Philistines This differentiation was also held by the authors of the Septuagint, who translated (rather than transliterated) its base text as "allophuloi" (, "other nations") instead of "philistines" throughout the Books of Judges and Samuel. Throughout the Deuteronomistic history, Philistines are almost always referred to without the definite article, except on 11 occasions. On the basis of the LXX's regular translation into "allophyloi", Robert Drews states that the term "Philistines" means simply "non-Israelites of the Promised Land" when used in the context of Samson, Saul and David. A few biblical texts, such as the Ark Narrative and stories reflecting the importance
Philistines identity of the city of Ziklag, which according to the Bible marked the border between the Philistine and Israelite territory, remains uncertain. Since Edward Hincks and William Osburn Jr. in 1846, biblical scholars have connected the biblical Philistines with the Egyptian "Peleset" inscriptions; and since 1873, both have been connected with the Aegean "Pelasgians". The evidence for these connections is etymological and has been disputed. Inscriptions written by the Philistines have not yet been found or conclusively identified. Based on the Peleset inscriptions, it has been suggested that the Casluhite Philistines formed part of the conjectured "Sea Peoples" who repeatedly