therefore thus says the Lord GOD, Behold, I will stretch out my hand against the Philistines, and I will cut off the Cherethites and destroy the rest of the seacoast.
Three more of Israel's ill-natured neighbours are here arraigned, convicted, and condemned to destruction, for contributing to and triumphing in Jerusalem's fall. I. The Moabites. Seir, which was the seat of the Edomites, is joined with them (Eze 25:8), because they said the same as the Moabites; but they were afterwards reckoned with by themselves, Eze 25:12. Now observe, 1.
Commenting on Ezekiel 25:8-17
Therefore thus saith the Lord God,.... Because of such wretched malice and despiteful usage: behold, I will stretch out mine hand upon the Philistines; as is foretold, Jer 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, Sa1 30:14, there is a beautiful play on words (i) in...
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).