The Philistines were a prominent enemy of Israel throughout much of the Old Testament. They were a seafaring people who settled along the coastal plain of Canaan and established five major city-states: Gaza, Ashkelon, Ashdod, Ekron, and Gath (Joshua 13:3).
The Philistines first appear in Genesis 21, where Abraham interacts peacefully with Abimelech, king of the Philistines. However, as Israel grows into a nation, their relationship becomes hostile. Judges 13:1 notes:
“Now the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord delivered them into the hand of the Philistines for forty years.”
Samson was raised up by God specifically to begin delivering Israel from the Philistines (Judges 13–16). His confrontations with them, including the slaying of a thousand men with a donkey’s jawbone and pulling down the temple of Dagon, highlight the intensity of their conflict.
One of the most famous Philistines in the Bible is Goliath of Gath, the giant warrior defeated by David (1 Samuel 17). This event symbolized God’s power over Israel’s enemies, even when the odds seemed impossible.
The Philistines frequently warred against Israel during the reigns of Saul and David. The Ark of the Covenant was captured by the Philistines during battle, but God struck their cities with plagues until they returned it (1 Samuel 4–6).
David subdued the Philistines during his reign, fulfilling God’s promise to give Israel rest from their enemies (2 Samuel 8:1). Yet, the Philistines remained a persistent threat until they were eventually absorbed or destroyed during later conquests.
Biblically, the Philistines represent the persistent enemies of God’s people, worldly power, and opposition to God’s covenant purposes. Yet they also serve as a backdrop against which God’s deliverance, power, and faithfulness are clearly seen.
