Ezekiel 25:16

“Therefore thus saith the Lord God, &c.] Because of such wretched malice and despiteful usage: behold, I will stretch out mine hand upon the Philistines; as is foretold, (<244701>Jeremiah 47:1), and I will cut off the Cherethims: one of the tribes of the Philistines, a principal part of their country, which lay to the south, (<093014>1 Samuel 30:14 <360205> Zephaniah 2:5), there is a beautiful play on wordsf405 in the Hebrew: and destroy the remnant of the seacoast; as that of Ashdod, Caphtor, and Ashkelon, formerly spoiled by other persons; what they left should now be utterly destroyed; (see <232001>Isaiah 20:1 <242520>Jeremiah 25:20 47:4,5)”

“cut off the Cherethims--There is a play on similar sounds in the Hebrew, hichratti cherethim, "I will slay the slayers." The name may have been given to a section of the Philistines from their warlike disposition (Sa1 30:14; Sa1 31:3). They excelled in archery, whence David enrolled a bodyguard from them (Sa2 8:18; Sa2 15:18; Sa2 20:7). They sprang from Caphtor, identified by many with Crete, which was famed for archery, and to which the name Cherethim seems akin. Though in emigration, which mostly tended westwards, Crete seems more likely to be colonized from Philistia than Philistia from Crete, a section of Cretans may have settled at Chere thim in South Philistia, while the Philistines,…”

“The Philistines occupying lands to the south of Judah were a Hamite race Genesis 10:14, but of a different branch from the Canaanites. They were a powerful people never dispossessed by the Israelites Joshua 13:3. They were a thorn in the side of the chosen people throughout, and joined in attacking Jerusalem in the day of her trouble. They were much reduced by the Assyrians Isaiah 14:31, and Egyptians Jeremiah 47:1-7, before the time of this prophecy, but further destruction came upon them in the general ruin of the inhabitants of Canaan, which commenced with the destruction of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar. Ezekiel 25:16 Cherethims - The inhabitants of the southern portion of Philistia…”

“The Cherethim - The bowmen, the strength of Philistia. The remnant - Who had escaped the sword of Samuel, David, Hezekiah, and of Psammetichus king of Egypt. Next: Ezekiel Chapter 26”

“I will stretch: These predictions against the Philistines, Edomites, and others, seem to have been fulfilled by by Nebuchadnezzar during the siege of Tyre. Berosus states that he subdued Syria, Arabia, Phoenicia, and Egypt; and now their very names have no existence, except in history. Eze 25:7, Eze 25:13 Cherethims: Sa1 30:14; Sa2 15:18; Zep 2:4, Zep 2:5-15, Cherethites and destroy: Jer 47:4 sea coast: or, haven of the sea Ezekiel 25:17”