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Pathrusites, Kasluhites and Caphtorites. The Philistines came from the Kasluhites.
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After the agreement had been made at Beersheba, Abimelek went back to the land of the Philistines. His army commander, Phicol, went with him.
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Abraham stayed in the land of the Philistines for a long time.
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Isaac and Abimelek
There was very little food in the land. The same thing had been true earlier, in Abraham’s time. Isaac went to Abimelek in Gerar. Abimelek was the king of the Philistines.
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Isaac had been there a long time. One day Abimelek, the king of the Philistines, looked down from a window. He saw Isaac hugging and kissing his wife Rebekah.
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He had many flocks and herds and servants. Isaac had so much that the Philistines became jealous of him.
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Isaac opened up the wells again. They had been dug in the time of his father Abraham. The Philistines had stopped them up after Abraham died. Isaac gave the wells the same names his father had given them.
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The nations will hear about it and tremble. Pain and suffering will take hold of the Philistines.
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So he left the five rulers of the Philistines. He left the people of Canaan and the people of Sidon. He left the Hivites living in the Lebanon mountains. They lived in the area between Mount Baal Hermon and Lebo Hamath.
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Shamgar
After Ehud, Shamgar became the next leader. He was the son of Anath. Shamgar struck down 600 Philistines with a large, pointed stick used to drive oxen. He too saved Israel.
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Jephthah
Once again the Israelites did what was evil in the sight of the Lord. They served gods that were named Baal. They served female gods that were named Ashtoreth. They worshiped the gods of Aram and Sidon. They served the gods of Moab and Ammon. They also worshiped the gods of the Philistines. The Israelites deserted the Lord. They didn’t serve him anymore.
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So the Lord became very angry with them. He handed them over to the Philistines and the Ammonites.
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The Lord replied, “The Egyptians and Amorites treated you badly. So did the Ammonites and Philistines.
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Samson Is Born
Once again the Israelites did what was evil in the sight of the Lord. So the Lord handed them over to the Philistines for 40 years.
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You will become pregnant. You will have a son. The hair on his head must never be cut. That is because the boy will be a Nazirite. He will be set apart to God from the day he is born. He will take the lead in saving Israel from the power of the Philistines.”
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His father and mother replied, “Can’t we find a wife for you among your relatives? Isn’t there one among any of our people? Do you have to go to the Philistines to get a wife? They aren’t God’s people. They haven’t even been circumcised.” But Samson said to his father, “Get her for me. She’s the right one for me.”
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Samson’s parents didn’t know that the Lord wanted things to happen this way. He was working out his plans against the Philistines. That’s because the Philistines were ruling over Israel at that time.
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Samson Gets Even With the Philistines
Later on, Samson went to visit his wife. He took a young goat with him. He went at the time the wheat was being gathered. He said, “I’m going to my wife’s room.” But her father wouldn’t let him go in.
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Samson said to them, “This time I have a right to get even with the Philistines. I’m going to hurt them badly.”
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He lit the torches. He let the foxes loose in the fields of grain that belonged to the Philistines. He burned up the grain that had been cut and stacked. He burned up the grain that was still growing. He also burned up the vineyards and olive trees.
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The Philistines asked, “Who did this?” They were told, “Samson did. He’s the son-in-law of the man from Timnah. Samson did it because his wife was given to his companion.” So the Philistines went up and burned the woman and her father to death.
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Samson said to the Philistines, “Is that how you act? Then I promise I won’t stop until I pay you back.”
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The Philistines went up and camped in Judah. They spread out near Lehi.
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Then 3,000 men from Judah went to get Samson. They went down to the cave in the rock of Etam. They said to Samson, “Don’t you realize the Philistines are ruling over us? What have you done to us?” Samson answered, “I only did to them what they did to me.”
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The men of Judah said to him, “We’ve come to tie you up. We’re going to hand you over to the Philistines.” Samson said, “Promise me you won’t kill me yourselves.”
