PELETHITES

(Pelʹe·thites).

Loyal fighters for King David; always mentioned with the Cherethites. When David fled from Jerusalem because of Absalom’s rebellion (which a major portion of the army supported), the Pelethites went along with David across the Kidron. (2 Sam. 15:18, 23) They also helped put down the rebellion of Sheba (2 Sam. 20:7), and later supported David’s choice of Solomon as his successor, rather than siding with Adonijah as Joab did. (1 Ki. 1:38, 44) The Cherethites and Pelethites were not part of the regular army, but were a separate division in the service of King David, for Joab is called the head of the army, but, separately, Benaiah was over the Cherethites and Pelethites. (2 Sam. 8:18; 20:23; 1 Chron. 18:17) Since the Pelethites were not mentioned either before or after the reign of David, it may be concluded that they were his personal servants, rather than a permanent group serving the regal office.—Compare 2 Samuel 8:18 and 23:22, 23.

The lack of any positive identification of the Pelethites has given rise to numerous suggestions, among which are two primary schools of thought: (1) The great similarity in Hebrew between the two names Pelethites and Philistines (פלתי) [Pelethite] plus only one additional character gives פלשתי [Philistine]) is the basis for saying that they are of the same background, or perhaps that the Pelethites were a branch of the Philistines. Some object to this suggestion that Philistines comprised David’s personal bodyguard, but this possibility should not be wholly discounted. (2) On the other hand, the names Cherethites and Pelethites may perhaps be terms designating duty or ranks of service performed by David’s bodyguard, the Cherethites serving as executioners, the Pelethites as runners. Such a division of runners is mentioned during the reigns of Saul and later kings. (1 Sam. 22:17; 2 Ki. 11:4; 2 Chron. 30:6) This second view, however, is less widely held than the first.