▶ 블레셋(Philistines, Philistia, Philistim)

B.C 1190년 애굽에서 라암셋 3세에게 패배당하여 팔레스틴의 갈멜산 이남의 연안 평원에 정착했다. 영토는 욥바로부터 가사의 남쪽까지 이르는 서남부 팔레스틴의 해안 평야였다. 이지방이 블레셋이라 불리게 되고 또한 가나안 전토가 팔레스틴이라 불리게 된점도 이 블레셋 사람에 의해서 기원한다. 그들의 우상은 마루나(물고기의 신) 혹은 아스다롯 등을 예배한다.

이스라엘 민족이 가나안 침입 이래 적대국으로서 여러가지 복잡한 관계를 가졌던 민족.
이 민족은 B.C 1200년경 수아시아의 서남 해안 에에게 바다 여러섬으로부터 지중해 연안을 소란케 하고 애굽까지 그 세력을 뻗힌 해양 민족이다.

(1) 그레데(갑돌)섬에서 나왔다고 전한다(신02:23 (암02:7).
(2) 이 민족은 비 셈족으로서 할례를 행치 않는다(삼상17:36).

 
(3) 이스라엘 민족이 애굽에서 나올 때는 강한 블레셋 때문에 길을 멀리 돌아서 가기도 했다 (출17:36).
(4) 이스라엘 민족이 가나안에 들어가 강대한 5대 도시(가사,아스글론,아스돗에그론,갓)와 동맹을 맺어 이스라엘을 위협했다.

 
(5) 한때 지배적인 위치에 있다가 다윗왕 시대에는 이스라엘의 예속적 위치에놓였다(삼하08:1, (삼하21:5).
(6) 이스라엘 왕국 분열 때 돌깁을 꾀하였으나 실패하여 공물을 바치게 되었고 고 나증에 앗수르의 사르곤왕에 의하여 정복되었다(사20:1).

 
(7) 블레셋 사람의 종교는 이스라엘 사람과는 달리 가나안의 종교를 혼합하여셈계의 신 다곤을 섬긴다(삿16:23).  

Philistia - (출15:14, (시060:8, (시083:7, (시087:4, (시108:9, (사14:29, (사14:31, (욜03:4, (슥09:6  

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Philistines. [Philis'tines]

Descendants, with the Caphtorim, of the Pathrusim, and the Casluhim, two clans descended from Ham. Gen. 10:14; Deut. 2:23; Jer. 47:4; Amos 9:7. They were found in the S.W. of Palestine when Abraham went to sojourn at Gerar, Gen. 20; and both Abraham and Isaac had certain contentions with them respecting the wells which they had digged. Gen. 21:25-34; Gen. 26:1-18. They were a warlike people, which was the reason that God did not lead the Israelites near to them when He led them out of Egypt. Ex. 13:17. It is probable that at first they were a sort of colony of Egypt. Their five cities commanded the coast road from Egypt to Syria, and there is proof that Egypt had a strong hold on Palestine before the arrival of Joshua; but it was then declining.

As they occupied a part of the promised land, the Israelites should have dispossessed them; but when Joshua was old 'all the borders of the Philistines' were still unoccupied by the Israelites. They represent the pretension and intrusion of man in the flesh into that which belongs to God. Nazariteship in Samson is God's way of deliverance, but the Nazarite utterly failed, and in the days of Eli the Israelites were conquered by them and the ark taken. When Saul was king he was in fear of them, and they were enabled to enter his dominions, and in a battle Saul and his sons lost their lives. It was by David, God's king, that the Philistines were really conquered, and under Solomon we find they were tributary.

When the kingdom of Israel was divided, the Philistines regained their independence more or less. God used them at times to punish His guilty people, and at other times gave those that served Him power over them. In the prophets destruction is pronounced upon their land and the remnant of the people. The five fortified cities of the Philistines, with their 'daughters' or dependent villages, were Gaza, Ashkelon, Ashdod, Gath, and Ekron. The Philistines were idolaters and worshipped Dagon, Ashtaroth and Baal-zebub. 1 Sam. 5:2; 1 Sam. 31:10; 2 Kings 1:2; Jer. 57; Ezek. 25:15-17; Amos 1:7, 8; Zeph. 2:5.  PHILISTIM in Gen. 10:14 is the same Hebrew word that is elsewhere translated Philistines.

--- Morrish Bible Dictionary