Most scholars think that the Cherethites came from the Mediterranean
island of Crete. ITCL, in fact, calls them “Cretans.” The Cherethites are often mentioned along with the “Pelethites” as a
mercenary group among David’s soldiers (see 2 Sam 8:18; 15:18; 20:7, 23). (Roger
L. Omanson and John Ellington, A Handbook on the First Book of Samuel [UBS
Handbook Series; New York: United Bible Societies, 2001], 601)
Most likely the Cherethites and the Pelethites were
both non-Israelites. Some translators may prefer to retain the form along with
the sense in this passage by saying something like “the Kerethites and the
Pelethites, who were the king’s bodyguards” or “those who protected the king,
that is, the Kerethites and the Pelethites.” As in 1 Sam 30:14, frcl and itcl speak of “Cretans” in place of Cherethites, that is, inhabitants of the island of Crete, and in
other languages also it may be better to use the modern name “Cretans,” as in frcl. These Cretans no longer lived on
the island of Crete; they had settled along the southwest coast of Palestine. (Roger
L. Omanson and John Ellington, A Handbook
on Second Book of Samuel [UBS Handbook Series (New York: United Bible
Societies, 2001], 789)
Apparently David recruited a
private army while he was living in Ziklag (1 Sam 27–30). According to 1 Sam
30:14, he was close to “the Negeb of the Cherethites,” presumably the home of
the first named group. frcl and itcl speak of “Cretans” in place of Cherethites,
that is, inhabitants of the island of Crete; and in other languages also, it
may be better to use the modern-day name “Cretans.” However, the identification
of Cherethites
with Cretans is not certain. Roger L. Omanson and John E. Ellington, A Handbook on 1-2 Chronicles, 2 vols. [United
Bible Societies’ Handbooks (Miami, FL: United Bible Societies, 2014], 1:462)
