were not among the groups that fell under the command of total destruction.  That said, it didn't take long for the new inhabitants to have problems with the residents in Gaza, Gath, Ashkelon, Ashdod, and Ekron.  Joshua noted that the Anakim only existed in some of the Philistine cities and commanded that their territory be included and divided among the tribes of Israel.  That conquest never took place and by the time of the judges, the lords of Philistia were already beginning to oppress the Hebrew people.  The third judge listed after Joshua's death was Shamgar, who killed 600 Philistines.  Later, Samson had some of the most regular and memorable conflicts, beginning with his wedding to his first wife, a Philistine, and continuing through multiple attempts to capture him until his betrayal at the hands of Delilah (suspected to be a Philistine, but never confirmed by Scripture).  Eventually Samson avenged himself on the Philistines by breaking down a temple, killing 3,000 of them and dying in the process.

Throughout the times of Israel's final judge, Samuel, and first two kings, the Philistines were the most commonly-mentioned antagonist against God's people.  At one point they captured the Ark of the Covenant, but returned it shortly thereafter once it proved to be dangerous to idols of their god, Dagon, as well as to the health of the citizens of whatever city allowed it to enter.  Historically, the Philistines were known to have a better understanding of the use of iron than their contemporaries, and the Bible records that Israelites had to depend on Philistine smiths to create and maintain both weapons and tools.  Saul fought regularly with them, winning often but ultimately losing his final battle (and his life) at their hands.  It was during one such battle that David became famous throughout Israel when he defeated the Philistine giant, Goliath, in single combat.  The young future king had interactions numerous times with the Philistines before ascending to his throne, even joining forces for a time with Achish, king of Gath, in an effort to evade King Saul.  After he was king, however, David continually attacked and defeated the Philistine armies until they were eventually subjugated.  His son, Solomon, never had to wage war against the lords of the five Philistine cities. 

Although Israel had taken the fight out of their western neighbors for a while, the Philistines maintained their identity and animosity towards the Jewish people for generations.  Future kings would later continue the fight, including Jehoram who lost a battle (along with his riches, wives, and all but his youngest son) to the Philistines, as well as Uzziah who tore down the walls of both Gath and Ashdod.  Numerous prophets foretold of the ultimate destruction of the Philistine people, including Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Amos, Joel, Obadiah, Zephaniah, and Zechariah.  Each of the Philistine cities were later attacked and controlled by Egypt as well as by the Assyrian Empire that had already taken the northern kingdom of Israel into exile, but they did not get fully destroyed until the Babylonians invaded during the reign of Nebuchadnezzar.  A number of their people who were relocated to Mesopotamia retained their culture and language for nearly 100 years, but by the following century they had lost their unique identity and were ultimately lost to history.  Although the region's name "Palestine" came from a Greek rendering of the Egyptian name for the Philistines, they are not related in any way to modern inhabitants of the territory near Gaza that bear that name.