The Cherethites And The Pelethites

by Doodson, A. T. | Category: Strangers To The Covenants | Jun 1958

Among the peoples referred to as being associated with the Israelites, though not by nature children of Israel, there are none which more closely typify the saints of this dispensation than do the peoples associated with David and Solomon. It is common knowledge that David is a type of the Lord Jesus Christ, not only when he was waiting for the consummation of his anointing and patiently enduring the persecution by Saul, but also when he was constrained to flee before Absalom. Solomon stands as the complement to David, typifying the reigning of the Lord Jesus Christ when He comes in power and great glory, to dazzle the eyes of men with the riches of His glory.

It is very remarkable that we find a group of men associated with David and Solomon in the scenes which are most significantly typical of those things which have to do with the Lord. If we turn to 2 Samuel 15.18 we have prominently brought before us the Cherethites, the Pelethites, and the Gittites. Owing to the fact that there were 600 of these men, it has been readily assumed by some that these were the same 600 men as those who joined David in the Cave of Adullam and who afterwards followed him into the land of the Philistines (see 1 Samuel 22.2; 23.13; 25.13; 27. 2) unto Achish, king of Gath. We note, however, that the Gittites at least were not Israelites, for Ittai "the Gittite "(2 Samuel 15.19) was " a stranger, and also an exile" with his "own place" to which he might return. David entreated him so to return and to " take back " his brethren (verse 20). These, of course, will be the Gittites referred to in verse 18. David says of Ittai and his men that they came "but yesterday," though it states explicitly in verse 18 that they came " after " David from Gath. It is abundantly clear, therefore, that the 600 men of verse 18 included at least a number of aliens, and that this group of 600 men could not be identical with the Adullamites.

Further, the Cherethites themselves are referred to as being in the land of the Philistines, and they were raided by the Amalekites at the time when Ziklag, David's possession in Gath, was burnt (1 Samuel 30.14). See also Ezekiel 25.16.

We must conclude therefore that the Cherethites, Pelethites, and Gittites were men of the Philistine race, and that for some reason they had cast in their lot with that of David. It behoves us to enquire as to their motives, and perhaps we can discern something common to them all in what Ittai and Achish say unto David. The noble reply of Ittai to David's injunction has rung through the centuries and will be to his glory and honour through all eternity:

" As the LORD liveth, and as my lord the king liveth, surely in what place my lord the king shall be, whether far death or for life, even there also will thy servant be."

Like Ruth the Moabitess, he also could say in effect

"Intreat me not to leave thee, and to return from following after thee for whither thou goest I will go ; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God."

Achish's testimony to David (1 Samuel 29.9) was that David bad been good in his sight, "as an angel of God."

We pass over the circumstances which had led David to seek refuge with Achish in the land of the enemies of Israel, and we overlook the obvious deceit practised by David, just as we must needs pass over many other blemishes in men who yet are set forth in measure as types of the One who alone was perfect. What is of moment is that clearly David had revealed traits which had endeared him to Achish and the Gittites, and it is not only that David had bloomed before them as the flower of manhood and the prince of warriors, but he had impressed upon Achish that spirituality which had caused Achish to revere him as an angel of God. David had undoubtedly opened up the mind of Ittai to the beauty of Jehovah, the great I AM, by whom Ittai could take oath, "As Jehovah liveth." The love of these men for David transcended the love of Jonathan, for it was for David's God also. Like Ruth in regard to Naomi, it was "thy people ... and thy God."

We judge, therefore, that it was out of pure love for David and the son of David that these 600 men followed David out of Gath when the day came for David to be brought to the kingdom. But their love was not of the kind which could fade with prosperity, for the day came when David crossed the brook Kidron, weeping as he went, cursed and reviled by men, rejected by the people, betrayed by those whom he had loved, a type indeed of that greater One who would cross the same brook on the way to Gethsemane. But there were men with David whose love was too deeply rooted to be affected by the cold wind of adversity, and in the days of his rejection they were a comfort to him.

We pass now to another scene. David's days are well-nigh over, and the appointed heir to glory must be hurriedly crowned because of the usurper (please read 1 Kings 1.5). Men's hearts have again been stolen, and all the king's sons, the captains of the host, the high priest (verse 25), and the men of Judah (verse 9), have ranked themselves behind Adonijah. The day is come for the revelation of Solomon as the appointed king. We read that those who had not been called to share in the festivities were "Nathan the prophet, and Shimei, and Rei, and the mighty men which belonged to David" (verse 8), also Zadok the priest, and Benaiah, and Solomon (verse 26). What action the mighty men took is not clear, but we read that Nathan, Zadok, and the mother of Solomon, bestirred themselves and brought the news to David, who commanded that Solomon should immediately be proclaimed as king.

The coronation of Solomon has some lessons for us, if we read aright. The men who took Solomon were "Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah ... and the Cherethites and the Pelethites "(verse 88): that is, three Israelites and a band of aliens If it is correct, that these latter people were indeed gathered out of the land of the Philistines, and were thereby strangers to the covenants, we get a delightful picture of the great appearing in glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. When He comes on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory, who will be with Him? Not many mighty men, perhaps; very few Israelites, probably; but many who once had no hope, but were aliens and strangers, but will be then with Christ in glory. Once they were as the Philistines, proud men by nature (Zechariah 9.6), but their hearts were drawn after the Man of Sorrows, the One who was rejected and cast out by men, so that in their love for Him they humbled their hearts to love and serve and follow Him.

In that day of glory, He will be marvelled at, not only because of His intrinsic glory, but marvelled at in all them that believed; He will be glorified in His saints (2 Thessalonians 1.10). Men will be amazed to recognize in that train of the great King some whom they had esteemed as of no account upon the earth, men who had walked as pilgrims and strangers, having no part or lot in the things of the commonwealth of men, because their heart's love was set upon the Person of their great God and Saviour.

Doodson, A. T. | Jun 1958
Strangers To The Covenants