Philistines

Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek.

The Philistines, with them that dwell at Tyre.

Assur also is joined with them.

And have holpen the children of Lot.

Get inside.

[laughs] The Bible said, "And God did not take the Israelites through the route of the Philistines," which was near.

Mm.

Ah.

Like it's wild to watch how God works.

But I love that story in Exodus chapter 13, when it says verse 17, when Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter.

For God said if they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.

So God led the people around by the desert road toward the Red Sea.

And I think that God has a tendency to take us on longer routes oftentimes because we don't know the thing that's chasing us.

We don't know the thing that he's developing us.

If you got it today, you're not ready to fight those Philistines.

You're not ready for war.

Right.

And and so he has this thing where they're running from an army of Philistines.

Eleazar turns around, kills the entire army by himself, a thousand dudes.

And it said one verse that there was so much blood on his sword that the sword was stuck to his hand.

Yo-Yo Ma hasn't been invited to the White House.

You haven't heard concertos by any of the great pianists because, of course, Donald is a Philistine.

He's absolutely a Philistine.

He has no cultural faith.

When Trump Tower was being built, this is in Libby Handross's documentary on Trump that he suppressed from 1991 until about 2016.

It says that Avraham Avinu decides to make a treaty with Avimelech, Melech Pelishtim.

He makes a treaty with the king of the Philistines, and he says to him...

And he puts aside seven sheep.

We actually, we, we read this in the high holidays.

And they make a treaty.

So over there the Chazal say in the midrash that God says to Avraham, "Did I ever tell you to make a treaty with this guy? You never asked me.

You didn't ask me if you should make a treaty with the king of the Philistines.

Maybe it's a really, really bad idea for you.

Here beginneth the twenty-ninth chapter of the book of First Samuel.

Now the Philistines had gathered all their forces at Aphek, and the Israelites were encamped by the spring that is in Jezreel.

As the lords of the Philistines were passing on by hundreds and by thousands, and David and his men were passing on in the rear with Achish, the commanders of the Philistines said, "What are these Hebrews doing here?" And Achish said to the commanders of the Philistines, "Is this not David the servant of Saul king of Israel, who has been with me now for days and years, and since he deserted to me I have found no fault in him to this day?" But the commanders of the Philistines were angry with him, and the commanders of the Philistines said to him, "Send the man back, that he may return to the place to which you have assigned him.

He shall not go down with us to battle, lest in the battle he become an adversary to us.

For how could this fellow reconcile himself to his lord? Would it not be with the heads of the men here? Is not this David, of whom they sing to one another in dances, 'Saul has struck down his thousands, and David his ten thousands'?" Then Achish called David and said to him, "As the Lord lives, you have been honest, and to me it seems right that you should march out and in with me in the campaign, for I have found nothing wrong in you from the day of your coming to me to this day.

Nevertheless, the lords do not approve of you.

So go back now and go peaceably, that you may not displease the lords of the Philistines." And David said to Achish, "But what have I done? What have you found in your servant from the day I entered your service until now, that I may not go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?" And Achish answered David and said, "I know that you are as blameless in my sight as an angel of God.

Nevertheless, the commanders of the Philistines have said, 'He shall not go up with us to the battle.' Now then rise early in the morning with the servants of your lord who came with you, and start early in the morning and depart as soon as you have light." So David set out with his men early in the morning to return to the land of the Philistines.

Anyhow.

In Judges 16, Delilah is offered money by the Philistines' ruler to discover how Samson can be subdued.

She questions him.

He gives false answers.

So he's telling her stories every time, right? Oh, no, just do this and I'll be...

If this happened to me, then they'll get me.

Basically, the Philistines asked her to find out what is Samson's kryptonite.

So they could give him the kryptonite so they could deal with him.