Changes

[[Image:lighterstill.jpg]]

[[Image:lighterstill.jpg]][[Image:Philistinepottery2.jpg|right|frame]]

The '''Philistines''' ([[Hebrew language|Hebrew]] פלשתים, ''plishtim'') (see "other uses" below) were a [[nation|people]] who inhabited the southern coast of [[Canaan]], their territory being named '''Philistia''' in later contexts. Their origin has been debated among scholars, but modern [[archaeology]] has suggested early cultural links with the [[Mycenaean Greece|Mycenean]] world in mainland [[Greece]]. Though the Philistines adopted local [[Canaan]]ite culture and language before leaving any written texts, an [[Indo-European languages|Indo-European]] origin has been suggested for a handful of known Philistine words (See [[Philistine language]]).

The '''Philistines''' ([[Hebrew language|Hebrew]] פלשתים, ''plishtim'') (see "other uses" below) were a [[nation|people]] who inhabited the southern coast of [[Canaan]], their territory being named '''Philistia''' in later contexts. Their origin has been debated among scholars, but modern [[archaeology]] has suggested early cultural links with the [[Mycenaean Greece|Mycenean]] world in mainland [[Greece]]. Though the Philistines adopted local [[Canaan]]ite culture and language before leaving any written texts, an [[Indo-European languages|Indo-European]] origin has been suggested for a handful of known Philistine words (See [[Philistine language]]).

==Etymology==

==Etymology==

The etymology of the word into English is from Old French ''Philistin'', from Late Latin ''Philistinus'', from Late Greek ''Philistinoi'',

The etymology of the word into English is from Old French ''Philistin'', from Late Latin ''Philistinus'', from Late Greek ''Philistinoi'',

from Hebrew ''P'lishtim'', (See, e.g., 1 Samuel 17:26, 17:36; 2 Samuel 1:20; Judges 14:3)."people of P'lesheth" ("Philistia"); cf. Akkadian ''Palastu'', Egyptian ''Palusata''; the word probably is the people's name for itself. [http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?search=Philistine&searchmode=none Etymology Online] cf. the semitic root ''Pelesh'' (פלש) which means ''to divide, go through, to roll in, cover or invade''. (Jastrow, Marcus. A Dictionary of the Targumim, the Talmud Babli and Yerushalmi, and the Midrashic Literature. New York: Judaica Press, 1989., p.1185)

from Hebrew ''P'lishtim'', (See, e.g., 1 Samuel 17:26, 17:36; 2 Samuel 1:20; Judges 14:3)."people of P'lesheth" ("Philistia"); cf. Akkadian ''Palastu'', Egyptian ''Palusata''; the word probably is the people's name for itself. [https://www.etymonline.com/index.php?search=Philistine&searchmode=none Etymology Online] cf. the semitic root ''Pelesh'' (פלש) which means ''to divide, go through, to roll in, cover or invade''. (Jastrow, Marcus. A Dictionary of the Targumim, the Talmud Babli and Yerushalmi, and the Midrashic Literature. New York: Judaica Press, 1989., p.1185)

==History==

==History==

If the Philistines are to be identified as one of the "[[Sea Peoples]]" (see ''Origins'' below), then their occupation of Canaan would have to have taken place during the reign of [[Ramesses III]] of the [[Twentieth dynasty of Egypt|Twentieth Dynasty]], ''ca.'' [[1180s BC|1180]] to [[1150s BC|1150 BC]]. Their maritime knowledge presumably would have made them important to the [[Phoenicia]]ns.

If the Philistines are to be identified as one of the "[[Sea Peoples]]" (see ''Origins'' below), then their occupation of Canaan would have to have taken place during the reign of [[Ramesses III]] of the [[Twentieth dynasty of Egypt|Twentieth Dynasty]], ''ca.'' [[1180s BC|1180]] to [[1150s BC|1150 BC]]. Their maritime knowledge presumably would have made them important to the [[Phoenicia]]ns.

In Egypt, a people called the ''"Peleset"'' (or, more precisely, ''prst''), generally identified with the Philistines, appear in the [[Medinet Habu]] inscription of [[Ramesses III]] [http://www.courses.psu.edu/cams/cams400w_aek11/mhabtext.html Texts from the Medinet Habu Temple with Reference to the Sea Peoples], where he describes his victory against the [[Sea Peoples]], as well as the [[Onomasticon of Amenope]] (late [[Twentieth Dynasty]]) and [[Papyrus Harris I]], a summary of [[Ramesses III]]'s reign written in the reign of [[Ramesses IV]].  [[Nineteenth-century]] [[Bible]] scholars identified the land of the Philistines (''Philistia'') with ''Palastu'' and ''Pilista'' in [[Assyria]]n inscriptions, according to ''Easton's Bible Dictionary'' (1897).

In Egypt, a people called the ''"Peleset"'' (or, more precisely, ''prst''), generally identified with the Philistines, appear in the [[Medinet Habu]] inscription of [[Ramesses III]] [https://www.courses.psu.edu/cams/cams400w_aek11/mhabtext.html Texts from the Medinet Habu Temple with Reference to the Sea Peoples], where he describes his victory against the [[Sea Peoples]], as well as the [[Onomasticon of Amenope]] (late [[Twentieth Dynasty]]) and [[Papyrus Harris I]], a summary of [[Ramesses III]]'s reign written in the reign of [[Ramesses IV]].  [[Nineteenth-century]] [[Bible]] scholars identified the land of the Philistines (''Philistia'') with ''Palastu'' and ''Pilista'' in [[Assyria]]n inscriptions, according to ''Easton's Bible Dictionary'' (1897).

The Philistines occupied the five cities of [[Gaza]], [[Ashkelon]], [[Ashdod]], [[Ekron]], and [[Gath (city)|Gath]], along the coastal strip of southwestern [[Canaan]], that belonged to [[Egypt]] up to the closing days of the [[Nineteenth dynasty of Egypt|Nineteenth Dynasty]] (ended [[1180s BC|1185 BC]]).  The [[Bible|biblical]] stories of [[Samson]], [[Samuel (Bible)|Samuel]], [[Saul the King|Saul]] and [[David]] include accounts of Philistine-[[Israelite]] conflicts.  The Philistines long held a [[monopoly]] on [[iron]] smithing (a skill they possibly acquired during conquests in [[Anatolia]]), and the biblical description of [[Goliath]]'s armor is consistent with this iron-smithing technology.

The Philistines occupied the five cities of [[Gaza]], [[Ashkelon]], [[Ashdod]], [[Ekron]], and [[Gath (city)|Gath]], along the coastal strip of southwestern [[Canaan]], that belonged to [[Egypt]] up to the closing days of the [[Nineteenth dynasty of Egypt|Nineteenth Dynasty]] (ended [[1180s BC|1185 BC]]).  The [[Bible|biblical]] stories of [[Samson]], [[Samuel (Bible)|Samuel]], [[Saul the King|Saul]] and [[David]] include accounts of Philistine-[[Israelite]] conflicts.  The Philistines long held a [[monopoly]] on [[iron]] smithing (a skill they possibly acquired during conquests in [[Anatolia]]), and the biblical description of [[Goliath]]'s armor is consistent with this iron-smithing technology.

===Statements in the Bible===

===Statements in the Bible===

The Hebrew [[tradition]] recorded in [[Book of Genesis|Genesis]] 10:14 states that the "''Pelishtim''" ('''פְּלִשְׁתִּים''', [[Standard Hebrew]] /pəlištim/, [[Tiberian Hebrew]] /pəlištîm/) proceeded from the "''[[Pathrusim]]''" (פַּתְרֻסִים) and the "''[[Casluhim]]''" (כַּסְלֻחִים), who descended from [[Mizraim]] (מִצְרַיִם, Egypt), son of [[Ham, son of Noah|Ham]]. The Philistines settled "''Pelesheth''" ('''פְּלֶשֶׁת''', [[Standard Hebrew]] /pəléšet/ or /pəlášet/, [[Tiberian Hebrew]] /{{Unicode|pəléšeṯ}}/ or /{{Unicode|Pəlāšeṯ}}/) along the eastern [[Mediterranean]] coast at about the time when the [[Israelites]] settled in the [[Judea|Judean highlands]]. Biblical references to Philistines living in the area before this, at the time of [[Abraham]] or [[Isaac]] (e.g. Gen. 21:32-34), are generally regarded by modern scholars to be anachronisms.

The Hebrew [[tradition]] recorded in [[Book of Genesis|Genesis]] 10:14 states that the "''Pelishtim''" ('''פְּלִשְׁתִּים''', [[Standard Hebrew]] /pəlištim/, [[Tiberian Hebrew]] /pəlištîm/) proceeded from the "''[[Pathrusim]]''" (פַּתְרֻסִים) and the "''[[Casluhim]]''" (כַּסְלֻחִים), who descended from [[Mizraim]] (מִצְרַיִם, Egypt), son of [[Ham, son of Noah|Ham]]. The Philistines settled "''Pelesheth''" ('''פְּלֶשֶׁת''', [[Standard Hebrew]] /pəléšet/ or /pəlášet/, [[Tiberian Hebrew]] /pəléšeṯ/ or /Pəlāšeṯ/) along the eastern [[Mediterranean]] coast at about the time when the [[Israelites]] settled in the [[Judea|Judean highlands]]. Biblical references to Philistines living in the area before this, at the time of [[Abraham]] or [[Isaac]] (e.g. Gen. 21:32-34), are generally regarded by modern scholars to be anachronisms.

The Philistines are spoken of in the ''[[Book of Amos]]'' as originating in [[Caphtor]]: "saith the LORD: Have not I brought up Israel out of the land of Egypt? and the Philistines from Caphtor, and Aram from Kir?" (''Amos'' 9:7). Later, in the [[7th century BC]], ''[[Book of Jeremiah|Jeremiah]]'' makes the same association with Caphtor. "For the LORD will spoil the Philistines, the remnant of the country of Caphtor, (Jeremiah 47:4). Scholars variously identify the land of Caphtor with [[Cyprus]] and [[Crete]] and other locations in the eastern Mediterranean.

The Philistines are spoken of in the ''[[Book of Amos]]'' as originating in [[Caphtor]]: "saith the LORD: Have not I brought up Israel out of the land of Egypt? and the Philistines from Caphtor, and Aram from Kir?" (''Amos'' 9:7). Later, in the [[7th century BC]], ''[[Book of Jeremiah|Jeremiah]]'' makes the same association with Caphtor. "For the LORD will spoil the Philistines, the remnant of the country of Caphtor, (Jeremiah 47:4). Scholars variously identify the land of Caphtor with [[Cyprus]] and [[Crete]] and other locations in the eastern Mediterranean.

==External links==

==External links==

* [http://www.dabar.org/Dyke/PHILISTINES/250PhilistineTexts.html List of biblical references to Philistines or Philistia]

* [https://www.dabar.org/Dyke/PHILISTINES/250PhilistineTexts.html List of biblical references to Philistines or Philistia]

* [http://www.dig-gath.org Tell es-Safi/Gath Archaeological Project website]

* [https://www.dig-gath.org Tell es-Safi/Gath Archaeological Project website]

* [http://gath.wordpress.com Tell es-Safi/Gath Archaeological Project blog]

* [https://gath.wordpress.com Tell es-Safi/Gath Archaeological Project blog]

*[http://www.courses.psu.edu/cams/cams400w_aek11/www/index.htm the Sea Peoples and the Philistines. A course at Penn State University]

*[https://www.courses.psu.edu/cams/cams400w_aek11/www/index.htm the Sea Peoples and the Philistines. A course at Penn State University]

*[http://www.phoenixdatasystems.com/goliath/contents.htm Neal Bierling, ''Giving Goliath his due:new archaeological light on the Philistines'' 1992]

*[https://www.phoenixdatasystems.com/goliath/contents.htm Neal Bierling, ''Giving Goliath his due:new archaeological light on the Philistines'' 1992]

* [http://www.kingscalendar.com/cgi-bin/index.cgi?action=viewnews&id=164 The King's Calendar: The Secret of Qumran] (Chronology for Israel's Period of the Judges 1412 BC to 1039 BC)

* [https://www.kingscalendar.com/cgi-bin/index.cgi?action=viewnews&id=164 The King's Calendar: The Secret of Qumran] (Chronology for Israel's Period of the Judges 1412 BC to 1039 BC)

*[http://www.people.cornell.edu/pages/bel9/index.html  The Philistines: Raiders of the Ark or Cultural Goliaths?]

*[https://www.people.cornell.edu/pages/bel9/index.html  The Philistines: Raiders of the Ark or Cultural Goliaths?]

[[Category: General Reference]]

[[Category: General Reference]]

[[Category: History]]

[[Category: History]]