CHAPTER THIRTEEN

13:1
Saul was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned over Israel forty- two years.
Chapters 13-15 constitute a separate unit apart from the preceding and foo!ing chapters" These chapters
focus on #au$s reign"
The %& has' (#au reigned one )ear* and !hen he had reigned t!o )ears o+er Israe",
The -.C has' (#au !as )ears od !hen he /ecame 0ing' and he reigned for t!o )ears o+er Israe
The Amp" .i/e has #au !as fort) )ears od"
The C.C has fift) )ears od"
The NI1 has thirt)"
The CE1 has' (#au !as a )oung man !hen he /ecame 0ing2,
The actua num/er is missing from the 3T manuscripts" (As for #au' the mutiated condition 4!hether
dei/erate or accidenta5 of +" 1 ma) refect ater scri/a antipath) or indifference to!ard him", 46onder+an5
(2schoars genera) agree that since 7something has happened to the He/re! te8t of 1 #amue 13:1' the
ength of #au$s reign can on) /e estimated7
-e do not 0no! ho! od #au !as !hen he /ecame 0ing"
Ho! ong did he rue9 Acts 13::1 sa)s #au reigned ;< )ears" A note in the =. sa)s the num/er of ;<
!oud /e a round num/er signif)ing (a ong time",
The -.C and CE1 sa)' (he rued Israe for t!o )ears",
The C.C sa)s' (he reigned o+er Israe for t!ent)-t!o )ears",
The E8positor>s .i/e Commentar) sa)s' (2a attempts /ased on the supposed integrit) of the present
He/re! te8t are doomed to faiure", In other !ords' there is no !a) of correct) transating +erse 1"
I i0e !hat one professor !rote on the -e/' (Thus' 1 #amue 13:1 must /e reread in such a !a) that it
preser+es the dignit) of the te8t and the historica reaities reated to #au>s reign" ?ate)' se+era transations
are ea+ing the num/ers in the te8t /an0" @or instance' the NR#1 and other transations transate as foo!s:
Saul was . . . years old when he began to reign; and he reigned . . . and two years over Israel.
This transation is not eegant and is not !hat most peope !ant' /ut it is /etter to ea+e the num/ers /an0
than to con+e) fase information to the reader' e+en !hen that information is /ased on an educated guess"
Caude Aariottini' Professor of 3d Testament' Northern .aptist #eminar)
4#au !as" " " )ears od !hen he /ecame 0ing and he reigned" " " 4t!o5 )ears o+er Israe"5 4NA.5
1
A formua i0e that of : #am 5:; !as introduced here at some time* /ut the age of #au !hen he /ecame 0ing
remains a /an0' and the t!o )ears assigned for his reign in the recei+ed te8t cannot /e correct" Tradition
4Acts 13::15 offers the round num/er' 7fort) )ears"7
The author Bummeo! sa)s that !e ha+e no means of reco+ering the num/ers"
The !hoe +erse is ac0ing in the /est ?CC mss" 4C.C5
#ome authors' incuding Archer' transate the second haf of the +erse' (And he rued t!o )ears o+er Israe
!hen he chose out for himsef three thousand from Israe",
:
Saul chose three thousand men from Israel; two thousand were with him at Micmash and in the hill
country of Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan at ibeah in Ben!amin. "he rest of the men he
sent back to their homes.
#au chose 3'<<< men to /e in his standing arm)" Noted He/re! schoar %)e AcCarter fees that the (three
thousands, in 3:: rea) means (three miitar) units, or companies 4He/re! etters ha+ing non-numerica as
!e as numerica meanings5" Either !a)' #au !as confident that he had enough men" 3r ma)/e #au !as
content !ith the status Duo' !hich is the Phiistines occup)ing the and"
This is the first mention of #au>s son' &onathan" The .i/e doesn>t descri/e &onathan" #ince #au !as ta
41<::35 and had /een a (handsome )oung man, 4E::5' perhaps &onathan inherited his good oo0s"
Perhaps &onathan !as around t!ent) )ears od !hen he entered the arm) 4the traditiona age for this in
Israe' cf" Num 1:35 and he might ha+e had some miitar) e8perience /efore /eing appointed a commander"
Aicmash' .ethe' and =i/eah form a triange !ith .ethe to the north" 4CE15
Aicmash is a (thorough) !e-chosen strategic position", 4Bummeo!5
.ethe is ;"5 mies N- of Aicmash and is :E<< feet high"
"he rest of the men he sent back to their homes The -.C has' (The rest of the troops he sent to their
tents",
-e read in 11:F that #au had an arm) of 33<'<<< men" -e can>t /e certain if this !as that man) men' /ut
!hate+er the num/er' it !as a ot of men"
3
Jonathan attacked the #hilistine out$ost at eba, and the #hilistines heard about it. "hen Saul had
the trum$et blown throughout the land and said, %&et the 'ebrews hear(%
The He/re! in 13:3' descri/ing &onathan>s first raid' has /een transated in different !a)s: he too0 the
(garrison, 4NR#1' NI1' RE.5' 0ied the (go+ernor, 4AcCarter' NE.' Peterson5' destro)ed a hao!ed
(piar, 4&.5 at =e/a' attac0ed an (arm) camp, 4CE15' or attac0ed an outpost 4NI15" In an) case' the
Phiistines heard that the Israeites had re+oted"
The CE1 transates +erse 3' (&onathan ed an attac0 on the Phiistine camp at =e/a" The Phiistine camp !as
destro)ed' /ut the other Phiistines heard !hat had happened" Then #au tod his messengers' G=o to e+er)
:
+iage in the countr)" =i+e a signa !ith the trumpet' and !hen the peope come together' te them !hat has
happened">,
Jonathan attacked the #hilistine out$ost" He isn>t content !ith the Phiistines occup)ing the and" The
Phiistines /egan to mo/iiHe" #au sounds the aarm' signaing the Israeites to assem/e to oppose the
Phiistines"
Apparent) the Phiistines had some contro o+er the Israeites"The Israeites are hea+i) restricted in the
possession and use of iron age technoog)" The) can /e /ac0smiths' /ut the) are prohi/ited from possessing
iron age !eapons' and the) must pa) dear) for the use of iron farming toos"
&et the 'ebrews hear ?et the He/re!s pa) attention" 4-.C5 The use of the !ord He/re! is some!hat
pro/ematic" An Israeite !oud not genera) ca a feo! Israeite a He/re!" It !oud /e considered a sur
41;:115" (In the .i/e the patriarch A/raham is referred to a singe time as the ivri, !hich is the singuar form
of the He/re!-anguage !ord for He/re! 4pura ivrim, or ibrim5" .ut the term He/re! amost a!a)s
occurs in the 3d Testament as a name gi+en to the Israeites /) other peopes' rather than one used /)
themse+es" @or that matter' the origins of the term He/re! itsef are uncertain" It coud /e deri+ed from the
!ord eber, or ever, a He/re! !ord meaning the (other side, and concei+a/) referring again to A/raham'
!ho crossed into the and of Canaan from the (other side, of the Euphrates or &ordan ri+ers", Encyclopdia
Britannica 200 It seems to me !e can compare the !ord to our !ord of (!et/ac0",
-h) did #au use the !ord (He/re!,9 Aa)/e he !as insuting them i0e the Phiistines insuted them" #ome
authors sa) #au !as appeaing to foreigners ser+ing in the Phiistine arm)"
;
So all Israel heard the news) %Saul has attacked the #hilistine out$ost, and now Israel has become a
stench to the #hilistines.% *nd the $eo$le were summoned to !oin Saul at ilgal.
#au had no option /ut to summon more men" He !as a/out to /e annihiated" A the soders of Israe' !ho
heard the ne!s' !ere caed to Ioin #au at =iga"
Saul has attacked the #hilistine out$ost Bid #au ta0e credit for the attac09 1erse 3 sa)s &onathan made
the attac0" Pro/a/) the credit for +ictories !ent to the head of the arm)' !hich in this case is #au' the 0ing"
Israel has become a stench to the #hilistines A the territor) of the Phiistines caed out their men to
arms" The sme has attracted a the Phiistines to come together against their hated enem)' Israe"
#eo$le 3r (fighting men,"
ilgal The sodiers mo/iiHed at =iga"
5
"he #hilistines assembled to fight Israel, with three thousand chariots, si+ thousand charioteers, and
soldiers as numerous as the sand on the seashore. "hey went u$ and cam$ed at Micmash, east of Beth
*ven.
The Amp" .i/e and %&1 ha+e 3<'<<< chariots"
(The pro/em is !ith the e8treme num/er of chariots depo)ed /) the Phiistines" Thirt) thousand is !a) too
man) chariots" There !oud not /e enough men to dri+e them' not to mention that historica) no ancient'
near-eastern arm) had such a massi+e num/er of chariots" #econd Chronices 1;:E records that 6eriah the
3
Ehtiopian maintained an arm) of a miion men' the argest arm) of men at one time mentioned in scripture'
/ut on) had 3<< chariots", 4Artices J .i/e #tudies from @red$s .i/e Ta05 #oomon had 1;<< chariots in
:Chron"1:1;' and this is said to /e a arge num/er" Pharaoh had K<< chariots"
The Phiistines had 3'<<< t!o man chariots"
(#ome eminent critics maintain' #heoshim 47thirt)75' has crept into the te8t' instead of #heosh 47three75",
The 3'<<< num/er is aso from the #)riac and =ree0 transations of the He/re!", The 3<'<<< is from the
He/re!" Br" Archer in his /oo0 Encyclopedia o! Bible "i!!iculties !rites' (Auch more i0e)' therefore' is the
possi/iit) that 3<<< !as the origina num/er recorded in the eariest te8t2 and someho! in the course of
ater te8tua transmission the notation for 3<<< !as miscopied as 3<'<<<" The accurate preser+ation of
statistics and the speing of proper names Lpeope and pacesM is notorious) difficut in manuscript
transmission' and 1 #amue has more than its share of te8tua errors",
(The num/er of chariots is impausi/) high for an ancient arm)" Ho!e+er' this is amost certain) a scri/a
error' and the origina num/er shoud /e 3'<<< instead of 3<'<<<" This is a the more pausi/e since it !oud
then mean t!o horsemen per chariot' !hich is reasona/e",
Beffin/augh !rites' (Though 3<'<<< is a arge num/er' it is not an impossi/e one' and !e shoud accept the
te8t as it stands" The author is tr)ing to impress the reader !ith the impossi/iit) of the situation from the
Israeites> point of +ie!",
There terrain around Aicmash is not suita/e for chariots" 4-.C5
The Phiistines aso had a arge num/er of soders"
"hey went u$ and cam$ed at Micmash The Phiistines occupied Aicmash !ere #au had his camp"
K
,hen the men of Israel saw that their situation was critical and that their army was hard $ressed,
they hid in caves and thickets, among the rocks, and in $its and cisterns.
The Phiistines Duic0) responded and in arge num/ers" -hen the Israeites sa! the huge Phiistine fighting
force' the) deserted in mass and hid in e+er) concei+a/e hiding pace"
-hen the Israeites sa! the huge Phiistine arm)' the) hid (in ca+es' in /riar patches' in roc0s' in tom/s' and
in cisterns", 4-.C5 -e> earn ater that some of Israeites Ioined the Phiistines"
Israe>s defeat must ha+e impressed upon &onathan that human strateg)' sef-confidence' and e+en surprise
!ere not enough to gain a +ictor) o+er the dreaded Phiistines* instead' he !oud ha+e to turn hum/) to
Nah!eh for guidance and dei+erance"
caves The Ne! Re+ised #tandard 1ersion renders tom/s" Things !oud ha+e to /e desperate for an Israeite
to hide in a tom/"
O
Some 'ebrews even crossed the Jordan to the land of ad and ilead. Saul remained at ilgal, and
all the troo$s with him were -uaking with fear
#au !as at =iga" This !as either !here he retreated or !here he had his headDuarters"
;
Some 'ebrews #ome commentaries suggest these ma) refer to mercenaries hired /) the Phiistines" 4CE15
F
'e waited seven days, the time set by Samuel; but Samuel did not come to ilgal, and Saul.s men
began to scatter.
(#au !as sti in =iga' and a the troops foo!ing him !ere fearfu2, 4-.C5
-hen #amue did not appear at the appointed time' e+en more men deserted" Apparent) some !ere !iing
to sa+e themse+es /) Ioining !ith the Phiistines 4see 1;::15"
Bid #amue tarr) to test their faith9
#au$s 0ingship' ho!e+er' !as marred /) mista0es accounted sma /) the !ord /ut seen /) .i/e histor) as
the hinges on !hich turn the fate of men and nations" 3n his coronation da)' his !ish to retire from pu/ic
gaHe can pass as commenda/e humiit)" Net as #au$s stor) de+eops' it re+eas first the ner+ous
discomposure that !oud not ao! him to !ait the aotted time for #amue 413:F ff"5' then the reigious
scrupuosit) that eroded a potentia) crucia defeat of the Phiistines 41;::; ff"5' ne8t the !ea0ness that put
the peope$s !i /efore =od$s command 415:E' 155' and fina) the paranoiac suspicion of Ba+id 41F:E ff"5
that /ede+ied the atter part of his reign" In turn' #au ost d)nast) 413:13' 1;5' throne 415::35' sanit)
41F:1<5' and ife itsef 431:;5"
E
So he said, %Bring me the burnt offering and the fellowshi$ offerings.% *nd Saul offered u$ the burnt
offering.
#au !as impatient and offered the offering"
#au at =iga !as afraid the Phiistines !oud seiHe =e/a and the heights"
(&ust as the Israeites oo0ed upon the ar0 of =od as a 0ind of magic secret !eapon' no! it ma) /e that #au
oo0s upon the /urnt offering as the means of assuring =od>s action on Israe>s /ehaf", 4Beffin/augh5
1<
Just as he finished making the offering, Samuel arrived, and Saul went out to greet him.
#ome authors suggest that #amue !as !atching #au to see if he !oud o/e) him" 7The narrator !ants the
reader to infer that #amue !as in fact cose /)' !aiting to catch #au and then to repro+e him' as #amue
immediate) does7 46onde+an" Preston' p" 3;5"
#au no dou/t +er) !arm) greeted #amue' hoping to pacate him"
11
%,hat have you done/% asked Samuel. Saul re$lied, %,hen I saw that the men were scattering, and
that you did not come at the set time, and that the #hilistines were assembling at Micmash,
1:
I
thought, 01ow the #hilistines will come down against me at ilgal, and I have not sought the &234.s
favor.. So I felt com$elled to offer the burnt offering.%
5
#au certain) had good reason for the sacrifice" #amue didn>t come at the set time' his men !ere deserting'
and the enem) !as preparing to attac0 him /efore he had time to offer a sacrifice' !hich he /eie+e !as
needed to o/tain =od>s fa+or"
#au faied to reaiHe is that anima sacrifice are not reDuired for as0ing =od>s hep" In the 3T there is no
cear case of hillah #eth $pene 47sought the fa+or of Lthe ?3RBM75 in a conte8t !here sacrifice !as a
necessar) accompaniment 4cf" E8 3::11* 1 %ings 13:K* : %ings 13:;* : Chronices 33:1:* Ps 11E:5F* &er
:K:1E* Ban E:13* 6ech O::* F::1-::* Aa 1:E"
#au$s sin !as not that as 0ing he !as for/idden /) =od$s a! to sacrifice /urnt offerings and feo!ship
offerings under an) and a circumstances" ?ater Ba+id 4: #am :;::55 and #oomon 41 %ings 3:155 made the
same 0inds of offerings' and there is no hint of di+ine re/u0e in either case" #au sinned /ecause he
diso/e)ed =od$s !ord through the prophet #amue 4+" 135--a sin that he !oud commit again 415::K5"
46onder+an5
#au is aso /aming #amue" The )ou in +erse 11 is emphasiHed in the He/re!"
#au as a miitar) man shoud ha+e 0no!n the importance of o/e)ing orders from a superior" 4C.5
It !oud seem that in ancient Israe rituas associated !ith the ho) !ar !ere not to /e performed /) the 0ing
uness a prophet !as present" .oth in chapter 13 and in chapter 15 #au acted !ithout the presence of
#amue' and in /oth cases his transgression !as reated to ho) !ar ritua 4++" 11-1:* 15:3 Lsee aso NI1 mg"
thereM' O-11' 1O-1E5" @or these offenses he !as re/u0ed /) #amue and reIected /) =od" 46onder+an5
Saul5s 6ailure
@aiure to o/e) the ?ord
%eeping his e)es on circumstances and not the ?ord
Aa0ing e8cuses
.aming others
Bepending on himsef* sef-reiance
@aiure to 0no! or o/e) the doctrine regarding ho) !ar protoco
So I felt com$elled Aeaning' (I forced m)sef",
13
%7ou acted foolishly,% Samuel said. %7ou have not ke$t the command the &234 your od gave
you; if you had, he would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time.
#au>s sin !as not !aiting for #amue" The !ords of #amue !ere the !ords to the ?ord" The command !as
to !ait" (In #au$s case acting fooish) meant to diso/e) the di+ine command mediated through a prophet",
46onder+an5 #amue said this under the inspiration of the #pirit' !ho 0no!s of #au>s future faiures"
foolishly In that it !as contrar) to the direct and cear orders of #amue"
he would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time
The ?ord promised Ba+id of the tri/e of &udah that his throne !oud /e esta/ished 7fore+er7 4: #am O:13'
1K* =en ;E:1<5" #au$s 0ingdomPd)nast) coud theoretica) ha+e /een esta/ished aongside that of Ba+id
K
!ithout endangering or contradicting the enduring character of the atter" 46onder+an5 Another point of +ie!
is that the promise to #au is a promise of !hat coud ha+e /een if he had /een o/edient to the ?ord"
1;
But now your kingdom will not endure; the &234 has sought out a man after his own heart and
a$$ointed him leader of his $eo$le, because you have not ke$t the &234.s command.%
#au !as guit) of diso/e)ing #amue and therefore diso/e)ing the ?ord"
#au is tod in no uncertain terms that he !oud /e repaced /) a man after =od$s o!n heart 4+" 1;* Acts
13:::5' a man !ho tru) has =od$s interests at heart" #au !oud /e repaced /) a neigh/or of his' a neigh/or
/etter than him 415::F5" He !oud ater /ecome so distraught o+er this prospect that he !oud /eg Ba+id not
to cut off his descendants or !ipe out his name from his father$s fami) 4:;::15"
*cts 89)::
*fter removing Saul, he made 4avid their king. 'e testified concerning him) 0I have found
4avid son of Jesse a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do..
because you have not ke$t the &234.s command T!ice #au is reminded of this"
&essons from Saul5s 4isobedience
1" Christians !ithout a sense of their caing are going to get into trou/e" Ephesians ;:1-1K
:" =od>s commands ser+e as a test of our faith and o/edience"
3" Christian i/erties are aso a test of our faith and o+e for =od" 1 #am" 1<:O
;" Emergencies are not e8cuses for diso/edience to =od>s commands and !i"
5" =od>s is patient and mercifu in dea)ing his Iudgment"
K" =od uses imperfect /eie+ers" =od has chosen to use the (!ea0 and fooish, things of this !ord'
confounding the !ise and /ringing gor) to Himsef" 4Beffen/augh5
15
"hen Samuel left ilgal and went u$ to ibeah in Ben!amin, and Saul counted the men who were
with him. "hey numbered about si+ hundred.
The -.C has' (#amue rose and !ent up from =iga to go on his o!n !a)' /ut the rest of the troops !ent
up after #au to meet the men of !ar" The) came from =iga to =i/eah of .enIamin",
In our +erse the AT has #amue ea+ing =iga and going to =i/eah !hie #au apparent) sta)s in =iga"
The ?CC' ho!e+er' has #amue ea+ing =iga and going on his !a) !hie #au and his troops go to =i/eah
4see NI1 mg"5" #ince #au has aread) arri+ed at =i/eah in +" 1K' the ?CC te8t perhaps preser+es a genuine
tradition a/out the seDuence of e+ents" 46onder+an5 The =. aso supports the ?CC"
3rigina) #au had t!o thousand men and &onathan had one thousand" Then more soders came to reinforce
his arm) in +erse ;* no! he has a mere K<<" (The /oo0s of &udges and #amue often specif) units of si8
hundred men 4&udg 3:31* 1F:11' 1K-1O* 1 #am :3:13* :O::* 3<:E* : #am 15:1F5' !hich #ega descri/es as a
7modest miitar) force7> 46onder+an5 #o the Israeite arm) num/er 1 unit of men"
#au !as not a/e to 0eep his men from ea+ing"
O
1K
Saul and his son Jonathan and the men with them were staying in ibeah in Ben!amin, while the
#hilistines cam$ed at Micmash.
The Phiistines !ere four mies to the northeast" #au concentrated his forces at =i/eah"
1O
3aiding $arties went out from the #hilistine cam$ in three detachments. 2ne turned toward 2$hrah
in the vicinity of Shual,
8;
another toward Beth 'oron, and the third toward the borderland
overlooking the <alley of =eboim facing the desert.
Three Phiistine 7raiding parties7 eft camp" Three detachments !as a common miitar) strateg) in those da)s
411:11* &udg O:1K* E:;3* : #am 1F::5 since it pro+ided more options and greater mo/iit)"
These raiders' destro)ers' spoiers' or demoition detachments 4-.C5 (appear to /e Gspecia forces> troops'
!hose tas0 is to 0i' /urn' or in an) other !a) destro) human ife' catte' /uidings or crops",
2$hrah This is the to!n that ga+e our 3prah her name"
1E
1ot a blacksmith could be found in the whole land of Israel, because the #hilistines had said,
%2therwise the 'ebrews will make swords or s$ears(%
@or decades archaeoogists !or0ing at man) different sites ha+e unearthed iron artifacts in /e!idering
num/er and +ariet) dating from the period of greatest Phiistine po!er and eading to the genera consensus
that the meta !as introduced into Canaan--at east for !eapons' agricutura toos' and Ie!er)--/) the
Phiistines" 46onder+an5
As the Iron Age /egan 4ca" 1:<< ."C"15' the Phiistines guarded their 0no!edge of ho! to ma0e iron as a
state secret"
The) ao!ed the Israeites on) to purchase farming toos"
the 'ebrews This is the insuting term for Israeite"
No meta smith or /ac0smith !as found in Israe' pro/a/) for either iron or /ronHe" These men ma) ha+e
/een deported to Phiistia"
@armers had to go to Phiistia 4aong the coasta pain of southern Canaan5 to ha+e their toos sharpened'
incuding po! /ades' digging toos' a8es and sic0es' and catte goads"
In other !ords' the Phiistines demanded the Israeites disarm themse+es"
He/re! fighting men !ere not to ha+e s!ords or spears" #au and &onathan' either !ith Phiistine permission
or /) su/terfuge' !ere the soe e8ceptions"
Phiistine sodiers !ere armed !ith ong straight s!ords' spears and daggers' smaer face shieds and armor'
and arge chariots"
F
:<
So all Israel went down to the #hilistines to have their $lowshares, mattocks, a+es and sickles
shar$ened"
all Israel went down to the #hilistines #ince Phiistia !as ocated on the coasta pains !est of the foothis
of &udah' Israeites !ho +isited the Phiistines for an) purpose 7!ent do!n7 to them 46onder+an5
Archeoogists found an iron po! point from the time of #au found at his citade in =i/eah"
:1
"he $rice was two thirds of a shekel for shar$ening $lowshares and mattocks, and a third of a
shekel for shar$ening forks and a+es and for re$ointing goads.
The %& has a +er) different transation" >7et they had a file for the mattocks, and for the coulters, and for
the forks, and for the a+es, and to shar$en the goads.?
The N%& has' >and the charge for a shar$ening was a $im for the $lowshares, the mattocks, the forks,
and the a+es, and to set the $oints of the goads",
#lowshares Po!points since po!shares !ere made of !ood"
(Aade of stone and other materias' !eights mar0ed pym ha+e turned up in +arious e8ca+ations 2 The pym
has pro+en to /e t!o-thirds of a she0e in !eight" If si+er !as the medium of e8change in +" :1' the
Phiistines charged the Israeites an e8or/itant price for sharpening and repointing their toos", 46onder+an5
The o8 goad !as a farm impement' a/out eight or ten feet in ength' !ith one end pointed' and sometimes
meta-tipped' to prod the o8 to pough" The other end !as fashioned !ith a scraper to disodge the cods that
/ecame entanged in the pough"
This +erse tes us that the Israeites had !eapons more suita/e for farming than fighting' and e+en the
farming impements the) had had du /ades"
::
So on the day of the battle not a soldier with Saul and Jonathan had a sword or s$ear in his hand;
only Saul and his son Jonathan had them.
The) had fint !eapons"
:3
1ow a detachment of #hilistines had gone out to the $ass at Micmash.
The garrison of Phiistines eft their main camp at Aicmash 413:1K5 to defend a pass eading to it"
The Israe arm) is facing a formida/e enem)"
It is arge !ith chariots"
It is professiona"
It has superior !eapons"
#au is demoraiHed"
The Israeites are afraid"
E
#hilistines
Aodern Christians react negati+e) to the !ord 7Phiistine"7 T)pified /) the terrif)ing =oiath and the
treacherous Beiah' the Phiistines are common) +ie!ed as uncutured' unci+iiHed' and crue9the
/ar/arians of the ancient !ord" Aodern research disputes this stereot)pe' ho!e+er" Ne! findings re+ea that
the Phiistines !ere cutured and sophisticated" The Israeites' =od$s chosen peope' !ere Duite primiti+e /)
contrast" Qnderstanding this fact ma0es the .i/e stories of the confict /et!een these t!o cutures more
+i+id"
"'@I3 23II1S
The Phiistines !ere part of a seafaring peope from the Aegean !ho appeared in the Near East around 1:5<
.C" After a period of confict !ith the Eg)ptians to the south' the Phiistines setted on the coasta pain of
Israe" The cuture around them !as in decine /ecause of the coapse of empires' natura disasters' and
hostiities /et!een the sma nations of the region"
A/out the time the Phiistines arri+ed' the Israeites entered Israe from the east" The historica drama that
su/seDuent) unfoded !oud determine !hich of the t!o cutures !oud dominate the other" The /attes that
erupted from this confict fi the pages of the 3d Testament"
"'@I3 #2&I"IAS *14 MI&I"*37
The .i/e$s description of the Phiistines !as contro+ersia for man) )ears" Phiistine cities such as E0ron'
=ath' Ash0eon' Ashdod' and =aHa did not fit the poitica cuture of the Aidde East at that time' and
champion-to-champion 47one-on-one75 com/at and the armor =oiath !ore !ere un0no!n in Canaan"
Recent disco+eries' ho!e+er' ha+e sho!n the =ree0 4Aegean5 /ac0ground of these high) ci+iiHed peope"
The poitica structure of their cities !as simiar to the cit)-states of the Aegean' and com/at /et!een
champions fis =ree0 m)thoog)"
Eg)ptian descriptions of the Phiistines support /i/ica ones" Reiefs and inscriptions found in the tempe of
Ramses in Eg)pt gi+e us insight into the Phiistines$ appearance and technoog)" Their sodiers !ere Duite
ta and cean sha+en" The) !ore /reastpates and short 0its' and their superior !eapons incuded chariots
dra!n /) t!o horses" The) carried sma shieds and fought !ith straight s!ords and spears" These detais
affirm our faith in the .i/e$s descriptions found in &udges 1:1E' 1 #amue 13:1E-::' and 1 #amue 1O:;-O"
"'@I3 *3" *14 "@A'12&27
The artifacts disco+ered in archaeoogica e8ca+ations of Phiistine cities sho! great artistic and
technoogica s0i" Their potter) is more aesthetica) peasing than that of neigh/oring cutures" The
Phiistines painted their potter) !ith red and /ac0 geometric designs 4oops' crossed ines' concentric
circes' e+en /irds5 on !hite /ac0grounds" Qni0e the Israeite remains of the period' Phiistine potter)' in its
shape and intricac) of design' re+eas a cuture concerned a/out appearance as !e as function" In Phiistine
e8ca+ations' /ottes !ith ong c)indrica /odies and gracefu) cur+ed nec0s are common" Archaeoogists
ha+e aso found /e-shaped /o!s and /eer mugs !ith strainer spouts that /ring to mind the drin0ing part)
attended /) #amson the Israeite"
The Phiistines !ere successfu in se+era 0e) industries" The .i/e affirms their a/iit) to !or0 !ith the
atest in meta technoog)" Iron toos and !eapons' a/sent from Israeite sites of the same period' are
common in Phiistine ruins" Phiistine cities gi+e e+idence of carefu to!n panning' incuding industria
Hones" The oi+e industr) of E0ron aone incudes a/out :<< oi+e oi instaations" Engineers estimate that
1<
the cit)$s production ma) ha+e /een more than 1'<<< tons' 3< percent of Israe$s present-da) production"
Certain)' the sophisticated Phiistines represented the atest in technoog) and cuture to the ess ad+anced
peopes around them in much the same !a) that -estern cuture hods aure for the de+eoping !ord toda)"
"'@I3 3@&II21
The reigion of the Phiistines appears sophisticated and modern as !e" Carefu) panned tempes and
!orship centers a/ound in their cities" Their main god !as Bagon' thought to /e the god of grain 4though
some schoars /eie+e Bagon !as the fish god5" Tempes in honor of the god of fertiit) ha+e /een found in
=aHa' Ashdod' and .eth #hean" The mistress of this god' and a freDuent target of /i/ica !riters' !as
Ashtoreth' !ho !as associated !ith !ar and fertiit) 41 #am" 31:F-135" -orship of this goddess in+o+ed the
most immora practices imagina/e" .eeHe/u' thought to /e the son of Bagon' !as !orshiped at the
Phiistine cit) of E0ron 4: %ings 1:1-K5" The !orship of this deit) in+o+ed sacred prostitution and possi/)
e+en chid sacrifice" The practices !ere so horri/e that the foo!ers of Nah!eh changed the name from
.eeHe/u 4meaning 7?ord' or Prince' .aa75 to .eeHe/u/ 4!ith the derogator) meaning 7ord of the fies75"
.) Ne! Testament times' the name .eeHe/u/9ong used to descri/e the most e+i and per+erted practices
and peope of the Aidde East had /ecome a s)non)m for the de+i" Aore than once &esus himsef used this
term to descri/e #atan 4Aatt" 1<::5 and 1:::;5"
S*MS21.S 4I&@MM*
Qnfortunate)' the +aues of a cuture accompan) its /enefits and products" #o the Israeites faced a diemma"
The) !anted the /enefits and products of the Phiistines' /ut ho! coud the) ha+e these things !ithout
adopting the +aues and practices that =od so detested9
#amson !rested !ith this pro/em and e+entua) ost" .eing de+oted to Nah!eh' he certain) recogniHed
the ungodiness in Phiistine cuture and the danger it posed to =od$s peope" .ut the ifest)e of the
Phiistines !as so attracti+e" The .i/e descri/es the outcome of #amson$s mora /atte in geographic terms:
7"""he fe in o+e !ith a !oman in the 1ae) of #ore0 !hose name !as Beiah7 4&udg" 1K:;5" The #oreD' an
area controed /) the +er) cuture =od had caed #amson to confront' /ecame the pace of his compromise"
He /ecame one !ith the Phiistines and coud no onger hep the !ord to 0no! that Nah!eh is the one true
=od"
A'3IS"I*1S "24*7 6*A@ "'@ S*M@ 4I&@MM*
#amson$s strugge is the same one faced /) modem Christians" 3ur mission is to !or0 !ithin a secuar
cuture to affect it positi+e) for =od" -e are e+en caed to use its technoog) in the process" .ut !estern
cuture seduces us in the same !a) Phiistine cuture seduced the Israeites" 3ur cuture offers !eath'
peasure' and gratification of e+er) desire' !ithout ha+ing to consider the cost to an indi+idua or a nation"
Ho! eas) it is to fa in o+e in the #oreDR
#amson soon disco+ered that he had a price to pa) for faiing to remain pure: the oss of his reationship !ith
=od" -e must earn from his sad stor)" The Phiistines had good things to offer' and Ba+id used man) of
them to prosper the Israeites" .ut =od !anted his peope to /e separate from the pagan cuture !hie using
its technoog) to ad+ance his cause"
If !e ao! ourse+es to /e seduced /) the !ord as #amson !as' !e !i /e useess as =od$s instruments
/ecause !e !i no onger ha+e our e)es focused on =od and !hat he desires of us" -e must remem/er that
the !ord and its peasures !i pass a!a)' /ut !hat =od has !rought through his #on' &esus' !i remain
fore+er"
11
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