Who are the Philistines 誰是培肋舍特人？

Philistines have appeared in many parts of the books of the Samuel and the Kings.  They are described as the biggest enemies of Israel.

However, there does not seem to be a country or group of people with this name in the modern world.  So who are they?

The word "Philistines" first appears in the Holy Bible in Genesis Chapter 10 when the descendants of Noah's sons are listed in detail.

Noah (諾厄) has three sons: Shem (閃), Ham (含), and Japheth (耶斐特).  It has been detailed in chapter 9 that Canaan (客納罕), the son of Ham, is cursed by Noah because Ham sees his father's naked body whereas Shem is praised as he gives his father a coat and walks backwards to avoid seeing his father's naked body.

After they survive the flood, they have children and each occupies one part in central Asia.  The distribution and descendants are described in detail in chapter 10.

Ham has four sons: Cush (雇士), Mizraim (米茲), Put (普特) and Canaan.  It says in verse 13 to 14: "Mizraim became the father of the Ludim, the Anamim, the Lehabim, the Naphtuhim, the Pathrusim, the Casluhim, and the Caphtorim (加非托爾人) from whom the Philistines (培肋舍特人) came."

And in verse 19, it states: "so that the Canaanite borders extended from Sidon (漆冬) all the way to Gerar (革辣爾), near Gaza (迦薩), and all the way to Sodom (索多瑪), Gomorrah (哈摩辣), Admah (阿德瑪) and Zeboiim (責波殷), near Lasha (肋沙)."

In gist, the Philistines seem to be arising from the descendants of Ham, son of Noah.  They occupy areas west and south to where the Israelites are located, including Canaan near Gaza.  This is in contrast with those derived from the blessed Shem.  From Shem there comes descendants Abram, who later gives Issac, and then Jacob, and the subsequent 12 tribes of Israel.

The map below from the Cork Bible Insitute nicely shows the distribution of the territories of the three sons of Noah based on the description in Genesis Chapter 10.

Distribution of the descendants of Ham, Shem and Japheth (http://www.biblebc.com/bbi/Courses/Genesis/Genesis_2003/chapter10.htm)

Photo credit:
Cork Bible Institute, Ireland.  The Book of Genesis Chapter 10.
(http://www.biblebc.com/bbi/Courses/Genesis/Genesis_2003/chapter10.htm)