I Don't Understand this Bible Passage?

Question

Samuel 18:25-27

And Saul said, Thus shall ye say to David, The king desireth not any dowry, but an hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged of the king's enemies. But Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines. And when his servants told David these words, it pleased David well to be the king's son in law: and the days were not expired. Wherefore David arose and went, he and his men, and slew of the Philistines two hundred men; and David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full tale to the king, that he might be the king's son in law. And Saul gave him Michal his daughter to wife.

What did Saul want with 100 foreskins? Was he going to make a scarf?

Did David think this was a strange request?

If this was secretly a plan to have David killed, why didn't he require he bring back, say, 100 bear foreskins?

Did David just wander into Philistia and kill the first 200 men he saw? Did they think this was odd? Or, with all the other stuff that went down back then, did they just shrug it off?

Answer 1

This is Saul tactic to kill David urged by his hatred and envy feeling towards David. He placed David in the position so his death would be seen as an accident (it wouldn’t be the case if David brought 100 bear foreskins back to Saul. David was well known for his courage in killing wild beast when he was a shepherd in protecting his sheep/flock. So killing the bear wouldn’t be a challenge to David). Saul hated David so much yet he was scared of him, since he knew that Jehovah God’s power was with David in fought against philistine, the Israelites enemy. So asking David to brought 100 foreskin of philistine as a dowry not only he planned to kill David but also plan to defeat philistine as well. Therefore, he expected to gain victory while he was still under the Israelites kingship. David brought back 200 foreskins instead of 100 to Saul, first to show the victory with God’s help in defending Israelites so they wouldn’t be fearful in fighting against the philistine. Second, to show his great love to Saul’s daughter Michal. So why Saul asked for foreskins instead of other things? Well, Jehovah God made circumcision mandatory for Abraham in 1919 B.C.E., a year before Isaac’s birth. God said: “This is my covenant that you men will keep . . . Every male of yours must get circumcised.” Every male in Abraham’s household of both his descendants and dependents was included, and so Abraham, his 13-year-old son Ishmael, and all his slaves took upon themselves this “sign of the covenant.” Later not only did the Egyptians practice circumcision but the Moabites, the Ammonites, and the Edomites also did. (Jer 9:25, 26) Later, the Samaritans that adhered to the requirements set out in the Pentateuch were also circumcised. On the other hand, the Assyrians, the Babylonians, the Greeks, and notably the Philistines did not practice circumcision. The latter in particular, rather than the Canaanites in general, are derogatorily spoken of as “the uncircumcised,” and it was from fighting with them that trophies of foreskins were brought.—Jg 14:3; 15:18; 1Sa 14:6; 17:26; 18:25-27; 2Sa 1:20; 1Ch 10:4. Circumcision was made a mandatory requirement of the Mosaic Law. “On the eighth day [after the birth of a male] the flesh of his foreskin will be circumcised.” (Le 12:2, 3). The latter in particular, rather than the Canaanites in general, are derogatorily spoken of as “the uncircumcised,” and it was from fighting with them that trophies of foreskins were brought.—Jg 14:3; 15:18; 1Sa 14:6; 17:26; 18:25-27; 2Sa 1:20; 1Ch 10:4. so it’s clearly foreskins of the enemy was viewed as a trophy back then.

Answer 2

First you need to understand that there was a perpetual war between the Israelites and the Philistines at that time. If a Philistine saw an Israelite they would try to kill him, and visa versa. Second, Saul was attempting to prevent David from becoming his son-in-law, so he required a dowry that he thought could not be collected. He actually would have preferred that David die but did not want to be the direct cause of his death because the people of Israel loved David.

Also when reading the Old Testament, one learns more if one does not attempt to apply current cultural standard to the people of those times.

Answer 3

(1 SAMUEL 18:25-27) At that Saul said: “This is what YOU men will say to David, ‘The king has delight, not in marriage money, but in a hundred foreskins of the Phi·lis′tines, to avenge himself on the enemies of the king.’” But as for Saul, he had schemed to have David fall by the hand of the Phi·lis′tines. 26 So his servants reported these words to David, and the matter was to David’s liking, to form a marriage alliance with the king, and the days had not yet expired. 27 So David rose and he and his men went and struck down among the Phi·lis′tines two hundred men, and David came bringing their foreskins and giving them in full number to the king, to form a marriage alliance with the king. In turn Saul gave him Mi′chal his daughter as a wife.

This version in modern English is easier to understand. From the NWT.

It was king Saul who ordered this, and later he lost favour with Jehovah God.
David was the chosen one to be King, but saul had not admitted this fact.
But David was loyal to the 'crown' and refused to harm Saul, regardless of what he ordered.
The Philistines were regarded as heathens worshipping false gods and their lives belonged to Jehovah God.
David killed 2oo to show Saul he did what he was asked AND more. The Bible does not explain why he doubled up.

Answer 4

The Philistines were the enemy of Israel and they were attacking one another all the time. Saul could have asked for one hundred heads of the Philistines perhaps the foreskins were easier for David to carry.

Answer 5

I'm an atheist, but I also like fiction, and this reads like Shakespeare, so I'll give it a try:

The guy wants 100 sons of the Philistines which should be circumcised in Jewish Allah's name. It was done, the guy who was holding his wife hostage let her go...?

If you're looking for truth, find a science textbook.

Answer 6

The church in Corinth grow to be a large number. Paul despatched countless letters to them admonishing them, and answering questions that they had asked. a minimum of a sort of letters is lost - probable the 2nd letter to the Corinthians is truthfully the 0.33 - or perhaps greater. some have faith some have been blended. At any fee, previously females were excluded from the complaints, as grow to be difficulty-unfastened then. although if, Christian ladies and men worshipped at the same time (regularly), and fairly some early church leaders, alongside with priests and bishops, have been females. In Corinth, that they had in simple terms presently joined in for the period of the facilities, yet that they had no thought of what grow to be taking place, as no-one had bothered to offer them any training. So, they could ask what grow to be taking place, which grow to be felt grow to be disrupting to the bypass of the provider. Paul's suggestion grow to be to no longer ask for the period of the provider, yet to ask their husbands later, at homestead. there grow to be additionally a feeling that females like to chit-chat, or gossip in church. We nonetheless think of that way at present, even no remember if it quite is not genuine! (adult males gossip greater suitable than females a lot of people think of.) returned, the provider could desire to be solemn and proper, without idle chatting. This passage isn't against females priests, or females giving sermons, or something like that. it quite is especially to the church in Corinth, and is between the numerous stuff Paul stated to objective to straighten up the incorrect issues that have been taking place there. with reference to the submission stuff - recent in Ephesians. in case you look, females are to appreciate their husbands, yet husbands are required to love our better halves. somewhat distinctive! those comments are frequently taken out of context, very comparable to the conversing in church one. It ought to be stated that a number of those suggestions are Paul's, and not the church's. He says this some cases. And, the cases have been such that females had little or no function in society, a minimum of exterior the homestead. Christians residences have been distinctive from many, as people have been plenty greater equivalent. a minimum of, in the beginning up. This additionally replaced sufficient that by applying the 0.33 century, you have been no longer seeing lady priests, etc.

Answer 7

It was thought to be an impossible task for David to accomplish

Like the deathrow inmate who ordered 100 honey BBQ
hummingbird wings for his last meal

Answer 8

no, a pair of shoes. and pants to match
i'm sure foreskin collectors (after the war) were covering their faces while doing their job

Answer 9

Somebody was smoking some wacky weed when they came up with that one, actually that probably explains most of the verses.

Answer 10

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