1 Samuel 7:14

from Ekron even unto Gath The towns which lay on the Danite frontier between these places were restored to Israel, not however including Ekron and Gath themselves. There is no evidence that Gath had ever been occupied by the Israelites, and Ekron was only held for a short time (Judges 1:18).

the coasts thereof The territory belonging to these frontier towns. The Sept. reads "the border of Israel."

there was peace between Israel and the Amorites The Amoritesare mentioned as the most powerful enemies of Israel next to the Philistines. "Amorite" is probably a local not a tribal name, meaning "highlander," contrasted with "Canaanite," which means "lowlander." On the W. of Jordan they lived chiefly in the mountainous country of Judah and Ephraim (Numbers 13:29; Joshua 10:5): E. of Jordan they occupied the high plateau of rich pasture-land between the Jabbok and the Arnon, from which they had expelled the Moabites (Numbers 21:13; Numbers 21:26), and were in their turn dispossessed by the Israelites.

In the Egyptian inscriptions the Amorites give their name to the whole country of Canaan, and in several passages of the O.T. the name appears to be used loosely of the original inhabitants in general. Possibly this is the case here.