The Biblical and Archaeological Evidence for the Origins of the Philistines

We knew the Philistines in the Bible as the enemies of the people of Israel. The Bible describes them as a pleasure-loving, warlike society of pagans ruled by “tyrants” who threatened the existence of ancient Israel. They deployed Delilah to use her deceitful charm to betray Samson (Judges 16). They slew King Saul and his sons in battle, then cruelly hung the headless body of the king from the walls of Beth Shean (1Sam 31). For three millennia now, the rousing story of the victory of young David over Goliath has been told and retold, creating an indelibly negative image of the Philistines in the imagination of each new generation, but they were much more than that. But who are the Philistines? Recent archaeological discoveries help inform our understanding of their culture, economy, and origins.

For an in-depth reading of who the Philistines are, here are some links:

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