July 2016 - Tammuz 5776
The Philistines have captured…not the Ark of the Covenant, this time, but the media’s attention.
In exciting news for archaeology and Tanakh study, a Philistine cemetery- the first one found, has been discovered in the vicinity of Ashkelon (which had been a major Philistine city). If one has studied Yirmiahu, it should not be surprising (Jeremiah 47, 6-7).
We find descriptions of some Egyptian death rites in the Tanakh (Genesis 49, 2-3; Genesis 50, 25), but little is written about the Philistine death and burial customs, other than their treatment of enemies (I Samuel 31, 7-11).
This new archaeological discovery can add another dimension to Tanakh study- the way Philistines were buried can tell much about the way they lived. Their burial customs, too, can point to ways that Philistine culture differed from that of the Egyptians and Semitic groups (such as the people of Yavesh-Gilead who participated in a multi-step burial process), as opposed to the Philistines (I Samuel 31, 12-13).
References to the Philistines appear throughout Tanakh. You may have heard of the Philistines in the context of Avraham and Yitzhak's dealings with Avimelekh of Gerar, Shimshon, Delila, and his other pursuits, the capture of the Ark from Shiloh in the time of Shmuel, Shaul's battles, and the showdown between David and Goliath. But they also appear in Neviim Acharonim, and in the genealogical lists at the beginning of Bereisheet and Divrei HaYamim.
Does the Tanakh offer hints to their origins? Will the recent archaeological finds help explain the context of these Biblical encounters with the Philistines?
Amos refers to a Philistine exodus. Yirmiahu prophesies their doom. Yehezkel calls the Philistines the "Sea People."
What other fascinating archaeological treasures are hidden underground, waiting to see the light of day?
One thing seems clear: the study of Tanakh will be enriched as more of the biblical world of past is uncovered.