And There Was Peace between Israel and the Amorites” (1 Sam 7:14): Israelites and Canaanites in Late Iron I

At the end of the story of Samuel's victory over the Philistines in 1 Sam. 7, we are told that “The towns that the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron to Gath; and Israel recovered their territory from the hand of the Philistines; and there was peace between Israel and the Amorites” (verse 14). The idea of “peace” between Israel and “the Amorites” in this context is surprising, and has been understood in different ways by different commentators. This paper suggests that the reference refers to such “Amorite” (a.k.a. “Canaanite”) towns in the northern and central Shephelah such as Gezer, Beth-shemesh, and Tell Aitun (Eglon?) and reflects the relationship between the emerging late Iron I period Israelite polity represented by the Samuel narrative and the “Canaanite” cities in the Shephelah vis-à-vis their relationship with the Philistines, as reflected in both the biblical text and in the material culture of the region. - See more at: https://www.sbl-site.org/meetings/Congresses_Abstracts.aspx?MeetingId=25#sthash.13guaIhh.dpuf