Cherethites
Encyclopedia
Cherethites is a name given by the Hebrew Bible
to one of the ethnic groups in the Levant
. Their identity has not been determined with certainty.
In some passages it appears that Cherethites was used as a synonym for the Philistines
; the Books of Samuel
describe the Cherethites as living in the Negev
near Ziklag
, but the same area is described as the land of the Philistines only two verses later. In the masoretic text
's version of the Book of Ezekiel
, a group referred to as children of the land league are stated as being allies of Egypt, but in the Septuagint's version of the same passage, the group are described instead as children of the Cherethites; scholars believe that this is a reference to an alliance of the Philistines as a whole, rather than a subgroup.
However, the Bible also refers to the Cherethites in the frequent phrase Cherethites and Pelethites; the Pelethites (Pelethi in Hebrew
) are thought to be identical to the Philistines (Pelishti in Hebrew), the former term being a linguistic corruption
of the latter; seemingly this differentiates between the Cherethites and the Philistines. The combined phrase Cherethites and Pelethites is only used by the Bible to refer to a group of elite mercenaries in the employ
of King David, some of whom acted as his bodyguards, and others as part of his army. The targum
, and syriac peshitta, regarding the phrase as an appelative, render it bowmen and slingers, Origen
's Hexapla
rendered it corrupted people, while comparatively more recently Gesenius proposed that it should be rendered executioners and runners; most modern scholars, however, do not believe the phrase to be appellative.
The Septuagint translates Cherethite as Cretans, where it occurs in the writings of the literary prophets, paralleling an ancient tradition that the origin of the people living in Roman Palestine (which was named after the Philistines) had also come from Crete
; the latter tradition is connected to that which concerns whether the Philistines originated from Caphtor
, an ambiguous location that most modern scholars believe was probably identical to Crete. Some scholars have proposed that the Cherethites were a second wave of migrants, the Philistines being the first, and that their initial staging post from which they spread was Ziklag, having taken this over as their capital from the Philistines.
There is a reasonable possibility that the Carites were identical to the Cherethites, the former term being a linguistic corruption of the latter; if this is the case, then it would appear that these mercenaries were still used by the Israelites in the time of Athaliah
.
In the aggadah
, the Cherethites are portrayed as being identical to the Sanhedrin
, rather than being non-Israelite mercenaries employed by the Israelites; the aggadah argues that Kereti (Hebrew for Cherethites) should be interpreted as being derived from to cut off, in the sense of to make a decree, and thus a reference to making legal decisions. Pseudo-Jerome argues similarly, stating that the phrase Cherethites and Pelethites refers to the congregation of God.
Hebrew Bible
The Hebrew Bible is a term used by biblical scholars outside of Judaism to refer to the Tanakh , a canonical collection of Jewish texts, and the common textual antecedent of the several canonical editions of the Christian Old Testament...
to one of the ethnic groups in the Levant
Levant
The Levant or ) is the geographic region and culture zone of the "eastern Mediterranean littoral between Anatolia and Egypt" . The Levant includes most of modern Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Israel, the Palestinian territories, and sometimes parts of Turkey and Iraq, and corresponds roughly to the...
. Their identity has not been determined with certainty.
In some passages it appears that Cherethites was used as a synonym for the Philistines
Philistines
Philistines , Pleshet or Peleset, were a people who occupied the southern coast of Canaan at the beginning of the Iron Age . According to the Bible, they ruled the five city-states of Gaza, Askelon, Ashdod, Ekron and Gath, from the Wadi Gaza in the south to the Yarqon River in the north, but with...
; the Books of Samuel
Books of Samuel
The Books of Samuel in the Jewish bible are part of the Former Prophets, , a theological history of the Israelites affirming and explaining the Torah under the guidance of the prophets.Samuel begins by telling how the prophet Samuel is chosen by...
describe the Cherethites as living in the Negev
Negev
The Negev is a desert and semidesert region of southern Israel. The Arabs, including the native Bedouin population of the region, refer to the desert as al-Naqab. The origin of the word Neghebh is from the Hebrew root denoting 'dry'...
near Ziklag
Ziklag
Ziklag is the Biblical name of a town that was located in the Negev region in the south of what was the Kingdom of Judah.-Identification:The exact location of Ziklag has not been identified with any certainty....
, but the same area is described as the land of the Philistines only two verses later. In the masoretic text
Masoretic Text
The Masoretic Text is the authoritative Hebrew text of the Jewish Bible and is regarded as Judaism's official version of the Tanakh. While the Masoretic Text defines the books of the Jewish canon, it also defines the precise letter-text of these biblical books, with their vocalization and...
's version of the Book of Ezekiel
Book of Ezekiel
The Book of Ezekiel is the third of the Latter Prophets in the Hebrew Bible, following the books of Isaiah and Jeremiah and preceding the Book of the Twelve....
, a group referred to as children of the land league are stated as being allies of Egypt, but in the Septuagint's version of the same passage, the group are described instead as children of the Cherethites; scholars believe that this is a reference to an alliance of the Philistines as a whole, rather than a subgroup.
However, the Bible also refers to the Cherethites in the frequent phrase Cherethites and Pelethites; the Pelethites (Pelethi in Hebrew
Hebrew language
Hebrew is a Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Culturally, is it considered by Jews and other religious groups as the language of the Jewish people, though other Jewish languages had originated among diaspora Jews, and the Hebrew language is also used by non-Jewish groups, such...
) are thought to be identical to the Philistines (Pelishti in Hebrew), the former term being a linguistic corruption
Sound change
Sound change includes any processes of language change that affect pronunciation or sound system structures...
of the latter; seemingly this differentiates between the Cherethites and the Philistines. The combined phrase Cherethites and Pelethites is only used by the Bible to refer to a group of elite mercenaries in the employ
Employment
Employment is a contract between two parties, one being the employer and the other being the employee. An employee may be defined as:- Employee :...
of King David, some of whom acted as his bodyguards, and others as part of his army. The targum
Targum
Taekwondo is a Korean martial art and the national sport of South Korea. In Korean, tae means "to strike or break with foot"; kwon means "to strike or break with fist"; and do means "way", "method", or "path"...
, and syriac peshitta, regarding the phrase as an appelative, render it bowmen and slingers, Origen
Origen
Origen , or Origen Adamantius, 184/5–253/4, was an early Christian Alexandrian scholar and theologian, and one of the most distinguished writers of the early Church. As early as the fourth century, his orthodoxy was suspect, in part because he believed in the pre-existence of souls...
's Hexapla
Hexapla
Hexapla is the term for an edition of the Bible in six versions. Especially it applies to the edition of the Old Testament compiled by Origen of Alexandria, which placed side by side:#Hebrew...
rendered it corrupted people, while comparatively more recently Gesenius proposed that it should be rendered executioners and runners; most modern scholars, however, do not believe the phrase to be appellative.
The Septuagint translates Cherethite as Cretans, where it occurs in the writings of the literary prophets, paralleling an ancient tradition that the origin of the people living in Roman Palestine (which was named after the Philistines) had also come from Crete
Crete
Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits...
; the latter tradition is connected to that which concerns whether the Philistines originated from Caphtor
Caphtor
Caphtor is a locality mentioned in the Bible and related literature. The people of Caphtor are called Caphtorites and are named as a division of the ancient Egyptians. Caphtor is also mentioned in ancient inscriptions from Egypt, Mari and Ugarit. Traditional Hebrew sources place Caphtor in the...
, an ambiguous location that most modern scholars believe was probably identical to Crete. Some scholars have proposed that the Cherethites were a second wave of migrants, the Philistines being the first, and that their initial staging post from which they spread was Ziklag, having taken this over as their capital from the Philistines.
There is a reasonable possibility that the Carites were identical to the Cherethites, the former term being a linguistic corruption of the latter; if this is the case, then it would appear that these mercenaries were still used by the Israelites in the time of Athaliah
Athaliah
Athaliah was the queen of Judah during the reign of King Jehoram, and later became sole ruler of Judah for six years. William F. Albright has dated her reign to 842–837 BC, while Edwin R. Thiele's dates, as taken from the third edition of his magnum opus, were 842/841 to 836/835 BC...
.
In the aggadah
Aggadah
Aggadah refers to the homiletic and non-legalistic exegetical texts in the classical rabbinic literature of Judaism, particularly as recorded in the Talmud and Midrash...
, the Cherethites are portrayed as being identical to the Sanhedrin
Sanhedrin
The Sanhedrin was an assembly of twenty-three judges appointed in every city in the Biblical Land of Israel.The Great Sanhedrin was the supreme court of ancient Israel made of 71 members...
, rather than being non-Israelite mercenaries employed by the Israelites; the aggadah argues that Kereti (Hebrew for Cherethites) should be interpreted as being derived from to cut off, in the sense of to make a decree, and thus a reference to making legal decisions. Pseudo-Jerome argues similarly, stating that the phrase Cherethites and Pelethites refers to the congregation of God.