In the Old Testament, we have the most documentary data about the existence and deeds of the Philistines in present-day Israel and Palestine. They are mentioned in the books of Deuteronomy, Jeremiah, and Samuel. Do several people ask themselves who the philistines are? So reading this article, we’ll find out that the biblical texts say they came from an area called Capthor, which has not yet been identified. They were the enemies of Israel. They were the most united tribe stretching along the Mediterranean Sea off the coast. The god of the Philistine people was called Dagon. They are referred to as immigrants from the island of Capthfor and Crete to the land of Palestine.
The Philistines were the mortal enemies of the Jews in the Old Testament. Even God considered them His enemies because they attacked the Holy Nation of Israel. Although some researchers claim that the Philistines have European origins by the nature of their DNA, the Philistines were black. They could have been chosen people, joining the Israelites, but they didn’t want to. Because they co because the God of the Israelites was a dead god. And they underestimated God until they destroyed him.
They turn out to be mysterious people, and archaeologists are only now trying to discover the truth. They were people of the sea because they were on the Mediterranean. Being constantly at odds with the Jews, the “chosen people” of the Old Testament, the Philistines over the millennia came to have a reputation as vandals, warriors, malicious idolaters, in short, flawed characters. They became synonymous with the blasphemer bent on destruction. Beyond the biblical writings and a few other Egyptian and Assyrian mentions, strictly from a scientific point of view until a few decades ago, nothing was known about the Philistines.
Table of Contents
Who are the Philistines in the modern-day?
These people are described as warlike, cruel, and fond of drinking parties. At the same time, in the Bible, it is mentioned that they, unlike the Semites and Jews, were not circumcised, a sign that they came from a different cultural area. Specifically from the time of Pharaoh Ramses III. He fought against the Sea Peoples, the great union of tribes from the Mediterranean area that invaded Egypt. These warlike Philistines were also part of the Sea Peoples. Although the Bible contains the most numerous accounts of the Philistines, the earliest mention of them is from ancient Egypt.
The modern-day Philistines are the peoples of Gaza, Syria, Lebanon, and Jessel.
Their influence on the world at that time was significant enough for the land of Canaan to be called Palestine, the land of the Philistines. It is thought that the Philistines arrived in Canaan shortly after the Jews, and it was natural for the two ethnic groups to be rivals in the new land they came to live in. Unlike most of the surrounding Semitic peoples, the Philistines did not practice circumcision as genuine believers.
Tgenuineenesis of the Philistines
| First appearance: | the beginning of the second century B.C. |
| Origins: | South Europe |
| First migration: | Aegean Sea Region |
| Specific objectives: | pottery |
| Objects used for pottery: | all the objects they used when they flew were red and black |
| Nationality: | Aegean |
| Enemies: | The people of God, Israelites |
| Disappearance time: | 2600 years ago |
Biblical places where the Philistines fought
- Eben-ezer – The exact location of the Eben-ezer in the Bible
- Aphek – Where is Aphek located nowadays?
Where are the descendants of the Philistines?
The nation of fake gods of Abraham’s time was a peaceful and gentle people. The Political-administrative time system was headed by a king, Abimelech, who ruled them from a capital city. The Bible presents us with the Danish people, which are prominently mentioned in two distinct historical periods:
- in the time of Abraham
- in the time of kings Saul and David.
They had particularly many descendants who went on to have the same seed as they did. With the same character. (If you would like to read an article about King David, access the following link: Who was King David and why was he at war with the Philistines?)
Modern and present-day descendants of the Philistines are found in Italy, the Aegean, and all over Spain.
Shortly after arriving in Cannan, Abraham went to Egypt to escape the famine. Joseph would also come to Egypt, sold by his brothers. The young Hebrew man was elevated to high office and invited his family to move to Egypt. In its heyday, the New Kingdom period, Egypt ruled most of the Nile Valley, the Sinai Peninsula, and Palestine, all the way to the shores of the Euphrates.
Key Verse related to Philistines in Bible
For all the wells his father’s servants had dug in the days of Abraham, his father, the Philistines had stopped them and filled them with earth.
Are Philistines Canaanites?
The Canaanites are like inhabitants of today’s Israel at least six hundred years before Joshua’s military expeditions. Canaan is traditionally the area between the Sinai Peninsula and the Middle Euphrates and is referred to. It is the triple names Syria, Phoenicia, and Palestine, geographical or modern notions that do not accurately reflect the ethnic, cultural, and political realities of the area.
The Philistines and the Canaanites are two different peoples, so the Philistines do not belong to the Canaanites, although both are pagan.
The religion of the Canaanites was a testimony to the decadence and immorality of a human society separated from God, just like the philistines who believed in their deity. The supreme god was a kind of personification of fertility and rain. Baal is not a proper name but a generic name for the god. The fallen state of the Canaanites and Philistines drew God’s wrath and His determination to destroy them utterly.
What race are the Philistines?
Philistines have become sinful, numerous, and cruel, and God did not like it anymore. They organized their occupied territories into five local kingdoms, grouped into a confederation, the judges. Samson was famous for his bravery in fighting the Philistines. In Eli’s time, the Philistines attempted to conquer the entire land of the Jews. They even captured the Ark of the Law. Joshua tells us that their five kingdoms were:
- Gaza
- Ekron
- Ascalon
- Gat
- Ashdod
The Philistines are of the Aegean race. A race that dates back to the beginning of time.
Before the Jews entered the Promised Land, their ancestors encountered the Philistines in southwest Canaan. They settled in this area as mercenaries, a person employed on a salary in a foreign army, in the service of the Egyptian state. Their ethnicity and country cannot be specified. There are indications that they participated in the invasion of the Sea Peoples.
Why were the Philistines and Israelites enemies?
The Philistines posed a continuing threat to the Israelites. Even after the unification of the Jewish state, the Philistines remained independent, causing occasional disturbances afterward. Although they never took over a large area of land, their name is derived from Palestine, the country on the west side of the Jordan River.
The two biblical tribes, the Israelites and the Philistines were both at war and enemies because they wanted to have their share of territory and make their god known.
Samson became famous for his bravery in fighting the Philistines. In Eli’s time, the Philistines tried to conquer all the land of the Jews. In Samuel’s time, the Philistines destroyed the city of Shiloh, which was a Jewish worship center. Saul, Israel’s first emperor, fell on the battlefield in a conflict with the Philistines. David also fought them, defeating them and putting an end to the Jews.
Who was Dagon?
Dagon is one of the most ancient gods of antiquity, embodied as a being endowed with both a human and a monstrous side. In ancient times, the inhabitants of Greece and Crete seem to have worshipped Mother Earth as the goddess of fecundity but also of the ultimate return. From scholarly research, we can say that there was a cult at Knossos and Pylos and that a deity of nature and animals, Potnia Teron, was worshipped.
Dagon was a pagan god who was the non-existent enemy of God. He was the god of the Philistines, who stole the Ark of the Law, and God punished them in reward.
When the people of Ashdod saw this, they said: Let not the Ark of the God of Israel remain with us, for his hand is upon us and Dagon our God. And they sent and gathered unto them all the lords of the Philistines, and said: What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel? And the lords said, Let the ark of the God of Israel go to Gath.
How did the Israelite David conquer the giant Philistine?
We bring up again the most favorite topic and the great battle of the Bible between the Philistines and the Israelites. The Israelites reflected themselves as people of average stature and fear, even though God was with them. And the nation of Dagan mirrors itself in giant men, specifically the greatest giant, Goliath. Goliath was 3.46 meters tall (11.35 feet). Almost like in the book of Enoch, which predicts the realm of giants. David was the bravest of the Israelites and clothed himself with divine power in the battle against Goliath. When Goliath saw him, he nearly fell over laughing. A man is almost as big as his toe.
David defeated the Philistine Goliath by the power of the Holy Spirit, who helped him sling a pebble right into Goliath’s head, who also fell to the ground and hit his head, causing his death.
David went into battle with all the confidence and peace of God and divine clothing. The people of the nation thus feared the Israelites and fled because they were afraid of them. However, the Philistines settled in the 12th century in the southern part of Palestine.
What was the prayer of the Philistines people?
The Call of Cthulhu was the prayer the philistines used to worship Dagon.
Provision to all Oaths I’a’ Dagon! I submit to the authority of the Esoteric Order of Dagon. If I should betray these sacred oaths, I am theirs to try, and to punish, according to the ancient laws and the extent of my transgression. I’ll Dagon.
First Oath I’a’ Dagon! I swear I shall keep faith with the Deep Ones in all things. I shall not resist their will, nor shall I betray their secrets.
Second Oath I’a’ Dagon! I swear I shall serve the Deep Ones in all things, as they command me, to the furthest extent of my ability.
The Third Oath I’a’ Dagon! I’ll Hydra! I take this child of Dagon and Hydra as my (wife or husband), to take into my home, to spawn and raise children, so that the race, and the faith, shall continue to prosper. (Game: Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners)
4 Facts about the Philistines
The main enemies of the Jews and especially of God were the Philistines. The main characteristics of the Philistines are the following:
- criminals and people living in debauchery
- false belief in gods
- enemies of Moses
- enemies of the true faith
1. The Philistines are the main enemies of the Jews
They were the main enemies of the Jewish nation. In southern Palestine, on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, they made their genesis and historical inception.
2. The Bible characterizes the Philistines as destroyers and murderers
In the pages of the Holy Scriptures, we find relevant information that they were aggressive people. And the Jews feared them. They would not stop crying out to the Lord our God for us to save them from the hand of the Philistines. But they also had a side of fear found in the book of Samuel: While Samuel was sacrificing the burnt offering, the Philistines approached to engage Israel in battle. But on t day, the Lord thundered with mighty thunder against the Philistines and threw them into such a panic that they were confused before the Israelites.
3. The Philistines believed in different gods
They were a pagan people. Also, they are characterized as persons who worshipped gods or idols. And belong to the cult of heroes and gods who deviate from the dogmas of religion and have a heretical cult. They believe in gods and phenomena of nature.
The gods that the Philistines believed in were the following:
- Ashdod
- Ashtoreth
- Baal Zebub
- Dagan
4. The Philistines later became Palestinians
They became Palestinians, and later, frightened by the success that had accompanied Israel’s armies, the tribes in the northern parts of Palestine made a treaty of alliance against them. At the head of this coalition was Jabin, king of Hazor, a land lying west of Lake Merom.
Primary Takeaways
- The Philistines were a people whose origin was a very aggressive and evil one. They were people who did not want to do good things and honor God.
- God saw their wickedness of them and so defeated them and made a fool of them throughout human history by defeating the giant Goliath with the meek little psalmist and shepherd, David.
- Throughout biblical history, they were carnal enemies of the Israelites because of their false religion and worship of the god Dagan. Dagon was the principal deity they worshipped from the time of Samson at Gaza, Ashdod, and Beth-Shean in the days of Saul and David.
Conclusion
The Philistines were God’s most significant enemies because they wanted to defeat the people of Israel. Which was the chosen nation of the Creator. God offered them various chances to get even, but they refused to accept His existence and trusted in the dead and false god Dagon. If you want more details about the Philistines, check out The Philistines and Aegean Migration at the End of the Late Bronze Age on Amazon.
Also, if you enjoyed our article, please visit the following Quiz about the Philistines to test your biblical knowledge of the pagan tribe of the Philistines. Also, I suggest you access our Trivia section for different quizzes. Thank you for your time, and if you have any questions, please contact us anytime. May God bless you!
Quizlet about the Philistines
Bibliography
- Ehrlich, C. S. (1996). The transition: a history from ca. 1000-730 BCE (Vol. 10). Brill.
- Bunimovitz, S., & Lederman, Z. (2011). Canaanite resistance: the Beth-Shemesh—a case study from Iron Age I. Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research, 364(1), 37-51.
- Finkelstein, I. (1995). The Date of the Settlement of the Canaan. Tel Aviv, 22(2), 213-239.
- Finkelstein, I. (2002). The Bible: a late-monarchic perspective. Journal for the Study of the Old Testament, 27(2), 131-167.
- Machinist, P. (2000). Biblical Traditions: The Israelite. The Sea Peoples and Their World: A Reassessment, 108, 53.
