I ressurrect this thread thince I find the subject VERY interesting.
Biblical-era Cnaan (later on the kingdoms Israel and Jehuda) was a waystation between two huge land-based empires (Egypt and whoever happened to rule Mesopotamia at the time - Sumeria, Assyria, Babylonia or, much later, Persia) as well as the Phoenician's sea-trader "empire" of sorts; trade passing through the land was extesive and so was the exchange of ideas, technologies, faithes and myths. It was also a very interesting political situation - many warring city-states in the Cnaanite era, and two small kingdoms in the later era, usually entantgled in wars and diplomacy between Egypt and Mesopotamia (king Yehushiao - I know only the original Hebrew pronanciation of his name - was killed in such a conflict IIRC), desert tribe raids (by the tribes of Midian and Amalek and by the kingdoms of Amon and Mo'av) and subject to the Phillistine (probably refugees from the dying Minoan culture) invasion.
The Phillistines were a force to be reckoned with - they have High Tech for the era (extensive iron-working and good ships among other things) and were great warriors; the First Dinasty in Egypt fell due to their incursion IIRC. The Israelites used primitive bronze weapons and tools and thus were in a supreme tactical disadvantage compared to the Phillistines and had to use guerilla tactics (Samson's methods among others). One more thing to remember - the actual Phillistine culture, as revealed by archeology, was quite advanced and interesting, in contrast to how they were displayed in certain parts of the Bible and in the general Western culture.
And the story of Debora the Prophetess and Barak Ben Avino'am rallying the tribes against Yavin the king of Hazor has inspired the old Celiran social structure (and their current one in the Northern Renya jungles; a tribal society with some kind of a "wise woman" mediating between then and serving as the leader in emergency times).
