Product Review

*Includes pictures
*Includes Biblical accounts and other primary source accounts of the Philistines
*Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading
*Includes a table of contents

“Goliath stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, ‘Why do you come out and line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not the servants of Saul? Choose a man and have him come down to me. If he is able to fight and kill me, we will become your subjects; but if I overcome him and kill him, you will become our subjects and serve us.’ Then the Philistine said, ‘This day I defy the armies of Israel! Give me a man and let us fight each other.’…David said to the Philistine, ‘You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel.’” – 1 Samuel 17

Today, the term “Philistine” is often used as a euphemism for a person who is particularly uncouth, uncultured, ignorant, and possibly violent. Most people probably do not know the etymology of the word when they use it, and those that do probably only know the Philistines as villains from the Old Testament who were the eternal enemies of the Hebrews prior to and immediately after the latter formed the kingdom of Israel. Others may know the Philistines from the Biblical story of David and Goliath, as the “giant” was not only much larger than David but also a Philistine leader who commanded a large host of men.

Although the Old Testament provides a credible source for some aspects of Philistine culture, it naturally paints a picture of them as a group of bloodthirsty warriors whose one purpose was to oppress the Hebrews/Israelites. When corroborated with ancient Egyptian and Mesopotamian sources, along with modern archaeological studies, an examination reveals that the reputation that the Philistines earned from the Old Testament was partially warranted, but that there was also much more to Philistine culture. In fact, evidence indicates that while the Philistines were a warrior society who fought with the Israelites for a number of years, they also developed advanced aspects of their culture, including sophisticated government, a unique religion, and art (especially pottery). The Philistines may not have developed an extensive empire as the Egyptians, Babylonians, and Assyrians did, but their contributions to the history of the Ancient Near East was not minimal either. The Philistines’ presence and influence on the history of the ancient Near East was brief, and their departure from the historical record was especially quick, but while they were around they were a force to be reckoned with in the region.

The Philistines: The History of the Ancient Israelites' Most Notorious Enemy looks at the history of one of the most famous societies mentioned in the Bible. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about the Philistines like never before, in no time at all.