Thus saith the Lord God
Once more, and concerning another enemy of the people of Israel, and who had been of old an implacable one: because the Philistines have dealt by revenge:
for what they suffered in the times of Saul, when Goliath was slain by David, and their army was discomfited; and for the overthrow of them by David, when he came to throne; and for his burning their images, and subduing them, ( 1 Samuel 17:51 1 Samuel 17:52 ) ( 2 Samuel 5:20 2 Samuel 5:21 2 Samuel 5:25 ) ( 8:1 ) , this revenge they took in the time of Ahaz, ( 2 Chronicles 28:18 ) , and very probably also showed their spite at the time of Jerusalem's destruction: and have taken vengeance with a despiteful heart, to destroy it for the
old hatred;
which they bore to the people of Israel, from their first settlement in Canaan; from the times of the judges, particularly Samson; and from the times of Saul and David: it was an old grudge they bore, they had spite and malice in their hearts, and wanted an opportunity to vent it; having determined to take vengeance when they could, and utterly destroy them from being a people; very likely, through despite, they assisted the Chaldean army: or, this they did "with a perpetual hatred" F26; they did everything they could, in a spiteful and malicious way, to perpetuate the hatred between them and Israel.