Weread, for example, of Philistine incursions into the hill country, toMichmash in Benjamin (1 Samuel 13:23), and the Rephaim Valley nearJerusalem (2 Samuel 5:17–22). It was in one of these border disputes thatthe city at Khirbet Qeiyafa was conquered and destroyed.

In 1 Samuel chapter 5 we are told that after the Philistines captured the Ark of the Covenant, they took it to the Temple of Dagon in Ashdod. But this resulted in the miraculous destruction of his cult statue. Yahweh wins again.