1 Samuel 30:14

South of the Cherethites. Literally, “the negeb of the Cherethites.” The Cherethites are believed by some to have been Cretans. A comparison of Eze. 25:16 and Zeph. 2:5, indicates that the Cherethites occupied part of the Philistine seacoast; evidently the southern part, for the Amalekites reached them first as they approached from the desert of Shur. Ziklag was either in, or adjacent to, the territory of the Cherethites.

South of Caleb. Better, “the negeb of Caleb.” Caleb the Kenezite (Joshua 14:14) was given a portion of Judah’s allotment near Hebron (Joshua 15:13-19). Since the Amalekites resided in the desert toward Egypt (1 Sam. 15:7), and since the Calebites are mentioned as being raided after the Cherethites, it is probable that the invasion proceeded from the west to the east, striking the border of the Cherethites first. Then as the marauders swept eastward, carrying with them the Cherethite prisoners, they probably learned of David’s absence from his home district, and decided to return home by way of Ziklag, to destroy it, and then to flee back into the depths of the desert of Shur with their captives.