Page 169 - Bible History

142 GOD'S CHOSEN PEOPLE ENTER THE PROMISED LAND
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trained, and their weapons were superior to those of their enemies, being made of iron, instead of bronze. This is the nation that we meet in the Bible under the name of Philistines and from which the Promised Land received the name Palestine. They brought with them into the Land of Chanaan the arts and the crafts which they had learned in Crete. They were a cul­
tured people, but they worshiped idols.
Though the Philistines were to cause God's Chosen
People much trouble and su ering, they were also to teach them many useful lessons. From t e'Philistines the Israelites learned the art of working in iron. It also seems likely that from them they learned how to use the alphabet. The Israelites had brought from Egypt a knowledge of picture writing, but they soon discovered that the script used by the Philistines was better suited for writing down the wonderful story of how God had chosen them and watched over them. Following the example of the Philistines, the Israelites learned to form an alphabet of their own.

EXAMPLES OF CRETAN POTT Y