כְּרֵתִי
𐤊𐤓𐤕𐤉
Kereti
H3774 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
An individual identified as a member of the ethnic group known as the Kerethites, who appear in the biblical narrative as part of the royal guard or elite military corps under King David. The term is primarily used to denote this distinct group, often paired with the Pelethites (פְּלֵתִי), forming a unit of loyal warriors in the monarchic period. In later historical memory, the term is sometimes broadened to refer collectively to a subset of royal guards.
Semantic Range
Kerethite (ethnic group), member of an elite military guard, royal bodyguard; by extension, associated with Philistine or Cretan origins; rarely, collectively as 'life-guardsmen' or 'executioners' in translation
Root / Etymology
The word כְּרֵתִי (Kerēthî) derives ultimately from the root כרת (karat), 'to cut, separate,' though the connection between the root meaning and the ethnonym is uncertain. The name is cognate with the region of Crete, reflecting traditions of foreign, possibly Aegean, origin for the group (often associated with the Philistines, who are also connected with Crete in some traditions), but this identification is debated, and there is no consensus as to the direct derivation. More strictly, the biblical form serves as an ethnonym, not a derivative of the verbal meaning of 'to cut.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the early monarchy (10th–9th centuries BCE), the Kerethites appear as a distinct troop or corps close to the person of the Israelite king, especially in narratives associated with David (cf. 2 Sam 8:18; 15:18; 20:7). Their pairing with the Pelethites suggests a non-Israelite or mercenary origin, often theorized to be related to groups who migrated from the Aegean or southern coastal regions (see also Ezekiel 25:16, Zephaniah 2:5). In biblical text, their ethno-geographic association is sometimes conflated with the Philistines, but the evidence is imprecise. The Greek Septuagint sometimes renders the term with references to 'executioners' or royal guards, leading to the later interpretation as 'life-guardsmen.' English translations often use 'Cherethites,' which may obscure the ethnic sense of the term and its possible foreign associations. The term does not denote 'executioner' in the primary sources; such meanings are interpretive and reflect later or external understandings.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
probably from כָּרַת in the sense of executioner; (compare טַבָּח) (only collectively in the singular as plural); a Kerethite or life-guardsman; Cherethims, Cherethites.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
כרת (k-r-t) — to cut, to separate, to make a covenant
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H3735 | כָּרָא | she pierced herself in grief |
| H3747 | כְּרִית | Kerith, the Cut-Ravine |
| H3748 | כְּרִיתוּת | marital cutting-off |
| H3772 | כָּרַת | I will cause to cut off |
| H3773 | כָּרֻתָה | hewn timbers |
Word Forms
3 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3774-03 |
וְ/הַ/כְּרֵתִ֖י | vehakereti | HC/Td/Ngmsa |
and the Cherethites | and the Kerethite | 4 |
H3774-01 |
הַ/כְּרֵתִ֛י | hakereti | HTd/Ngmsa |
of the Cherethites | the Kerethite guardsman | 4 |
H3774-02 |
כְּרֵתִ֑ים | keretim | HNgmpa |
Cherethites | Kerethites | 2 |
Occurrences in Scripture
10 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3774-01 |
1 Samuel 30:14 | הַ/כְּרֵתִ֛י | hakereti | HTd/Ngmsa |
of the Cherethites | the Kerethite guardsman |
H3774-03 |
2 Samuel 8:18 | וְ/הַ/כְּרֵתִ֖י | vehakereti | HC/Td/Ngmsa |
and the Cherethites | and the Kerethite |
H3774-01 |
2 Samuel 15:18 | הַ/כְּרֵתִ֖י | hakereti | HTd/Ngmsa |
the Cherethite | the Kerethite guardsman |
H3774-03 |
2 Samuel 20:7 | וְ/הַ/כְּרֵתִ֥י | vehakereti | HC/Td/Ngmsa |
and the Cherethites | and the Kerethite |
H3774-01 |
2 Samuel 20:23 | הַ/כְּרֵתִ֖י | hakereti | HTd/Ngmsa |
the Cherethites | the Kerethite guardsman |
H3774-03 |
1 Kings 1:38 | וְ/הַ/כְּרֵתִי֙ | vehakereti | HC/Td/Ngmsa |
and the Cherethites | and the Kerethite |
H3774-03 |
1 Kings 1:44 | וְ/הַ/כְּרֵתִ֖י | vehakereti | HC/Td/Ngmsa |
and the Cherethites | and the Kerethite |
H3774-02 |
Ezekiel 25:16 | כְּרֵתִ֑ים | keretim | HNgmpa |
Cherethites | Kerethites |
H3774-02 |
Zephaniah 2:5 | כְּרֵתִ֑ים | keretim | HNgmpa |
Cherethites | Kerethites |
H3774-01 |
1 Chronicles 18:17 | הַ/כְּרֵתִ֖י | hakereti | HTd/Ngmsa |
the Kerethites | the Kerethite guardsman |