Place
Philistia
Gustave Doré, La Sainte Bible (Tours: Alfred Mame et fils, 1866). Public domain.
philistiazephaniahamos
Summary
The coastal plain of the five Philistine cities, Gaza, Ashkelon, Ashdod, Ekron and Gath, judged in Zephaniah 2 and Amos 1.
- Philistia was the coastal plain of five cities, Gaza, Ashkelon, Ashdod, Gath and Ekron, on the southwest edge of Canaan.
- When Israel lost the ark of the covenant in battle, the Philistines carried it into the temple of Dagon, and the god's statue fell before it twice.
- The Philistines sent the ark home on a new cart pulled by two cows, with gold tumors and gold mice as a guilt offering, and the cart went straight to Beth-shemesh.
- Samson, Saul, David and Goliath all cross paths with Philistia in the books of Judges and Samuel.
- The prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah, Amos, Zephaniah and Zechariah all pronounced judgment on Philistia's cities by name.
On this page
In Scripture
- Verses
- 7
- Books
- 4
Where it is
- Region
- Coastal plain, southwest Canaan
- Kind of place
- Region
Why Philistia matters
Philistia was the strip of coastal plain in southwest Canaan held by five cities: Gaza, Ashkelon, Ashdod, Gath and Ekron. Genesis 10:14 traces the Philistines back to the Casluhites, in the same breath naming Caphtor, a place this site's own study of Genesis notes is elsewhere linked to Crete and the Aegean, though the identification is a position rather than a settled fact.
The clearest story Scripture tells about this region begins with defeat. Israel lost a battle to the Philistines and sent for the ark of the covenant from Shiloh, hoping its presence would save them. Instead the ark itself was captured, Eli's two sons died in the same battle, and Eli himself died of the shock when he heard the news.
The Philistines carried the ark into the temple of Dagon at Ashdod and set it beside his statue. Twice the statue was found fallen on its face before the ark, and the second time its head and hands had broken off. Tumors broke out wherever the ark was moved next, first at Gath and then at Ekron, until the Philistines' own priests told them to send it home with a guilt offering of gold tumors and gold mice, one set for each of the five rulers.
They set the ark on a new cart pulled by two cows that had never been yoked, with their calves shut away, as a test: if the cows walked straight toward Israel rather than turning back to their calves, it would prove the LORD's hand had done this. The cart went straight up the road to Beth-shemesh without turning right or left, and the men there rejoiced to see the ark home again.
Philistia keeps appearing after this. Samson spent his life fighting the Philistines and was brought down to Gaza a prisoner at the end of it. Goliath came out of Gath to face Israel's armies until David killed him. Saul died fighting the Philistines on Mount Gilboa, and David later took refuge among them at Ziklag before he became king. The prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah, Amos, Zephaniah and Zechariah each pronounced judgment on Philistia's cities by name, long after its five lords had first stood against Israel.
The ark among the Philistines, in the order it happens
1 Samuel 4-6
Read 1 Samuel 4-6
- The ark brought into the camp, and captured1 Samuel 4:11The ark of God was captured, and Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, died.
- Eli dies at the news1 Samuel 4:18As soon as the ark of God was mentioned, Eli fell backward from his chair by the city gate, and being old and heavy, he broke his neck and died. And Eli had judged Israel forty years.
- The ark set beside Dagon at Ashdod1 Samuel 5:2carried it into the temple of Dagon, and set it beside his statue.
- Dagon fallen, head and hands broken off1 Samuel 5:4But when they got up early the next morning, there was Dagon, fallen on his face before the ark of the LORD, with his head and his hands broken off and lying on the threshold. Only the torso remained.
- Tumors follow the ark from city to city1 Samuel 5:9But after they had moved the ark to Gath, the LORD’s hand was also against that city, throwing it into great confusion and afflicting the men of the city, both young and old, with an outbreak of tumors.
- The guilt offering of gold tumors and gold mice1 Samuel 6:4“What guilt offering should we send back to Him?” asked the Philistines. “Five gold tumors and five gold rats,” they said, “according to the number of rulers of the Philistines, since the same plague has struck both you and your rulers.
- The new cart and the test of the cows1 Samuel 6:9but keep watching it. If it goes up the road to its homeland, toward Beth-shemesh, it is the LORD who has brought on us this great disaster. But if it does not, then we will know that it was not His hand that punished us and that it happened by chance.”
- The cart goes straight to Beth-shemesh1 Samuel 6:12And the cows headed straight up the road toward Beth-shemesh, staying on that one highway and lowing as they went, never straying to the right or to the left. The rulers of the Philistines followed behind them to the border of Beth-shemesh.
What happened here, in order
in the order the canon tells it
- The Philistines traced to the Casluhites, and Caphtor namedGenesis 10:14the Pathrusites, the Casluhites (from whom the Philistines came), and the Caphtorites.
- God avoids the road through Philistine territoryExodus 13:17When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them along the road through the land of the Philistines, though it was shorter. For God said, “If the people face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.”
- The five lords of the Philistines namedJoshua 13:3All the territory of the Philistines and the Geshurites, from the Shihor east of Egypt to the territory of Ekron on the north (considered to be Canaanite territory)—that of the five Philistine rulers of Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron, as well as that of the Avvites;
- Israel given into Philistine hands for forty years, Samson's era beginsJudges 13:1Again the Israelites did evil in the sight of the LORD, so He delivered them into the hand of the Philistines for forty years.
- Samson seized and brought down to GazaJudges 16:21Then the Philistines seized him, gouged out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza, where he was bound with bronze shackles and forced to grind grain in the prison.
- Goliath, the champion from Gath1 Samuel 17:4Then a champion named Goliath, who was from Gath, came out from the Philistine camp. He was six cubits and a span in height,
- Achish gives David Ziklag1 Samuel 27:6That day Achish gave him Ziklag, and to this day it still belongs to the kings of Judah.
- Saul falls to the Philistines on Mount Gilboa1 Samuel 31:1Now the Philistines fought against Israel, and the men of Israel fled before them, and many fell slain on Mount Gilboa.
- The Philistines search for the newly anointed King David2 Samuel 5:17When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over Israel, they all went in search of him; but David learned of this and went down to the stronghold.
- David subdues the Philistines2 Samuel 8:1Some time later, David defeated the Philistines, subdued them, and took Metheg-ammah from the hand of the Philistines.
- Isaiah warns Philistia not to rejoiceIsaiah 14:29Do not rejoice, all you Philistines, that the rod that struck you is broken. For a viper will spring from the root of the snake, and a flying serpent from its egg.
- Jeremiah's word against the PhilistinesJeremiah 47:1This is the word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah the prophet about the Philistines before Pharaoh struck down Gaza.
- Amos judges Gaza for exiling a whole populationAmos 1:6This is what the LORD says: “For three transgressions of Gaza, even four, I will not revoke My judgment, because they exiled a whole population, delivering them up to Edom.
- The Philistines brought from Caphtor, like Israel from EgyptAmos 9:7“Are you not like the Cushites to Me, O children of Israel?” declares the LORD. “Did I not bring Israel up from the land of Egypt, the Philistines from Caphtor, and the Arameans from Kir?
- Zephaniah names Gaza, Ashkelon, Ashdod and Ekron for judgmentZephaniah 2:4For Gaza will be abandoned, and Ashkelon left in ruins. Ashdod will be driven out at noon, and Ekron will be uprooted.
- Zechariah's oracle on Ashkelon, Gaza and EkronZechariah 9:5Ashkelon will see and fear; Gaza will writhe in agony,as will Ekron,for her hope will wither. There will cease to be a king in Gaza,and Ashkelon will be uninhabited.
Philistia in Scripture
7 verses name it, in 4 books
Open a book to read its mentions here. Text: Berean Standard Bible.
First namedExodus 15:14The nations will hear and tremble; anguish will grip the dwellers of Philistia.Last namedJoel 3:4Now what do you have against Me, O Tyre, Sidon, and all the regions of Philistia? Are you rendering against Me a recompense? If you retaliate against Me, I will swiftly and speedily return your recompense upon your heads.
Old TestamentNew Testamentsegment width = share of mentions
Old Testament4 books · 7 mentions
Exodus1 mention
Psalms4 mentions
- Psalms 60:8Moab is My washbasin; upon Edom I toss My sandal; over Philistia I shout in triumph.”
- Psalms 83:7of Gebal, Ammon, and Amalek, of Philistia with the people of Tyre.
- Psalms 87:4“I will mention Rahab and Babylon among those who know Me— along with Philistia, Tyre, and Cush— when I say, ‘This one was born in Zion.’”
- Psalms 108:9Moab is My washbasin; upon Edom I toss My sandal; over Philistia I shout in triumph.”
Isaiah1 mention
Common questions
Who were the Philistines, and where did they come from?
Readers differ; the positions are named
Genesis 10:14 traces them to the Casluhites, and names Caphtor in the same clause. This site's own study of Genesis notes that Caphtor is elsewhere linked to Crete and the Aegean world, a reading also carried by Jeremiah 47:4 and Amos 9:7. That identification is a position held by many, not a settled fact the text itself proves, and this page states no more than that.
Why did Dagon fall before the ark, and what did the gold tumors and gold mice mean?
The Philistines set the captured ark in Dagon's temple at Ashdod, and twice his statue was found fallen on its face before it, the second time with its head and hands broken off. Tumors then broke out among the people wherever the ark was taken next. When the Philistines finally sent it home, their own priests told them to include a guilt offering of five gold tumors and five gold mice, one set for each of their five rulers, matching the plague that had struck them.
Who were the five lords of the Philistines, and which cities were theirs?
Joshua 13:3 names the five as the rulers of Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath and Ekron, and 1 Samuel 6:17 names the same five cities when the guilt offering is sent back with the ark.
How does Philistia connect to Samson, Goliath, Ziklag and Saul's death?
Samson spent his strength fighting the Philistines through Judges 13 to 16 and was finally seized and brought down to Gaza. Goliath, the champion Israel's armies faced in the valley of Elah, came from Gath. David took refuge among the Philistines at Ziklag before he became king, and Saul died fighting the Philistines on Mount Gilboa.
What did the prophets say would happen to Philistia?
Isaiah, Jeremiah, Amos, Zephaniah and Zechariah each pronounced judgment on Philistia's cities by name. Isaiah warns Philistia not to rejoice over a broken rod. Jeremiah's oracle comes before Pharaoh struck down Gaza. Amos judges Gaza for exiling a whole population, and Zephaniah and Zechariah both name Gaza, Ashkelon, Ashdod and Ekron for abandonment and ruin. This page states what these texts say and claims no fulfillment detail beyond them.
Notable art
1 verified piece depicting Philistia
Sources cited
- Berean Standard Bible, verses table, translation_id 3The Scripture text on this page.
- MannaFest Genesis expositionRepo file, note on Genesis 10:14, for the Caphtor/Crete reading.
- Gustave Doré, La Sainte Bible (Tours: Alfred Mame et fils, 1866)The engravings on this page. Public domain.
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