PHILISTINES, a People that came from the Isle of Caphtor in Palestine, being Descendants from the Caphtorims, who came from the Casluhims, Children of Mizraim, as Moses informs us; and, by Consequence, are originally from Mizraim the Father of the Egyptians. Moses says, elsewhere, that the Caphtorims, being come out of Caphtor, drove out the Avims which dwelt from Hazerim to Azzah (or Gaza), and dwelt in their stead: Therefore, ‘tis only since the time of the Avims (or Avites), or Canaanites, that the Philistines came into Palestine, and that they have so long possess’d the Country of which they made themselves Masters. We do not precisely know the Time of their coming out of the Isle of Caphtor; but they had been a long Time in the Land of Canaan, when Abraham came thither, in the Year of the World 2083, before Christ 1917, before the Vulgar Era 1921. We have attempted to shew, in the Article Caphtor, or Caphtorim, that this Word intimates the Isle of Crete.
The Name Philistine is not Hebrew. The Septuagint generally translate it by Allophyloi, Strangers. The Pelethites and Cherethites were also Philistines; and the Seventy sometimes translate Cherethim, by Cretai, Cretes. See what we have said upon Vid. Ezec. xxv. 16.the Articles Pelethites and Cherethites. The Casluhims, or Casluchims, the Fathers of the Caphtorims, dwelt originally in Pentapolis Cyrenaica, according to the Paraphrast Jonathan; or in the Canton Pentaschenites of Lower Egypt, according to the Jerusalem Paraphrast. We find in Marmarica, the City of Axilis, or Azylis; and in Libya bordering upon Egypt, Sagylis, or Satylis; and this out of Ptolemy. These Names have a sensible Resemblance to Casluhim. This Country is situate near Egypt, where all the Children of Mizraim had their Settlement: It is placed over-against the Isle of Crete. Strabo allows but a thousand Furlongs Distance between the Port of Cyrene, and that of Crete, called Criou Metapon, or, the Ram’s Forehead. There was, heretofore, a great Intercourse between Cyreniaca and the Isle of Crete, as appears from Strabo and Pliny: It is therefore probable, that the Casluhims sent Colonies to this Island from Cyreniaca, which afterwards pass’d from thence to the Coasts of Palestine. This Hypothesis appears to me to be the most probable of any that has hitherto been advanced.
Besides the Conformity which is observable between the Words Cherethim and Crete, we also find a great Resem blance between the Manners, the Arms, the Deities, the Customs of the Philistines and the Cretans; as may be seen in our Dissertation concerning the Original and the Deities of the Philistines, prefix’d to the First Book of Kings.
The Philistines were a powerful People in Palestine even in Abraham’s time, since they had then Kings, and were in Possession of several considerable Cities. They are not comprehended in the Number of the Nations devoted to Extermination, and whose Territory the Lord had abandon’d to the Hebrews. Lastly, they were not of the cursed Seed of Canaan. However Joshua did not forbear to give their Land to the Josh. xv. 45, 46, 47.Hebrews, and to set upon them by Command from the Lord, because they possessed a Country which was promised to the People Josh. xiii. 2, 3.of God. But these Conquests of Joshua must have been ill maintain’d, since under the Judges, under Saul, and at the Beginning of the Reign of King David, the Philistines had their Kings, and their Lords, which they called Sazenim; since their State was divided into five little Kingdoms or Satrapies, and since they oppress’d the Israelites during the Government of the High Priest Eli, and of Samuel, and during the Reign of Saul. a True it is, that Tamgar, Sampson, Samuel and Saul made head against them, and killed some of their People, but they did not reduce their Power. They continued independant down to the Reign of David, who subdued them to his 2 Sam. v. 17. viii. 1, 2, &c.Government.
They continued in Subjection to the Kings of Judah down to the Reign of Jehoram Son of Jehoshaphat, that is, for about Two hundred and forty six Years.1 Jehoram made War against them, and probably reduced them to his Obedience again, because it is observed in Scripture, that they revolted again from Uzziah, and that this Prince kept them to their Duty for his whole Reign.2 During the unfortunate Reign of Ahaz, the Philistines made great Havock in the Territory of Judah; but his 2 Chron. xxviii. 18. 2 Kings xviii. 8.Son and Successor Hezekiah, subdued them again. Lastly, they regain’d their full Liberty under the latter Kings of Judah; and we may see by the Menaces made to them by the Prophets Isaiah, Amos, Zephaniah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel, that they brought a thousand Hardships and Calamities upon the Children of Israel, for which Cruelties God threatned to punish them with great Misfortunes.
Esar-haddon, Successor to Sennacharib, besieged Azoth and took it, by the Arms of his General Thasthan, or Tartan. Isai. xx. 1. Herodot. l. 2. c. 157. Joseph. Antiq. l. x. c. 11. p. 345. 1 Macc. xi. 59.Psammiticus King of Egypt took the same City, after a Siege of Twenty-nine Years, according to Herodotus; and this is the longest Siege of any City known. During the Siege of Tyre, which held out for Thirteen Years, Nebuchadnezzar made use of a Part of his Army to subdue the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and other Nations bordering upon the Jews: There is great Probability that the Philistines could not withstand him, and that they were reduced to his Obedience, as well as the other People of Syria, Phenicia and Palestine. Afterwards they fell under the Dominion of the Persians, then under that of Alexander the Great, who destroy’d the City of Gaza,3 the only City of the Phenicians that durst oppose him. After the Persecution of Antiochus Epiphanes, the Asmoneans pared off by degrees several Cities from the Country of the Philistines, which they subjected to their Jurisdiction. Tryphon, Regent of the Kingdom of Syria, gave to Jonathan the Asmonean, the Government of the whole Coast of the Mediterranean, from Tyre as far as Egypt; and consequently all the Country of the Philistines. The Name Palestine comes from Philistine, altho’ these People possess’d but a small Part of this Country.
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