In Judges, chapter thirteen, verse one, a great movement of Philistines migrated to the south coast of Canaan, possibly from Crete, where Capthor means Crete as in Jeremiah forty-seven, verse four, and Amos nine, verse seven, respectively. They became the principal enemy of the Hebrews during the years of battle until the time of David. The Philistine’s capability to make iron weapons gave them a military advantage over Israel, as stated in First Samuel, chapter nineteen, verse twenty-two.
“Now there was no smith found throughout all the land of Israel: for the Philistines said, Lest the Hebrews make them swords or spears: But all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, to sharpen every man his share, and his colter, and his axe, and his mattock. Yet they had a file for the mattocks, and for the colters, and the forks, and for the axes, and to sharpen the goads. So it came to pass in the day of battle, that there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people that were with Saul and Jonathan: but with Saul and with Jonathan, his son was there found.”
Chapter thirteen begins with an all-too-familiar statement. Yet another generation of Israelites descends into moral evil as in Judges two, sixteen through nineteen. Based on previous chapters, the nature of this evil, at a minimum, includes worship of false gods. The Israelites follow by participating with idols and deities of the Canaanites and other surrounding nations. This idolatry would be evil in and of itself, as in Exodus twenty one through six. Further, worship practices of the Canaanites often involved sexual immorality and violence, such as human sacrifice in Deuteronomy twelve thirty-one and eighteen, nine through fourteen.
The Lord’s response is also familiar. He allows this new generation of unfaithful people to be defeated and enslaved by their enemies. This time, it’s the Philistines once again. God will break their stranglehold on Israel in a way that demonstrates His grace and mercy. The word “Palestine” is derived from the term “Philistine.”