John Bimson's arguments are motivated by a desire to fit the archaeological
record into a particular way of reading the Bible. I doubt there are many
archaeologists these days who would side with his chronology and its related
conclusions. So, yes, you're right that there is an alternative to seeing the
Philistines in the patriarchal narratives as anachronistic, but it's a rather
weak argument and is not very well received as a result.
Regards,
GEORGE ATHAS
Moore Theological College (Sydney, Australia)
www.moore.edu.au