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Reference: Cherethites and Pelethites

Hastings

These were mercenary soldiers, who probably began to attach themselves to David whilst he was an outlaw (2Sa 22:2 etc.), and subsequently became the king's bodyguard and the nucleus of his army (2Sa 8:18; 15:18; 20:7,23; 1Ki 1:38,44; 1Ch 18:17). Benaiah, whom Josephus calls 'captain of the guard' (Ant. VII. xi. 8), was their commander. They accompanied David in his retreat from Jerusalem (2Sa 15:18), fought against Absalom (2Sa 20:7,23), acted as Solomon's bodyguard at his coronation (1Ki 1:38,44). The Cherethites were a Philistine clan (1Sa 30:14), dwelling on the coast (Eze 25:16; Zep 2:5); and the name Pelethites may have been a corrupt form of Philistines. Unwillingness to believe that foreigners stood so near the national hero led certain Jewish scholars to assert that the two clans were Israelites. The appellation 'Cherethite' seems to be connected with Crete, and there is good ground (but see Caphtor) for the belief that Caphtor, from which Am 9:7 says the Philistines came, is to be identified with Crete. The Septuagint of Eze 25:16; Zep 2:5 uses Cretans as the equivalent of Cherethites.

J. Taylor.

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