Why were the Israelites fearful of the Philistines?

Answer 1

Exo 1:8-12 KJV [v.8] Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph. [v. 9] And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we: [v. 10] Come on, let us deal wisely with them; lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there falleth out any war, they join also unto our enemies, and fight against us, and so get them up out of the land. [v. 11] Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses. [v. 12] But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were grievedbecause of the children of Israel.

Other versions make verse 10 and 12 plainer:-

(BBE) [Bible in Basic English] [v.10] Let us take care for fear that their numbers may become even greater, and if there is a war, they may be joined with those who are against us, and make an attack on us, and go up out of the land.

[v.12] .......And the children of Israel werehated by the Egyptians.

(CEV) [Contemporary English Version] [v.10] If we don't outsmart them, their families will keep growing larger. And if our country goes to war, they could easily fight on the side of our enemies and escape from Egypt.

[v.12] .... Because of this, the Egyptians hated them worse than before

(GNB) [Good News Bible] [v.10] In case of war they might join our enemies in order to fight against us, and might escape from the country. We must find some way to keep them from becoming even more numerous."

[v.12] ....The Egyptians came to fear the Israelites

Answer 2

A Philistine giant measuring over nine feet tall and wearing full armor came out each day for forty days, mocking and challenging the Israelites to fight. His name was Goliath. Saul, the King of Israel, and the whole army were terrified of Goliath.

Answer 3

They were perennially at war; and no reason is given as to why this started. But the Philistines were just one in a long list of nations which wanted to harm or wipe out the Israelites (see Psalms 83, for example). We should also bear in mind that the Philistine cities in the coastal area adjacent to the Israelites, were within the region that the Israelites were called upon to take for themselves (see Numbers ch.34), so it is not unlikely that the Philistines saw the warfare as preemptive action.

Answer 4

A:A doublet in the Book of Numbers says that Moses sent out spies to the land of Canaan. The two narratives are so well conflated that a casual reader would see them as simply one, slightly complex story of why the Israelites refused to enter the Promised Land.

In one of the two versions in the doublet (Yahwist author, or 'J Source'), The spies travelled only as far north as Hebron (in the future kingdom of Judah - Numbers 13:22-25), returned and issued their report to Moses alone, stating that the land was flowing with milk and honey, but that the inhabitants were giants and and their cities fortified (13:27-29). Caleb alone tried to encourage the Israelites to proceed with the conquest, but the spies countered Caleb's claim, stating that the land was unconquerable (13:30,33). The people refused to enter Canaan and plotted to elect a new captain to lead them back to Egypt (14:1b, 4).

In the other part of the doublet (Priestly author, or 'P Source'), the spies toured the entire Promised Land, 'from the Wilderness of Zin to the entrance to Hamath' (13:21). They returned, displayed the land's fruit, and issued their report to Moses, Aaron and all the congregation (13:25-26). The report stated that Canaan was not only unconquerable, but a 'land that devours its inhabitants' (13:32-33). Caleb and Joshua tried to encourage the Israelites to proceed with the conquest, whereupon the Israelites responded by calling for them to be stoned (14:6-10a).

The common ingredient to both stories is fear. In the earlier account, it was fear of the giants who lived in Canaan. In the later one, it was fear that the land itself would devour anyone who entered.

Answer 5

From a simply historical perspective, the Philistines were militarily far stronger than the Israelites and could easily have overrun them, as they had earlier overrun the Canaanites along the more southern coast. Since the Philistines inhabited the rich coastal plains and foothills south of present-day Tel Aviv, they had no need of the more arid hinterland regions occupied by the Israelites, so largely them in peace.

Answer 6

the philistines had a giant named goliath in their army

Answer 7

Because, until they time of King David, they never had a completely decisive victory over the Philistines.

Answer 8

The Philistines had a huge warrior, Goliath, who challenged the Israelites to send forth someone to battle him (see the full narrative in 1 Samuel ch.17).

Answer 9

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Answer 10

The Israelites feared the Philistines because the Philistines wanted to kill and wipe out the Israelites. The Israelites also feared the Philistines because the Philistines had a giant soldier named Goliath in their army.