17 And it came about at the time of Pharʹaoh’s sending the people away that God did not lead them by the way of the land of the Phi·lisʹtines just because it was near, for God said: “It might be the people will feel regret when they see war and will certainly return to Egypt.”+

2 This is the land yet remaining:+ all the regions of the Phi·lisʹtines+ and all the Geshʹur·ites+

3 (from the branch of the Nile* that is in front of Egypt and up to the border of Ekʹron to the north,+ it used to be reckoned as belonging to the Caʹnaan·ites);+ five axis lords*+ of the Phi·lisʹtines, the Gaʹzites*+ and the Ashʹdod·ites,+ the Ashʹke·lon·ites,+ the Gitʹtites*+ and the Ekʹron·ites;+ and the Avʹvim.+

7 At this Jehovah’s anger blazed against Israel,+ so that he sold+ them into the hand of the Phi·lisʹtines+ and into the hand of the sons of Amʹmon.+

9 And they went forgetting Jehovah their God,+ so that he sold+ them into the hand of Sisʹe·ra+ the chief* of the army of Haʹzor and into the hand of the Phi·lisʹtines+ and into the hand of the king of Moʹab,+ and they kept fighting against them.