The Philistines were deadly enemies of ancient Israel. They originated in Caphtor (Crete) but eventually settled in Canaan (Amos 9 7, Jer 47 4) As early as Genesis, we read that “Abraham so journed in the Philistine’s land many days” (Gen 21:34) and “Isaac went unto Abimelech king of the Philistines unto Gerar” (Gen 26 1) While both Abraham and Isaac allowed the Philistine king to take their wives, God arranged circumstances so their spouses were safely returned.
Later, about the time Israel wandered m the wilderness, the people known to the Egyptians as sea people (Philistines) attacked them Egypt defeated them but, after the victory, the Philistines occupied the southwest coast of Palestine perhaps joining others of their race who had settled there before Abraham’s day Five cities were established, known as the Philistine Pentapolis — Gaza, Ashkelon, Gath, Ashdod and Ekron. The continued presence of the Philistines in these cities was not accidental
Troublers of Israel
The scriptures indicate the Philistines and other nations were left m the land to “prove Israel by them, to know whether they would hearken unto the commandments of the Lord, which he commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses” (Jdg 3 3,4) From Joshua’s time onward, Philistine warriors periodically threatened or attacked Israel.
Several times during the time of the judges and kings, the Philistines made life difficult for some in Israel At one point the Philistines forbade an Israelite to sharpen his own ax For reasons of defense they had outlawed the blacksmith trade in Israel (I Sam 13 20).
The book of Judges describes cycles of wickedness, repression, repentance and deliverance A typical cycle begins “The children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the Lord, and served Baalim and the gods of the Philistines, and forsook the LORD, and served not him And the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel, and he sold them into the hands of the Philistines, and into the hands of the children of Ammon” (Jdg 10 6,7) Then a judge raised up by God would break the oppression and give deliverance Yet when the deliverer died, the cycle began anew.
The events which took place in the five Philistine cities give a brief impression of the struggle between Israel and the Philistines Archaeological and Biblical evidence suggests the Philistines occupied these cities intermittently for hundreds of years.
Gaza
Meaning “stronghold,” Gaza was the capital and southernmost of the five cities It was located on a major trade route between Egypt and Asia Although Joshua conquered the city (Josh 10 41), it was recaptured by Philistines during his lifetime (Josh 13 3) The tribe of Judah appears to have retaken it later (Jdg 1:18), but by Samson’s day, it again belonged to the Philistines (Jdg 16).
After visiting a harlot, Samson avoided being captured by removing the city gates of Gaza and carrying them 40 miles to Hebron When betrayed by Delilah and imprisoned m Gaza, the Philistines blinded Samson In spite of losing his sight, Samson was then given an opportunity to use his great strength He pushed against the columns of Dagon’s temple and collapsed it so “the house fell upon the lords, and upon all the people that were therein So the dead which he slew at his death were more than they which he slew in his life” (Jdg 16:30)
Later Gaza was captured by Egypt as Jeremiah the prophet had spoken (Jer 47 1) By Jesus’ day, Gaza and surroundings had become a waste wilderness (Acts 8 26) Today it is again a troubled area just outside the border of Israel.
Ashkelon
This second city of the Philistines lay on the Mediterranean coast 20 km northeast of Gaza The name means “weighing-place” Although Ashkelon was also taken by Judah (Jdg 118), it was Philistine territory by Samson’s time.
By slaying 30 Philistines and taking their spoil, Samson obtained his 30 changes of garments for those who “solved” his riddle (Jdg 14 19) Little else is recorded about Ashkelon, but since no tears were shed there when Saul and Jonathan died (II Sam 1 20), we assume it remained a Philistine stronghold in David’s day.
Much later, Ashkelon was captured by Sennacherib, the Assyrian warrior-king Zephaniah prophesied both its destruction and the return of the territory to Israel (Zeph 2 4-7) The prophet says “And the coast shall be for the remnant of the house of Judah, they shall feed thereupon in the houses of Ashkelon shall they he down in the evening for the LORD their God shall visit them, and turn away their captivity” (Zeph 2 7) This prophesy has been fulfilled in part since Ashkelon is now in Israelite territory The complete fulfillment awaits our Lord’s return when Zephaniah’s words will come true in the fullest sense.
Gath
Meaning “wine press,” Gath was 20 km northeast inland from Ashkelon Famous for its giant men (I Sam 17:4,II Sam 21:20), Gath was earlier the home of the Anakims (Jos 11 22, Deut 2:21)
Unusual as it seems, David sought refuge in Gath when fleeing from Saul His pretended madness led to him being driven from the city (I Sam 2115) Later David returned and pretended to fight his own people, winning the favor of Achish, the king, who granted him Ziklag on the border of Israel Eventually David captured Gath and other Philistine towns for Israel (I Chron 18 1) and Gath remained in Israel’s hands during Solomon’s reign (I Kgs 2 39)
Later Rehoboam fortified many cities, including Gath against Jeroboam (II Chron 11 8), but eventually Hazael, king of Syria, took Gath and “set his face to go up to Jerusalem” (II Kgs 12 17) King Josiah’s reaction was to avert Hazael’s attack by giving to him “all the gold that was found in the treasures of the house of the LORD” (II Kgs 12 18)
Ashdod
The word means “powerful” in Hebrew It was situated on a hill close to the Mediterranean coast 15 km northwest of Gath After the ark was captured from Israel, the Philistines brought it to Gath and placed it in the temple of the god Dagon (part man, part fish) This act proved disastrous to Dagon and after two nights all that was left of Dagon was a stump (I Sam 5 1-7) The harm extended to the citizens of Ashdod who were afflicted with a plague of emerods (tumors) Dagon, the Philistine god, proved no match for the living God of Israel.
Much later, King Uzziah of Judah warred against the Philistines at Ashdod, breaking down its walls True to his promise, God helped Uzziah in his attack and scripture records new cities were built around Ashdod (II Chron 26:6,7).
In 711 BC, Sargon II captured Ashdod as prophesied by Isaiah (Isa 20:1).
In Nehemiah’s day, the Jews intermarried with the women of Ashdod creating a new problem the children of such marriages could not speak in the Jew’s language (Neh 13:24).
Ekron
The last of the five cities has a name meaning “extermination” It lay 15 km northeast of Ashdod It was also captured by Judah (Jdg 118), but the city was back in Philistine hands at the time the ark was captured (I Sam 5:10).
When King Ahaziah was sick, he inquired of Baalzebub, the god of Ekron, if he would recover Worship had become so distorted that Elijah had to ask “Is it not because there is not a God m Israel that ye go to m-quire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron?” (II Kgs 1 3) Needless to say, Ahaziah did not recover.
Promises to come
Today we take hope in the promise that a better time for Israel is corn-mg In the words of the Psalmist “Moab is my wash pot, over Edom will I cast out my shoe, over Philistia will I triumph” (Psa 108:9).
God must be trusted before He will give us the victory Faith is a vital ingredient m our salvation To quote the Psalmist again “Through God we shall do valiantly for he it is that shall tread down our enemies” (Psa 108:13)
Only a few Israelites, like David, took God’s words to heart (Acts 13 22) Had the children of Israel believed in God’s protection when they faced the Philistines, much sorrow and bloodshed would have been avoided Let us always remember not to forsake the true God and put no trust in the “gods of the Philistines.”
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One