Ben Anath (the original behind the son of Anath) was a widely used name in extra-biblical sources, applied to a troop of Egyptian mercenaries in Pharaoh’s army. So while Shamgar’s success against the Philistines, killing six hundred of them with an oxgoad, benefitted the Israelites, he may not have been intentionally serving Israelite interests. It may have been a one-time benefit on an otherwise Egyptian campaign.¹