What is the context?
The final announcement in the chapter concerns the Philistines. Their old hostility has become a malicious desire to destroy Judah.
The Lord will stretch out His hand against them, cut off the Cherethites and destroy the remnant along the coast. Brown–Driver–Briggs identifies Cherethites as a name for the Philistines or a part of them; the verse is not introducing an unrelated enemy.
The chapter ends as its earlier announcements have: the people will know that He is the Lord when His judgment comes. Longstanding hatred supplies the accusation, not a justification for the revenge.
How is this passage commonly understood?
Henry reads stored-up hatred and the search for an opportunity to act on it as accumulating guilt before God. Wesley understands the announcement as directed against Israel’s hostile coastal neighbors.
The chapter has confronted contempt, dismissive pride and revenge. Its closing announcement shows that a grievance carried for generations still answers to the Lord.
What is our position?
We don't have a position on this passage yet. When our study reaches a conclusion the text supports, it will appear here.