1 Kings 1:38

1Ki 1:38 So Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, went down, and caused Solomon to ride upon king David’s mule, and brought him to Gihon.

Ver. 38. And brought him to Gihon.] See on 1Ki 1:33.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

1:38 The king’s bodyguard were foreign mercenaries from Crete; they served David throughout his reign (2 Sam 8:18; 15:18; 20:7).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

(38) The Cherethites, and the Pelethites.—See 2Sa_8:18; 2Sa_15:28; 2Sa_20:7; 2Sa_20:23. The body-guard-perhaps of foreign troops—“the executioners and runners” (as some render them) to carry out the King’s commands.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

38. the Cherethites and the Pelethites] The former of these names is found 1Sa_30:14 as the name of a people to the south of the Philistines. Hence it has been held by some that the second name, Pelethites, must also be of the same character, and that probably it is connected with the word ‘Philistine.’ It seems not impossible that David from his early residence in the country of the Philistines may have attached a body of men to him from among those peoples and constituted them his first body-guard (Josephus calls them σωματοφύλακες), which while retaining their old title would after the king’s accession be recruited from any of his most trusty supporters. We need not suppose therefore that though called by the old name they were largely composed of aliens. The older interpretations, connecting the words with Hebrew verbs, have been ‘executioners and runners’; and the Targum interprets them as ‘archers and slingers’ and in one place as ‘nobles and common soldiers.’ They are clearly to be identified with ‘the mighty men’ mentioned in 1Ki_1:8 as not being with Adonijah.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

So Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada,.... The three men that David sent for on this occasion:

and the Cherethites and the Pelethites; not the sanhedrim, as Ben Gersom, but David's guards, over whom Benaiah was: these

went down; from Jerusalem;

and caused Solomon to ride upon King David's mule; as he had ordered:

and brought him to Gihon; or Siloah, as the Targum; hence the Jews say (e), they do not anoint a king but at a fountain; but this is the only instance of it.

(e) T. Bab. Ceritot, fol. 5. 2.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

38. Cherethites, and the Pelethites — See note on 2Sa_8:18.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

So Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites these were the royal bodyguard Swmatofulakev Josephus calls them who were commanded by Benaiah. (2Sa_8:18 2Sa_15:18 2Sa_20:23 2Sa_23:28) But while their functions are pretty well understood, great difference of opinion exists as to the origin or meaning of the words. By some they are supposed to be Gentile names. A tribe of Cherethites is mentioned 1Sa_30:14. (Cf. Eze_25:16; Zep_2:5) and in close connexion with the Philistines (ver. 16). Hence Cherethite has been thought to be another name for Philistine; and as the LXX and Syr. render the word "Cretans," it has been conjectured that the Philistines had their origin from Crete. They did come from Caphtor, and that is probably Crete (see Gen_10:14; Jer_47:4; Amo_9:7; Deu_2:23) ytileP again, is not unlike ytiVliP In favor of this view is the fact that David certainly had a bodyguard of foreign mercenaries, (2Sa_15:18) where the "Gittites" are connected with the Cherethites. Nor does it make against it that "two designations" would thus "be employed side by side for one and the same people as if we should speak of Britons and Englishmen (Bahr). For the names look like a paronomasia of which the Jews were very fond and a trick of this kind would at once account for the tautology. (Since writing this, I find the same idea has already occurred to Ewald.) But the other view, adopted by Gesenius, is that the names are names of office and function. Cherethite he would derive from kr"t; cut, slay; and by Cherethites he would understand "executioners," which the royal bodyguard were in ancient despotisms Gen_39:1, Hebrews; Dan_2:14, etc. (See on 1Ki_2:25) In the Pelethites (tlP swiftness) he would see the public couriers (aggaroi) of Eastern men. archies. (see Heb 8:98 and. 2Ch_30:6) We see the guard discharging the function first named in 2Ki_10:25 2Ki_11:4, 2Ki_11:8; and the latter in 1Ki_14:27 (marg. went down i.e., from the palace on Mount Zion and caused Solomon to ride upon King David"s mule, and brought him to l cf. 2:26 Gihon Chald., Syr., Arab., Shiloha)

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The anointing of Solomon was carried out immediately, as the king had commanded. On the Crethi and Plethi see at Sa2 8:18. "The oil-horn out of the tent" (i.e., a vessel made of horn and containing oil) was no doubt one which held the holy anointing oil, with which the priests and the vessels of the sanctuary were anointed (see Exo 30:22.). The tent (האהל), however, is not the tabernacle at Gibeon, but the tent set up by David for the ark of the covenant upon Mount Zion (Sa2 6:17). For even though Zadok was appointed high priest at the tabernacle at Gibeon, and Abiathar, who held with Adonijah, at the ark of the covenant, the two high priests were not so unfriendly towards one another, that Zadok could not have obtained admission to the ark of the covenant in Abiathar's absence to fetch away the anointing oil.

Keil & Delitzsch — Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament (1861–1891) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API. (Old Testament only.)

General Information:

The people of Israel anoint Solomon as king over Israel.

Kerethites ... Pelethites

These are names of people groups. (See: How to Translate Names)

Gihon

This is the name of a spring, where fresh water comes out of the ground. (See: How to Translate Names)

took the horn of oil out of the tent

This means the priest took the special animal horn filled with olive oil that was kept in Yahweh's special tent.

took the horn of oil

Possible meanings are 1) the horn of an animal filled with olive oil or 2) a container that had replaced the original horn, but the people still called it a horn. AT: "took a container of oil"

all the people

This is a generalization. (See: Hyperbole and Generalization)

translationWords

horn

oil

tent of meeting

flute

joy

joy

earth

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

And the archers and the sling shooters. [Targum] Yonoson rendered, “the archers and the sling shooters.” But our Rabbis maintained [that it refers to] the Urim and Tumim.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.