Philistines in the Bible
Meaning: those who dwell in villages
Exact Match
and the Pathrusim, and the Casluhim, out of whom came the Philistines, and the Caphtorim.
After they had made a covenant at Beer-sheba, Abimelech and Phicol, the commander of his army, left and returned to the land of the Philistines.
And Abraham lived as a foreigner in the land of the Philistines for many days.
There was another famine in the land in addition to the one that had occurred in Abraham’s time.
When Isaac had been there for some time, Abimelech king of the Philistines looked down from the window and was surprised to see
He had flocks of sheep, herds of cattle, and many slaves, and the Philistines were envious of him.
The Philistines stopped up all the wells that his father’s slaves had dug in the days of his father Abraham,
Isaac reopened the water wells that had been dug in the days of his father Abraham and that the Philistines had stopped up after Abraham died. He gave them the same names his father had given them.
When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them along the road to the land of the Philistines, even though it was nearby; for God said, “The people will change their minds and return to Egypt if they face war.”
The nations heard, and were afraid. Pangs came upon the Philistines.
And I put thy bounds from the sea of sedge, and even to the sea of the Philistines, and from the desert even to the river: for I will give into your hand those inhabiting the land, and thou drove them out from before thee.
This is the land that remains: all the regions of the Philistines and all those of the Geshurites;
from the Shihor [waterway] which is east of Egypt [at the southern end of Canaan], northward to the border of Ekron (all of it regarded as Canaanite); the five rulers of the Philistines: the Gazite, Ashdodite, the Ashkelonite, the Gittite, the Ekronite; and the
These were the nations: the five lords of the Philistines, all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites living in Mount Lebanon, from Mount Baal Hermon to Lebo-Hamath.
After Ehud came Shamgar son of Anath; he killed six hundred Philistines with an oxgoad and, like Ehud, delivered Israel.
The Israelites again did evil in the Lord's sight. They worshiped the Baals and the Ashtars, as well as the gods of Syria, Sidon, Moab, the Ammonites, and the Philistines. They abandoned the Lord and did not worship him.
The Lord was furious with Israel and turned them over to the Philistines and Ammonites.
The Lord said to the Israelites, "Did I not deliver you from Egypt, the Amorites, the Ammonites, the Philistines,
The Israelites again did evil in the Lord's sight, so the Lord handed them over to the Philistines for forty years.
Look, you will conceive and have a son. You must never cut his hair, for the child will be dedicated to God from birth. He will begin to deliver Israel from the power of the Philistines."
Samson went down to Timnah and at Timnah he saw a woman, one of the daughters of the Philistines.
So he went back and told his father and his mother, “I saw a woman in Timnah, one of the daughters of the Philistines; now get her for me as a wife.”
But his father and mother said to him, "Certainly you can find a wife among your relatives or among all our people! You should not have to go and get a wife from the uncircumcised Philistines." But Samson said to his father, "Get her for me, because she is the right one for me."
Now his father and mother did not realize this was the Lord's doing, because he was looking for an opportunity to stir up trouble with the Philistines (for at that time the Philistines were ruling Israel).
When the Philistines saw he had no attendants, they gave him thirty groomsmen who kept him company.
Samson said to them, "This time I am justified in doing the Philistines harm!"
He lit the torches and set the jackals loose in the Philistines' standing grain. He burned up the grain heaps and the standing grain, as well as the vineyards and olive groves.
The Philistines asked, "Who did this?" They were told, "Samson, the Timnite's son-in-law, because the Timnite took Samson's bride and gave her to his best man." So the Philistines went up and burned her and her father.
The Philistines went up and invaded Judah. They arrayed themselves for battle in Lehi.
The men of Judah said, "Why are you attacking us?" The Philistines said, "We have come up to take Samson prisoner so we can do to him what he has done to us."
Three thousand men of Judah went down to the cave in the cliff of Etam and said to Samson, "Do you not know that the Philistines rule over us? Why have you done this to us?" He said to them, "I have only done to them what they have done to me."
They said to him, "We have come down to take you prisoner so we can hand you over to the Philistines." Samson said to them, "Promise me you will not kill me."
When he arrived in Lehi, the Philistines shouted as they approached him. But the Lord's spirit empowered him. The ropes around his arms were like flax dissolving in fire, and they melted away from his hands.
He was very thirsty, so he cried out to the Lord and said, "You have given your servant this great victory. But now must I die of thirst and fall into hands of the Philistines?"
And Samson judged Israel in the days of [occupation by] the Philistines for twenty years.
The rulers of the Philistines went up to visit her and said to her, "Trick him! Find out what makes him so strong and how we can subdue him and humiliate him. Each one of us will give you eleven hundred silver pieces."
So the rulers of the Philistines brought her seven fresh bowstrings which had not been dried and they tied him up with them.
They hid in the bedroom and then she said to him, "The Philistines are here, Samson!" He snapped the bowstrings as easily as a thread of yarn snaps when it is put close to fire. The secret of his strength was not discovered.
So Delilah took new ropes and tied him with them and said to him, "The Philistines are here, Samson!" (The Philistines were hiding in the bedroom.) But he tore the ropes from his arms as if they were a piece of thread.
So she made him go to sleep, wove the seven braids of his hair into the fabric on the loom, fastened it with the pin, and said to him, "The Philistines are here, Samson!" He woke up and tore away the pin of the loom and the fabric.
When Delilah saw that he had told her his secret, she sent for the rulers of the Philistines, saying, "Come up here again, for he has told me his secret." So the rulers of the Philistines went up to visit her, bringing the silver in their hands.
She said, "The Philistines are here, Samson!" He woke up and thought, "I will do as I did before and shake myself free." But he did not realize that the Lord had left him.
The Philistines captured him and gouged out his eyes. They brought him down to Gaza and bound him in bronze chains. He became a grinder in the prison.
The rulers of the Philistines gathered to offer a great sacrifice to Dagon their god and to celebrate. They said, "Our god has handed Samson, our enemy, over to us."
Now the temple was filled with men and women, and all the rulers of the Philistines were there. There were three thousand men and women on the roof watching Samson entertain.
Samson called to the Lord, "O Master, Lord, remember me! Strengthen me just one more time, O God, so I can get swift revenge against the Philistines for my two eyes!"
Samson said, "Let me die with the Philistines!" He pushed hard and the temple collapsed on the rulers and all the people in it. He killed many more people in his death than he had killed during his life.
Samuel revealed the word of the Then the Israelites went out to fight the Philistines. They camped at Ebenezer, and the Philistines camped at Aphek.
The Philistines arranged their forces to fight Israel. As the battle spread out, Israel was defeated by the Philistines, who killed about four thousand men in the battle line in the field.
When the army came back to the camp, the elders of Israel said, "Why did the Lord let us be defeated today by the Philistines? Let's take with us the ark of the covenant of the Lord from Shiloh. When it is with us, it will save us from the hand of our enemies.
When the Philistines heard the sound of the shout, they said, "What is this loud shout in the camp of the Hebrews?" Then they realized that the ark of the Lord had arrived at the camp.
The Philistines were scared because they thought that gods had come to the camp. They said, "Too bad for us! We've never seen anything like this!
Be strong and act like men, you Philistines, or else you will wind up serving the Hebrews the way they have served you! Act like men and fight!"
So the Philistines fought. Israel was defeated; they all ran home. The slaughter was very great; thirty thousand foot soldiers fell in battle.
The messenger replied, "Israel has fled from the Philistines! The army has suffered a great defeat! Your two sons, Hophni and Phineas, are dead! The ark of God has been captured!"
Now the Philistines had captured the ark of God and brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod.
The Philistines took the ark of God and brought it into the temple of Dagon, where they positioned it beside Dagon.
So they assembled all the leaders of the Philistines and asked, "What should we do with the ark of the God of Israel?" They replied, "The ark of the God of Israel should be moved to Gath." So they moved the ark of the God of Israel.
So they assembled all the leaders of the Philistines and said, "Get the ark of the God of Israel out of here! Let it go back to its own place so that it won't kill us and our people!" The terror of death was throughout the entire city; God was attacking them very severely there.
When the ark of the Lord had been in the land of the Philistines for seven months,
the Philistines called the priests and the omen readers, saying, "What should we do with the ark of the Lord? Advise us as to how we should send it back to its place."
Then said they, What shall be the trespass offering which we shall return to him? They answered, Five golden emerods, and five golden mice, according to the number of the lords of the Philistines: for one plague was on you all, and on your lords.
"Five gold tumors and five gold mice," they answered, "according to the number of the lords of the Philistines, since the same plague was on all of you and on your lords. Make images of your tumors and images of the mice that are destroying your land, and you are to give glory to the God of Israel. Perhaps he will remove his pressure from you, your gods, and your land.
Then the cows went directly on the road to Beth Shemesh. They went along, mooing as they went; they turned neither to the right nor to the left. The leaders of the Philistines were walking along behind them all the way to the border of Beth Shemesh.
The five leaders of the Philistines watched what was happening and then returned to Ekron on the same day.
These are the gold sores that the Philistines brought as a guilt offering to the Lord -- one for each of the following cities: Ashdod, Gaza, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron.
And the golden mice, according to the number of all the cities of the Philistines belonging to the five lords, both of fenced cities, and of country villages, even unto the great stone of Abel, whereon they set down the ark of the LORD: which stone remaineth unto this day in the field of Joshua, the Bethshemite.
So they sent messengers to the residents of Kiriath Jearim, saying, "The Philistines have returned the ark of the Lord. Come down here and take it back home with you."
Samuel said to all the people of Israel, "If you are really turning to the Lord with all your hearts, remove from among you the foreign gods and the images of Ashtoreth. Give your hearts to the Lord and serve only him. Then he will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines."
When the Philistines heard that the Israelites had gathered at Mizpah, the leaders of the Philistines went up against Israel. When the Israelites heard about this, they were afraid of the Philistines.
The Israelites said to Samuel, "Keep crying out to the Lord our God so that he may save us from the hand of the Philistines!"
As Samuel was offering burnt offerings, the Philistines approached to do battle with Israel. But on that day the Lord thundered loudly against the Philistines. He caused them to panic, and they were defeated by Israel.
Then the men of Israel left Mizpah and chased the Philistines, striking them down all the way to an area below Beth Car.
So the Philistines were defeated; they did not invade Israel again. The hand of the Lord was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.
The cities that the Philistines had captured from Israel were returned to Israel, from Ekron to Gath. Israel also delivered their territory from the control of the Philistines. There was also peace between Israel and the Amorites.
"At this time tomorrow I will send to you a man from the land of Benjamin. You must consecrate him as a leader over my people Israel. He will save my people from the hand of the Philistines. For I have looked with favor on my people. Their cry has reached me!"
After that thou shalt come to the hill of God, where is the garrison of the Philistines: and it shall come to pass, when thou art come thither to the city, that thou shalt meet a company of prophets coming down from the high place with a psaltery, and a tabret, and a pipe, and a harp, before them; and they shall prophesy:
And when they forgat the LORD their God, he sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain of the host of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab, and they fought against them.
And Jonathan smote the garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba, and the Philistines heard of it. And Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land, saying, Let the Hebrews hear.
And all Israel heard say that Saul had smitten a garrison of the Philistines, and that Israel also was had in abomination with the Philistines. And the people were called together after Saul to Gilgal.
And the Philistines gathered themselves together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the sea shore in multitude: and they came up, and pitched in Michmash, eastward from Bethaven.
And Samuel said, What hast thou done? And Saul said, Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that thou camest not within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered themselves together at Michmash;
Therefore said I, The Philistines will come down now upon me to Gilgal, and I have not made supplication unto the LORD: I forced myself therefore, and offered a burnt offering.
And Saul, and Jonathan his son, and the people that were present with them, abode in Gibeah of Benjamin: but the Philistines encamped in Michmash.
And the spoilers came out of the camp of the Philistines in three companies: one company turned unto the way that leadeth to Ophrah, unto the land of Shual:
Now there was no smith found throughout all the land of Israel: for the Philistines said, Lest the Hebrews make them swords or spears:
But all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, to sharpen every man his share, and his coulter, and his axe, and his mattock.
And the garrison of the Philistines went out to the passage of Michmash.
Now it came to pass upon a day, that Jonathan the son of Saul said unto the young man that bare his armour, Come, and let us go over to the Philistines' garrison, that is on the other side. But he told not his father.
And between the passages, by which Jonathan sought to go over unto the Philistines' garrison, there was a sharp rock on the one side, and a sharp rock on the other side: and the name of the one was Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh.
And both of them discovered themselves unto the garrison of the Philistines: and the Philistines said, Behold, the Hebrews come forth out of the holes where they had hid themselves.
Jonathan crawled up on his hands and feet, with his armor bearer following behind him. Jonathan struck down the Philistines, while his armor bearer came along behind him and killed them.
And it came to pass, while Saul talked unto the priest, that the noise that was in the host of the Philistines went on and increased: and Saul said unto the priest, Withdraw thine hand.
Saul and all the army that was with him assembled and marched into battle, where they found the Philistines in total panic killing one another with their swords.
Moreover the Hebrews that were with the Philistines before that time, which went up with them into the camp from the country round about, even they also turned to be with the Israelites that were with Saul and Jonathan.
Likewise all the men of Israel which had hid themselves in mount Ephraim, when they heard that the Philistines fled, even they also followed hard after them in the battle.
How much more, if haply the people had eaten freely to day of the spoil of their enemies which they found? for had there not been now a much greater slaughter among the Philistines?
And they smote the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon: and the people were very faint.
And Saul said, Let us go down after the Philistines by night, and spoil them until the morning light, and let us not leave a man of them. And they said, Do whatsoever seemeth good unto thee. Then said the priest, Let us draw near hither unto God.
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Thematic Bible
the Bow » Used expertly by » Philistines
Chariots » Used in war by the » Philistines
unholy Fear » Exemplified » Philistines
Hand » Figurative » Anthropomorphic » Hand of the lord » Against » Philistines
Hemorrhoids » Disease » Afflicted » Philistines
Israel » Under the judges » Backsliders » Chastisement » Philistines
Israel » Under the judges » Shamgar » Resists » Deliverance » Philistines
Israel » Before » Separation » Two kingdoms » Struck down » Philistines
Pas-dammim » Battle » Between » David » Philistines
Philistines » Prophecies against
and all the foreign people living among them; all the kings of the land of Uz; all the kings of Philistia, those from the cities of Ashkelon, Gaza, and Ekron, and the people left in Ashdod;
The coast will be for the remnant of the house of Judah. They will feed their flocks there. They will rest at night in the houses of Ashkelon. Jehovah their God will visit them and gather back the captive ones.
Philistines » David » Often defeated in the course of his reign
After this there was a battle with the Philistines at Gob. Sibbecai from Hushah killed a giant named Saph a descendant of Rapha. There was another battle with the Philistines at Gob. Elhanan son of Jair from Bethlehem killed Goliath from Gath. Goliath's spear had a shaft as thick as the bar on a weaver's loom. There was another war, this time in Gath. One of the enemy soldiers was a descendant of the Rephaim. He was as big as a giant and had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot. When he challenged Israel, Jonathan, son of David's brother Shimei, killed him. These four were descendants of Haraphah from Gath. David and his men killed them.
David went to Baal Perazim and defeated the Philistines. He said: Jehovah has overwhelmed my enemies in front of me like an overwhelming flood. That is why that place is called Baal Perazim (Master of Breaking Through) The Philistines left their idols there. David and his men carried them all away. The Philistines again attacked and overran the valley of Rephaim. Once again David consulted Jehovah. Jehovah answered David: Do not attack them from here. Go around and get ready to attack them from the other side, near the balsam trees.
Next in rank to him was Shammah, the son of Agee from Harar. The Philistines had gathered at Lehi, where there was a field of ripe lentils. When the troops fled from the Philistines, he stood in the middle of the field and defended it by killing Philistines. So Jehovah won an impressive victory.
Philistines » Lords of
Philistines » Men of great strength and stature amongst
The shaft of his spear was like the beam used by weavers. The head of his spear was made of fifteen pounds of iron. The man who carried his shield walked ahead of him.
Philistines » David » Had a guard composed of
Philistines » Territory of
Philistines » Country of » Given by God to the israelites
Philistines » Country of » Divided into five states or lordships
Philistines » Descendants of mizraim
Philistines » Kings of » Achish
Right there in front of everyone, he pretended to be insane. He acted confused and scratched up the doors of the town gate. He drooled in his beard. Look at him! Achish said to his officers. You can see he is crazy. Why did you bring him to me? I have enough crazy people without your bringing another one here. Keep him away from my palace!
David said to Achish: If it is all right with you, let me live in one of the outlying towns. Why should I live in the royal city with you? Achish immediately gave him Ziklag. This is why Ziklag still belongs to the kings of Judah today. David lived in Philistine territory for one year and four months. David and his men raided the Geshurites, the Girzites, and the Amalekites. Their territory extends from Telaim to Shur and Egypt. David attacked the territory and left no man or woman alive. He also took sheep, cattle, donkeys, camels, and clothing and returned to Achish. Achish would ask: Whom did you raid today? David would answer: The south country (Negev) in Judah, or the south country of the Jerahmeelites, or the south country of the Kenites. He did not bring a single man or woman back to Gath alive. He thought, they could tell Achish what I really did. This was his practice as long as he lived in Philistine territory. Achish trusted David and thought: David's people must be furious with him. From now on he will have to take orders from me.
Philistines » Defeated by david
David went to Baal Perazim and defeated the Philistines. He said: Jehovah has overwhelmed my enemies in front of me like an overwhelming flood. That is why that place is called Baal Perazim (Master of Breaking Through) The Philistines left their idols there. David and his men carried them all away. The Philistines again attacked and overran the valley of Rephaim. Once again David consulted Jehovah. Jehovah answered David: Do not attack them from here. Go around and get ready to attack them from the other side, near the balsam trees. Attack when you hear the sound of marching in the treetops. I will be marching ahead of you to defeat the Philistine army. David did what Jehovah commanded. He drove the Philistines back from Geba all the way to Gezer.
he stood in the middle of the field and defended it by killing Philistines. So Jehovah won an impressive victory. At harvest time three of the thirty leading men came to David at the cave of Adullam when a troop from the Philistine army was camping in the valley of Rephaim. David was on a fortified hill. A group of Philistines occupied Bethlehem. David grew homesick. He said: I wish someone would bring me a drink of water from the well by the gate at Bethlehem! The three famous soldiers forced their way through the Philistine camp. They then drew some water from the well, and brought it back to David. But he would not drink it. He poured it out as an offering to Jehovah.
David and his men went to Baal Perazim. He defeated them there. He said: As waters break out, God has broken out against my enemies by my hand. So that place was called Baal Perazim (the lord who breaks out). The Philistines abandoned their gods. So David gave orders to burn them in the fire. Once more the Philistines raided the valley. David inquired of God again, and God answered him: Do not go straight up, but circle around them and attack them in front of the balsam trees. As soon as you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, move out to battle. That will mean God has gone out in front of you to strike the Philistine army. David did as God commanded him. They struck down the Philistine army all the way from Gibeon to Gezer.
Philistines » Prophecies respecting » Utter destruction by pharaoh king of egypt
The time has come to destroy all the Philistines, to cut off from Tyre and Sidon any Philistine who might have escaped to get help. Jehovah will destroy the Philistines and anyone who is left from the island of Crete.
Philistines » Called cherethites
Philistines » Ziklag a town of, taken and plundered by the amalekites
Philistines » Israel condemned for imitating
Philistines » David » Often defeated during saul's reign
David consulted Jehovah once again, and Jehovah said to him: Go attack Keilah! I will give you victory over the Philistines. David and his men went to Keilah and fought the Philistines. They drove off their livestock, and overwhelmingly defeated them. So David rescued the people who lived in Keilah.
Philistines » Called » The cherethites
Philistines » Defeated by israel at ephes-dammim and pursued to ekron
Philistines » Prophecies respecting » Hatred and revenge against israel to be fully recompensed
Philistines » Prophecies respecting » Destruction and desolation of their cities
Philistines » Prophecies respecting » Dismay at ruin of tyre
Philistines » Character of » Warlike
Philistines » David » Gained the confidence of achish king of
Philistines » Gathered all their armies to aphek against israel
Philistines » Prophecies respecting » Their country to be a future possession to israel
Philistines » Were a great people and governed by kings in the patriarchal age
Philistines » Character of » Idolatrous
Philistines » Always confederated with the enemies of israel
Philistines » Samson » Intermarried with
Philistines » Country of » Called philistia
Philistines » Originally dwelt in the land of caphtor
Philistines » Sent by God against jehoram
Philistines » Distressed judah under ahaz
Philistines » Defeated by uzziah
Philistines » Called casluhim
Philistines » David » Procured saul's daughter for an hundred foreskins of
Philistines » David » Slew goliath the champion of
The Philistine asked David: Am I a dog that you come to attack me with sticks? So the Philistine called on his gods to curse David. Come here, the Philistine told David, and I will give your body to the birds. David answered: You come out to fight me with a sword and a spear and a dagger. But I come out to fight you in the name of Jehovah of Hosts. He is the Almighty God of Israel's army. You have insulted him! Today Jehovah will help me defeat you. I will knock you down and cut off your head! I will feed the bodies of the other Philistine soldiers to the birds and wild animals. Then the whole world will know that Israel has a real God. Everybody here will see that Jehovah does not need swords or spears to save his people. Jehovah always wins his battles. He will help us defeat you! Goliath started forward and David ran toward him. He put a rock in his sling and swung the sling around by its straps. When he let go of one strap, the rock flew out and hit Goliath on the forehead. It cracked his skull. He fell facedown on the ground. So David overcame the Philistine with his leather band and a stone. The Philistine was wounded and laying on the ground. But David had no sword in his hand.
Philistines » For their history during the leadership of samson see
Philistines » Miraculously discomfited
Then Saul said to Ahijah: Bring the Ark of God here. At that time it was with the Israelites. While Saul was talking to the priest, the confusion in the Philistine camp grew worse. Then Saul said to the priest: Remove your hand. Saul and all the people with him came together and went forward to the battle. Every man's sword was turned against the man at his side. There was a very great noise. The Hebrews who had been with the Philistines for some time went to their camp. They joined the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan. All the men of Israel who had taken cover in the mountains of Ephraim, hearing that the Philistines had been put to flight chased them and attacked them. Jehovah made Israel safe that day. The battle shifted to Beth-aven.
Philistines » defeated » By saul and jonathan
Philistines » Called » The caphtorims
Philistines » Battle » Jonathan
Johathan tried to go over to the Philistines garrison between the passes. There was a rocky crag on each side. The name of the one was Bozez, and the name of the other crag was Seneh. One cliff was on the north side of the pass facing Michmash. The other was on the south side facing Geba. Jonathan said to the young man: Let us cross over to the camp of those heathen Philistines. Maybe Jehovah will help us. If he does, nothing can keep him from giving us the victory no matter how few of us there are. His armor bearer answered him: Do whatever you have in mind. Go ahead! I agree with you. We will do this, Jonathan said. We will go across so they can see us. If they agree to come to us down the hill and fight where we are, then we will not climb up to their camp. But we will go to them if they tell us to come up the hill and fight. That will mean Jehovah will help us win. So they let the Philistines see them. The Philistines said: Some Hebrews are coming out of the holes they were hiding in! They called out to Jonathan and the young man: Come up here! We have something to tell you! Jonathan said to the young man: Follow me, for Jehovah gives Israel victory over them. Jonathan climbed out of the pass on his hands and knees. The young man followed him. Jonathan attacked the Philistines and knocked them down. The young man killed them. In that first slaughter Jonathan and the young man killed about twenty men in an area of about half an acre.
Philistines » Defeat the israelites and kill saul and his sons
Philistines » Called caphtorim
Philistines » Conquered the avims and took from them the west coast of canaan
Philistines » Israel defeated by, and saul slain
He said to the young man carrying his weapons: Draw your sword and kill me. That way these godless Philistines will not gloat over me and kill me. But the young man was too terrified to do it. So Saul took his own sword and threw himself on it. The young man saw that Saul was dead. Then he too threw himself on his own sword and died with Saul. That is how Saul, his three sons, and the young man died. All of Saul's men died that day. The Israelites on the other side of Jezreel Valley and east of the Jordan River heard that the Israelite army had fled and that Saul and his sons had been killed. They abandoned their towns and fled. Then the Philistines came and occupied the towns. The next day the Philistines came to strip the dead. They found Saul and his three sons lying on Mount Gilboa. They cut off his head and stripped off his armor. Then they sent men throughout Philistine territory to tell the people this good news in their idols' temples. They put his armor in the temple of their goddesses the Asherahs and fastened his corpse to the wall of Beth Shan.
Philistines » Defied israel by their champion
The shaft of his spear was like the beam used by weavers. The head of his spear was made of fifteen pounds of iron. The man who carried his shield walked ahead of him. Goliath stood and called to the Israelites: Why do you form a battle line? Am I not a Philistine? Are you Saul's servants? Choose a man, and let him come down to fight me. If he can fight me and kill me we will be your slaves. But if I overpower him and kill him you will be our slaves and serve us. The Philistine added: I challenge the Israelite battle line today. Send out a man so we can fight each other.
Philistines » Descended from casluhim
Philistines » Samson » Pulled down the house of dagon and destroyed immense numbers of
Philistines » Samson » Slew a thousand with the jawbone of an ass
Philistines » David » Fled to, for safety
Word soon reached Saul that David fled to Gath. So he stopped hunting for him. David said to Achish: If it is all right with you, let me live in one of the outlying towns. Why should I live in the royal city with you? Achish immediately gave him Ziklag. This is why Ziklag still belongs to the kings of Judah today. David lived in Philistine territory for one year and four months.
Philistines » David » Distrusted by
This is David, the one about whom the women sang, as they danced: Saul has killed thousands, but David has killed tens of thousands. Achish called David and said: I swear by the living God of Israel that you have been loyal to me. I would be pleased to have you go with me and fight in this battle. I have found no fault in you from the day you came to me. But the other kings do not approve of you. Go home in peace. Do not do anything that would displease them.
Philistines » Jonathan smote a garrison of, at geba and provoked them
Philistines » Sent back the ark and were healed
What guilt offering (trespass gift) shall we send him? The people asked. They answered: Five gold models of tumors and five gold mice, one of each for each Philistine king. The same plague was sent on all of you and on the five kings. You must make these models of the tumors and of the mice that are ravaging your country. You must give honor to the God of Israel. Perhaps he will stop punishing you, your gods, and your land. Why are you as stubborn as the Egyptians and their Pharaoh were? When he did terrible (mighty) things among them did he let the Israelites go? Now get a new cart ready for two dairy cows that have never been yoked. Hitch the cows to the cart. Take their calves away and leave them in their stall. Take the Ark of Jehovah and put it on the cart. Put the gold objects that you are giving him as a guilt offering in a box beside the Ark. Send the cart on its way. Then watch where it goes. If it goes up the road to its own country toward Beth Shemesh, then this disaster is Jehovah's doing. But if not, we will know it was not his hand that struck us, but what happened to us was an accident. The men did this. They took two milk cows and tied them to the cart. They placed their calves in pens at home. They laid the Ark of Jehovah on the cart, and the box with the mice of gold and the images of their tumors. The cows went straight ahead to Bethshemesh. They went on the highway lowing as they went. They did not turn aside to the right or to the left. And the lords of the Philistines followed them to the border of Bethshemesh. The people of Bethshemesh were reaping their wheat harvest in the valley. They looked up and saw the ark. They rejoiced to see it. The cart came to the field of Joshua, a Bethshemite, and stood there. There was a great stone. They cut the wood of the cart and offered the cows as a burnt offering to Jehovah. The Levites removed the cart the Ark of Jehovah and the box that contained the gold objects. They put them on the large rock. The people of Bethshemesh presented burnt offerings and sacrifices to Jehovah that day. After the five rulers of the Philistines saw this, they went back to Ekron that same day. The Philistines sent the five gold tumors to Jehovah as a gift (guilt offering) to pay for their sins. They included one for each of the cities of Ashdod, Gaza, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron. They also sent gold mice, one for each of the cities ruled by the five Philistine kings, both the fortified towns and the villages without walls. The large rock in the field of Joshua of Bethshemesh, on which they placed the Ark of Jehovah's Covenant, is still there as a witness to what happened.
Philistines » Defeated israel and took the ark
When the Philistines heard the noise, they asked: What is all this shouting in the Hebrew camp? The Philistines found out that Jehovah's ark was brought into the camp. Then they were frightened and said: A god has come into their camp. They also said: Oh no! Nothing like this has ever happened before. We are in trouble now! Who will deliver us from the power of these mighty gods? These are the gods who struck the Egyptians with plagues in the desert wilderness. Be strong, Philistines, and conduct your selves like men (with courage). Or else you will serve the Hebrews as they served you. Act like men and fight. The Philistines fought and defeated Israel. Every Israelite soldier fled to his tent. It was a major defeat in which thirty thousand Israelite foot soldiers died. The Ark of the Covenant was captured. Eli's two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, died.
Philistines » Plagued for retaining the ark
After they had moved it, Jehovah threw the city into a great panic. He struck all the people in the city and they were covered with tumors. So the people of Gath sent the Ark of God to Ekron. But when the Ark of God came to Ekron, the people of Ekron cried out: They brought the Ark of the God of Israel here to kill us. The people of Ekron called for another meeting of the Philistine rulers and told them: Send this chest back where it belongs. Then it will not kill us. Everyone was in a panic, because God was causing a lot of people to die. The survivors suffered from the sores, so they all cried to their gods for help.
Philistines » Miraculously routed at mizpeh
While Samuel was offering the burnt sacrifice, the Philistines moved forward to attack. Just then Jehovah thundered from heaven against them. They became completely confused and fled in panic. The Israelites marched out from Mizpah and pursued the Philistines and drove them back as far as Bethcar. They killed them along the way. Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He said: Jehovah helped us all the way. He named it: Stone of Help. The Philistines were defeated. Jehovah prevented them from invading Israel's territory as long as Samuel lived. The cities between Ekron and Gath that the Philistines took from Israel were returned to Israel. Israel recovered the territory controlled by these cities from the Philistines. There was also peace between Israel and the Amorites.
Philistines » Prophecies respecting » Union with syria against israel
Philistines » Prophecies respecting » Punishment with other nations
Philistines » Put the ark into dagon's house
But the next morning they saw that Dagon had again fallen forward on the ground in front of Jehovah's Ark. Dagon's head and his two hands were cut off and were lying on the temple's threshold. The rest of Dagon's body was intact.
Philistines » Saul constantly at war with
Philistines » Defeated israel at ebenezer
Philistines » Prophecies respecting » Base men to be their rulers
Philistines » Character of » Proud
Philistines » Country of » Had many flourishing cities
Philistines » Samson » Slew many for burning his wife
Philistines » Samson » Burned vineyards, &c of
Philistines » Oppressed israel after the death of jair for eighteen years
Philistines » Besieged in gibbethon by nadab
Philistines » Prophecies respecting » To help in israel's restoration
Philistines » Samson » Slew thirty, near askelon
Philistines » Samson » Blinded and imprisoned by
Philistines » David kills two-hundred men
When the officers told Saul what David had said, Saul's officials reported to David what Saul had said. David was delighted with the thought of becoming the king's son-in-law. Before the day set for the wedding, David and his men killed two hundred Philistines. He took their foreskins to the king and counted them all out to him. This was so he might become his son-in-law. So Saul had to give his daughter Michal in marriage to David. Saul knew she loved David. He also realized that Jehovah was helping David. Knowing those things made Saul even more afraid of David. He was David's enemy for the rest of his life. The Philistine rulers kept coming to fight Israel. David always won when he fought them. He won more battles against the Philistines than any of Saul's other officers. This made him famous.