Biblical Hebrew Blog by ClassicalHebrew.com

The greatest Philistine was of course Goliath. We hear of his great height and strength when we read the story of his fatal confrontation with a fearless young Israelite boy by the name of David. However Goliath, also assumed to be a bit boorish and stupid, does not represent the regular Philistine. In fact the stories that involve the Philistines tend to be biased in their reflection of this great culture. This may have something to do with the fact that they represent the enemy in the Bible, those who contend for land, water and the lucrative trade routes that David’s son Solomon seems to have monopolized quite well. For the sake of the narrative, the Philistines have been portrayed as brutish and uncivilized, this makes it easier for us to identify against them. Interestingly however they seem to have become the victim in this story- for they are actually a nation with a fascinating story and deep heritage.

The Philistines Troubled Origins

First of all they are a people group descended from a rich and complex culture that perished at the end of the 13^th century, the Mycenaean Empire. Leaving mainland Greece, many groups, often referred to as the “Sea Peoples” roamed through the Mediterranean, stopping in Cyprus and other countries trying to find a new foothold they could call home. The Philistines first went to Egypt where Ramses III expelled them in a series of successful land and water battles, and finally they found their place, in the lands between Egypt and the growing yet small tribal state of Judah.

Finding a New Home

Their arrival in the south replaced essentially the older Canaanite society that was on the wane. Immediately they built wonderfully planned cities by the shore or along rivers, erecting temples and public buildings with their own style of architecture so different from their neighbours in the Hill Country where Jerusalem sits. As time progressed they assimilated the local Canaanite traditions into their own culture never losing their Philistine identity.

Final Thoughts

In remembering these people do not think only of their battles with the Israelites, but consider the fact that the Philistines brought a great deal of civilization to this country. Not only were they people of the Sea whose skills of navigation and seafaring ensured that the important trade routes stayed alive and open, but they also introduced to this side of the world the highly desirable skill of metallurgy (how to shape and process iron). Furthermore they are an example of survival in a time period of great upheaval and a success story of a migrating people’s desire to reestablish their lives in a new land.

The Wisdom literature of the Bible was not necessarily officially defined as such in biblical times, but can be described as those books which include different kinds of advice which is based on wisdom and experience. The books included in this category are Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and Job, and from the Apocrypha – the Proverbs of Sirach and the Wisdom of Solomon.

While the meaning of the word “wisdom” is rather clear in modern times, in biblical times it is slightly more complex. Initially, this word denoted any kind of expert: God says of Bezalel, who designed the instruments of the desert Tabernacle, that “I have filled him with the spirit of God in wisdom and intelligence…”. However, eventually, the word came to denote an expert in rhetorical arts, and from there received its meaning as one who is an expert in giving advice.

Contrary to popular thought, biblical wisdom is not necessarily religious in character. It often has more to do with good practical and moral advice, which is usually presented in the form of a proverb. The most significant compilation of such proverbs is found, naturally, in the Book of Proverbs, which is comprised of nine collections of proverbs. In these are included different kinds of advice, scolding, general sayings defining different aspects of life, encouragement of the fear of God, and in the last chapter – the description of the Woman of Valor.

Another important book belonging to the Wisdom Literature is the Book of Ecclesiastes, in which Qoheleth, traditionally identified as Solomon, describes his life-time search after Wisdom in a manner reminiscent of the Greek philosophers. After presenting the various questions he tried to solve and discovering the limits of human thought, Qoheleth pessimistically concludes that all human efforts to understand the world are futile and people must simply enjoy what they have in life and fear God.

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