Now there was no smith found throughout all the land of Israel: for the Philistines said, Lest the Hebrews make them swords or spears:
Now there was no metalworker to be found anywhere in the land of Israel, because the Philistines said, 'We can't let the Hebrews make swords or spears for themselves.'
The Philistines kept Israel weak by preventing them from having anyone who could make weapons out of metal.
📚 Historical Context
The Philistines controlled the iron-working technology in the region and used this monopoly as a military strategy to keep Israel dependent and defenseless. This was during the transition from the Bronze Age to the Iron Age, when iron weapons gave armies a significant advantage. By controlling all the metalworkers, the Philistines forced the Israelites to come to them even for basic farming tools.
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