Saul said, “Thus will you say to David, ‘The king does not desire any dowry but a 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.
1 Samuel 18:25–27
When his servants told David these words, it pleased David well to be the king’s son-in-law. Now the days had not expired; therefore David arose and went, he and his men, and killed two hundred men of the Philistines. Then David brought their foreskins and they gave them in full to the king, that he might be the king’s son-in-law. And Saul gave him Michal his daughter for a wife.
This is just downright weird. Why is this in the Bible?
I get that Saul was working on an intrigue to have David destroyed. Certainly, getting the foreskins within a time limit would put David in extreme danger. 100 foreskins would require the death of 100 Philistines. They would then serve as proof of David killing those enemies of the king and allow David to be a part of the royal house. Philistines were uncircumcised and would serve as a certain sign of who had been killed. It would also humiliate them. Think about it: instead of carrying 100 heads, this was much more efficient. Though nothing is written of how these trophies were carried back to Saul, carrying the foreskins could have made it a public spectacle. Nevertheless, the Philistines would know what had been done to their fallen. But I get ahead.
Knowing the late Dr. Michael S. Heiser… When it comes to the Bible, if it is weird, it is important.
David brings back twice the required payment to acquire Michal as his bride. This had to upset Saul, as David did not fail. But then, that is my impression.
Who is the Bride of Jesus?
This whole account prefigures specific things about Jesus. The foreskins are figurative of a blood price because the Philistines would have had to die for David to acquire them. This dowry necessitated a purchase to be made with bloodshed.
Now, this is a bit controversial. The idea of Jesus taking a bride is real; the question comes to the identity of that bride. Much is inferred from multiple places.
For your Maker is your husband, the Lord of Hosts is His name; and your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel; He shall be called the God of the whole earth.
Isaiah 54:5
Redemption of Israel comes with the language of betrothal. Betrothal is a covenant pledge and a legal seal. Once the bride price is satisfied, the bride is consecrated; that is, she is set apart exclusively for the groom.
I will take you for My wife forever. I will take you for My wife in righteousness and in justice, in mercy and in compassion. I will take you for My wife in faithfulness, and you will know the Lord.
Hosea 2:19–20
Jehovah promises betrothal to Israel. What of the church?
Paul used betrothal language coupled with redemption as the pattern that the Tanakh holds.
I would to God you could bear with me a little in my folly. Indeed, bear with me. For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy. For I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.
2 Corinthians 11:1–2
Paul tells the Corinthian church that they were bought with a price.
You were bought at a price. Do not be the servants of men.
1 Corinthians 7:23
What is That Price?
For you know that you were not redeemed from your vain way of life inherited from your fathers with perishable things, like silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.
1 Peter 1:18–19
I think that is more than sufficient evidence to determine that Jesus gave Himself as the bride price. It was His blood. Like David paid a blood price to set aside his betrothed… What does that make you and me if not betrothed?
Therefore take heed to yourselves and to the entire flock, over which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.
Acts 20:28
The important thing to note is Jesus purchased a bride with His blood. Just as David did.
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for it, that He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, and that He might present to Himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing, but that it should be holy and without blemish.
Ephesians 5:25-27
I think I have satisfied any question as to the identity of the bride of Christ. As well as the dowry set.
But Why 200 foreskins?
To answer this, one needs a copy of 1 Enoch. (Find an online version here.) In it, there is a clear reference to the number 200. Like David’s father-in-law Saul who had enemies, 200 refers to enemies of God.
And it came to pass when the children of men had multiplied that in those days were born unto them beautiful and comely daughters. And the angels, the children of the heaven, saw and lusted after them, and said to one another: ‘Come, let us choose us wives from among the children of men and beget us children.’ And Semjaza, who was their leader, said unto them: ‘I fear ye will not indeed agree to do this deed, and I alone shall have to pay the penalty of a great sin.’ And they all answered him and said: ‘Let us all swear an oath, and all bind ourselves by mutual imprecations not to abandon this plan but to do this thing.’ Then sware they all together and bound themselves by mutual imprecations upon it. And they were in all two hundred; who descended in the days of Jared on the summit of Mount Hermon, and they called it Mount Hermon, because they had sworn and bound themselves by mutual imprecations upon it. And these are the names of their leaders: Samlazaz, their leader, Araklba, Rameel, Kokablel, Tamlel, Ramlel, Danel, Ezeqeel, Baraqijal, Asael, Armaros, Batarel, Ananel, Zaqiel, Samsapeel, Satarel, Turel, Jomjael, Sariel. These are their chiefs of tens.
Enoch 6:1–8
Note that this has a parallel passage in Genesis 6. This provides a bit more detail and would have been a familiar theme to Israeli folk of the time. This is the account of the giants. The gods came down to live with man. This was the fabled Golden Age. (Yes, they are trying to revive that Golden Age; that’s why it is in today’s political speeches.)
They Are Numbered.
And they were in all two hundred; who descended in the days of Jared on the summit of Mount Hermon.
Enoch 6:6
Asd to the fallen realm, Enoch names names and numbers them. Now things turn a bit more macabre.
And all the others together with them took unto themselves wives, and each chose for himself one, and they began to go in unto them and to defile themselves with them, and they taught them charms and enchantments, and the cutting of roots, and made them acquainted with plants. And they became pregnant, and they bare great giants, whose height was three thousand ells: Who consumed all the acquisitions of men. And when men could no longer sustain them, the giants turned against them and devoured mankind. And they began to sin against birds, and beasts, and reptiles, and fish, and to devour one another’s flesh, and drink the blood. Then the earth laid accusation against the lawless ones.
Enoch 7:1–6
Some Golden Age this is. Angels seeking strange flesh with humans and doing that which was not ordained by God. Yes, the detestable crime was sexual and produced progeny. The writers of your Bible were very familiar with the book of Enoch.
Likewise, the angels who did not keep to their first domain, but forsook their own dwelling, He has kept in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day. Just as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the surrounding cities in like manner, gave themselves to immorality and went after different flesh, they serve as an example by suffering the punishment of eternal fire.
Jude 1:6–7
Be careful how you work forward to the future. There’s really nothing new under the sun.
As Enoch retells, these were heavenly beings that fell in a very specific way. They perpetrated a unique kind of evil on humanity. Could David’s trophy collection of 200 foreskins indicate that Jesus destroyed even these?
Let’s make one more stop…
I have said, “You are gods,
Psalm 82:6–7
sons of the Most High, all of you,
but you all shall die like men,
and fall like a man, O princes.”
Something far deeper in this psalm. The “gods” here are most likely not human judges. Human judges die, like all men. This is obviously a judgment on spiritual beings that do not die like men, but God consigns them to death. Judgment looms for these fallen ones; is that why they tremble even though they believe in Jesus?
Perhaps. Look at what Paul tells us of what was accomplished at the cross.
And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has resurrected together with Him, having forgiven you all sins. He blotted out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us and contrary to us, and He took it out of the way, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed authorities and powers, He made a show of them openly, triumphing over them by the cross.
Colossians 2:13–15
You were bought with more than just sufficient blood price… Exceeding the demand.
When Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished.” And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit. John 19:30
Having disarmed authorities and powers… Making a public show of them. Just as David did to the Philistines by taking their foreskins… 200 of them.
