Difference between revisions of "Cherethites"

<p> [[Cherethites]] ( ''Kĕr'E-Thîtes'' ), ''Executioners,'' and [[Pelethites]] ( ''Pĕl'E-Thîtes'' or ''Pç'Leth-Îtes'' ), ''Couriers.'' The life-guards of King David. &nbsp;2 Samuel 8:18; &nbsp;2 Samuel 15:18; &nbsp;2 Samuel 20:7; &nbsp;2 Samuel 20:23; &nbsp;1 Kings 1:38; &nbsp;1 Kings 1:44; &nbsp;1 Chronicles 18:17; &nbsp;2 Kings 11:4, R. V. "Carites." But it has been conjectured that they may have been foreign mercenaries, and therefore probably Philistines. </p>

<p> ''''' ker´ē̇ ''''' - ''''' thı̄ts ''''' ( כּרתים , <i> ''''' kerēthı̄m ''''' </i> , הכּרתי , <i> ''''' ha ''''' </i> - <i> ''''' kerēthı̄ ''''' </i> ; Χελεθί , <i> ''''' Chelethı́ ''''' </i> "executioners," "life-guardsmen"): A people in South [[Palestine]] whose territory bordered upon that of Judah (&nbsp;1 Samuel 30:14 ). In &nbsp;1 Samuel 30:16 this land is apparently identical with that of the Philistines. In &nbsp; Ezekiel 25:16 the Philistines and the Cherethites are threatened together; while in &nbsp; Zephaniah 2:5 the Cherethites are evidently the dwellers in "the land of the Philistines," "the inhabitants of the seacoast." [[Septuagint]] in both Ezekiel and Zephaniah renders the name "Cretans." The translators may have been "guided only by the sound." But [[Zeus]] Cretagenes in [[Gaza]] suggests a connection with the island of Crete. See, however, [[Caphtor]] . It may be taken as certain that the Cherethites were a [[Philistine]] clan. In conjunction with the Pelethites they are frequently named as forming the guard of David (&nbsp;2 Samuel 8:18 , etc.). It was the custom of many ancient monarchs to have a guard of foreign mercenaries. </p>