1 Samuel 18:7, David Hath Slain His Ten Thousands!
And the women answered one another as they played, and said, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.
//In today’s verse, the women of Israel honor returning warriors David and King Saul with this little ditty. The hyperbole is obvious, meant to imply that David’s battle heroics far exceed even the magnificent warrior Saul.
How do we know it’s hyperbole? Well, the Philistine population at its height probably numbered about thirty thousand. If David slew tens of thousands (plural), and Saul thousands (again plural), then that’s at least 22,000 slain. Obviously, they could not have slain the majority of the Philistines; this is not meant to be a body count.
Instead, the Bible turns a phrase, meaning “aheckofalot.” You’ll find the same language in other places, not meant to be read literally there, either:
That our sheep may bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our streets–Psalms 144:13
Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil?–Micah 6:7
Fantasy Football, Anyone?
Put on the whole uniform of the Team, that ye may be able to stand against the blitz of oncoming linebackers. Don the hip pads of truth, the shoulder pads of righteousness, the cleats of preparation. Don’t forget the facemask of faith and the helmet of salvation. Then clutch the pigskin with much Spirit, for that is what the Play Book of your Coach in Heaven demands.The River of Life
Twice before Lee Harmon has written about Christian topics, once on the gospel of John and once on the book of Revelation. But the question people keep asking him is this: As a liberal Christian, why do you care so much about the Bible? Others wonder whether he is truly a Christian at all.
The Way It Happened
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| Revelation: A love story gone awry. | The Gospel: A love story set aright. |
What really happened 2,000 years ago? How did a persecuted minority of end-time believers known as Christians, with their dreams of Armageddon and a conquering Messiah named Jesus, evolve into the largest religion in the world? Author Lee Harmon explores the period in which the New Testament was written in his books about John's Gospel and Revelation.
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The God Show
Lee Harmon interviewed on The God Show about the History Channel's miniseries The Bible and Lee's latest book, John's Gospel: The Way It Happened.
About Lee
Hello! I'm an author, historical Jesus scholar, book reviewer, and liberal Christian, which means I appreciate and attempt to exercise the humanitarian teachings of Jesus without getting hung up on any particular supernatural or religious beliefs.
The Bible is a magnificent book that has inspired and spiritually fed generations for thousands of years, and each new century seems to bring a deeper understanding of life’s purpose. This is true of not only Christianity; through the years, our age-old religions are slowly transforming from superstitious rituals into humanitarian philosophies. In short, we are growing up, and I am thrilled to be riding the wave.
I avidly read all thought-provoking religion titles. New authors: I'd love to read and review your book!
Contact me here.
About Leslie
Hi! While Lee writes the articles and reviews the books, I edit, organize, and maintain the blog. The views expressed here are Lee's but I'm his biggest supporter! :-)
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