Albert Barnes Commentary Ezekiel 25:15-17

"Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Because the Philistines have dealt by revenge, and have taken vengeance with despite of soul to destroy with perpetual enmity; therefore thus saith the Lord Jehovah, Behold, I will stretch out my hand upon the Philistines, and I will cut off the Cherethites, and destroy the remnant of the sea coast. And I will execute great vengeance upon them with wrathful rebukes; and they shall know that I am Jehovah, when I shall lay my vengeance upon them." — Ezekiel 25:15-17 (ASV)

The Philistines occupying lands to the south of Judah were a Hamite race (Genesis 10:14), but of a different branch from the Canaanites. They were a powerful people never dispossessed by the Israelites (Joshua 13:3). They were a thorn in the side of the chosen people throughout, and joined in attacking Jerusalem in the day of her trouble. They were much reduced by the Assyrians (Isaiah 14:31), and Egyptians (Jeremiah 47:1–7), before the time of this prophecy, but further destruction came upon them in the general ruin of the inhabitants of Canaan, which commenced with the destruction of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar (Ezekiel 25:16).

Cherethims - The inhabitants of the southern portion of Philistia (Zephaniah 2:5).