Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary

Adam Clarke Commentary

Slew - two hundred men - The Septuagint has only one hundred men. Saul covenanted with David for a hundred; and David himself says, 2 Samuel 3:14, that he espoused Michal for a hundred: hence it is likely that one hundred is the true reading.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

Wherefore David arose and went, he and his men, and slew of the Philistines two hundred men,.... This he did himself, for the verb is singular, and which were an hundred more than required; this he did to show his regard to the orders of Saul, and his obedience to him, and to testify the sincerity of his afflictions to his daughter, for whose sake he risked his life in this expedition, as well as to express his zeal for God, and his country, against their avowed enemies; the Greek version has only one hundred men, see 2 Samuel 3:14,

and David brought their foreskins; along with him to Saul's court, having taken them off when slain. Josephus says^F26Antiqu. l. 6. c. 10. sect. 3. he cut off their heads, and brought them to him, and he makes the number to be six hundred; neither are according to the text, but to make his history more agreeable to the Gentiles, see 1 Samuel 18:21; an Arabic writer^F1Alcamus apud Bochart. Hierozoic. par. 2. l. 1. c. 19. col. 130. makes mention of a people, that cut off the genital parts of men, and gave them to their wives for their dowry:

and they gave them in full tale to the king; the messengers David sent in with them, even the full tale of two hundred, which were as many more as were demanded:

that he might be the king's son in law; being now as desirous of it as the king was:

and Saul gave him Michal his daughter to wife; which he could not in honour refuse to do, seeing he had performed the condition he had required. David's marriage of the younger sister, when upon various considerations it might have been expected that he should have married the elder, may be an emblem of Christ's espousing the Gentile church, when the Jewish church, her elder sister, is neglected by him, she having rejected him.

Geneva Study Bible

Wherefore David arose and went, he and his men, and slew of the Philistines two hundred men; and David brought their foreskins, and ^m 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.

(m) Meaning, David and his soldiers.

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

David … slew of the Philistines two hundred men — The number was doubled, partly to show his respect and attachment to the princess, and partly to oblige Saul to the fulfillment of his pledge.

Wesley's Explanatory Notes

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.

Two hundred — He doubled the number required; to oblige Saul the more to the performance of his promise; and to shew his great respect and affection to Saul's daughter.

John Trapp Complete Commentary

1 Samuel 18:27 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.

Ver. 27. Two hundred men.] He doubled the number of foreskins required: (1.) To cut off all cavils; (2.) To show to Saul his liberality and generosity. Strabo saith (a) that among the old Germans none might marry a wife, who had not first presented to their king the head of an enemy cut off. In the year 959 our King Edgar, to free his country from wolves, enjoined the prince of North Wales to bring him yearly three hundred skins of them for a tribute.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible

He doubled the number required; partly to oblige Saul the more to the performance of his promise; and partly to show his great respect and affection to Saul’s daughter.

Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

27.Two hundred men — Twice the number required. “This was another great exploit — far more arduous, although less renowned, than the overthrow of Goliath. It must have attracted great attention at the time, and have conduced in no small degree to the public estimation in which David was held.” — Kitto.

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

his men. Hebrew. "enosh. App-14.

men. Hebrew. "ish. App-14.

they: i.e. Saul"s servants. Septuagint and Vulgate read "he".

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Unabridged

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.

David ... slew of the Philistines two hundred men. The number was doubled, partly to show his respect and attachment to the princess, and partly to oblige Saul to the fulfillment of his pledge. This passage and 2 Samuel 1:20 (cf. Genesis 34:1-31), where the Philistines are called "the uncircumcised," seems directly at variance with a well-known statement by Herodotus (b. 2:: cf. ch. 104: Diodorus, b. 1:, 28), of the fact that circumcision was practiced, not only by the Egyptians and Ethiopians, but by the Syrians of Palestine and the Phoenicians, But the two statements, though apparently conflicting, are capable of being adjusted. 'Subsequently to the time of Saul a great change took place in the population of the Philistine cities, and a considerable Egyptian element, practicing circumcision, had probably been introduced' (Blakesley's 'Notes;' also Wilkinson in Rawlinson's 'Herodotus,' 2:, p. 104).

Gave them in full tale to the king. Trophies of this sort, whether hands, heads, or other dismembered relics of slaughtered remains, were minutely enumerated and carefully recorded (Gliddon's 'Ancient Egypt,' p. 99; Layard).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

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.

his men

slew

Judges 14:19; 2 Samuel 3:14

two hundred men

The Septuagint has only [ ] one hundred men; and as Saul covenanted for a hundred, as David himself says, (2 Sa 3:14,) that he espoused Michal for a hundred, it is very probable that this is the true reading.

Reciprocal: 1 Samuel 22:14 - the king's;  1 Samuel 24:11 - my father;  1 Samuel 25:44 - Michal;  1 Chronicles 15:29 - Michal