Pelethites

Beside King David stood a company of men called the Cherethites and the Pelethites. Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was “over both the Cherethites and the Pelethites,” and they were among those who marched out after Joab to pursue Sheba. When David’s son Solomon was crowned, they went down with Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet to bring him to Gihon. The verses never say where the name comes from, only that these men served close to the king in difficult hours. Begin with 2 Samuel 8:18, then 1 Kings 1:38.

5 verses

2 Samuel

2 Samuel 8:18

And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over both the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and David's sons were chief rulers.

2 Samuel 15:18

And all his servants passed on beside him; and all the Cherethites, and all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites, six hundred men which came after him from Gath, passed on before the king.

2 Samuel 20:7

And there went out after him Joab's men, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, and all the mighty men: and they went out of Jerusalem, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri.

2 Samuel 20:23

Now Joab was over all the host of Israel: and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and over the Pelethites:

1 Kings

1 Kings 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.

From Easton's Bible Dictionary

Matthew George Easton, 1897

Mentioned always along with the Cherethites, and only in the time of David. The word probably means “runners” or “couriers,” and may denote that while forming part of David’s bodyguard, they were also sometimes employed as couriers (2 Sam. 8:18; 20:7, 23;1 Kings 1:38, 44; 1 Chr. 18:17). Some, however, think that these are the names simply of two Philistine tribes from which David selected his body-guard. They are mentioned along with the Gittites (2 Sam. 15:18), another body of foreign troops whom David gathered round him.

From Smith's Bible Dictionary

William Smith, 1884

(couriers). [CHERETHITES]