Charles Ellicott Commentary 1 Samuel 30:14

"We made a raid upon the South of the Cherethites, and upon that which belongeth to Judah, and upon the South of Caleb; and we burned Ziklag with fire." — 1 Samuel 30:14 (ASV)

We made an invasion... —The Egyptian, who apparently was an educated man, accurately describes to David the nature and scope of the Amalekite raid, which had ended with such a notable disaster for the inhabitants of his city of Ziklag. Taking advantage of the war between Israel and Philistia, and of the northward march of the troops of both countries, Amalek made a swift and sudden descent upon the south country.

The Cherethites were a Philistine people dwelling in the south and along the sea-coast. Some have supposed that the name “Crçthites”—which represents the Hebrew more accurately—came originally, as the name seems to indicate, from the island of Crete. Caphtor, the home of the Philistines (Amos 9:7), is likely identical with Crete. The whole question of the history of this unique Philistine people, who were certainly not indigenous to Canaan but were settlers there at a comparatively recent date, and who gave their name “Palestine” to the whole land, is very obscure.

Before Israel's arrival in Canaan, the Philistines held a very strong position on the southern coast. Not long before Samson’s time, they had been strengthened by new arrivals from Crete and other western regions. From that time, they rapidly gained power and influence, and on more than one occasion disputed supremacy with the Hebrew people, whom they threatened to supplant entirely.

We later hear of the Cherethites, mentioned in the passage, serving under the command of Benaiah as part of King David’s bodyguard. This troop or regiment of Philistines was, no doubt, first enrolled during David's residence at Ziklag. He retained this body of foreigners, continually recruited, of course, as part of his personal guard throughout his reign.

Such a bodyguard, composed of foreigners, has always been a favorite practice among sovereigns. The Scottish archers and the corps of Swiss Guards at different periods of the French monarchy, and, on a larger scale, the Varangian guard of the Byzantine emperors of Constantinople in the tenth century, are good examples of this preference for foreigners as the sovereign's personal guards.

And upon the coast which belongs to Judah. —This refers to the eastern portion of the Negeb, or south country, extending from the Mediterranean Sea to the Dead Sea.

And upon the south of Caleb. —One district of the Negeb, or south country, was given to Caleb, Joshua’s companion, as a reward for his faith and courage. His portion, named Caleb after the famous chieftain, included all the land and villages around Hebron, which later became a city of the priests.

And we burned Ziklag with fire. —This act, which brought the reign of Amalek to a close, was intended as stern revenge for David’s recent incursion into their country and for the cruelties inflicted on the captives.