Inquiry:
How many Philistine foreskins did David buy his first wife with? Was it 100 (2 Samuel 3:14) or 200 (1 Samuel 18:27)? Is there a contradiction?
Response:
Saul required David to bring him 100 Philistine foreskins as a dowry for Michal (1 Samuel 18:25). Of course, he didn’t want the foreskins, but hoped that David would die at the hand of the Philistines (v 17, 21, 25).
When David returned to Saul, he brought the 100 Philistine foreskins he had requested, an a bonus of 100 more (1 Samuel 18:26-27). Having received twice as many Philistine foreskins as he had asked for, Saul
…knew that the LORD was with David… …and Saul was still more afraid of David… (1 Samuel 18:28-29)
After the death of Saul, David wanted his wife back, for Saul had given her to another man (1 Samuel 25:44). David came to Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, and demanded his wife whom was betrothed to him “…for a hundred fore-skins of the Philistines” (2 Samuel 3:14). Why only mention 100, not 200? Quite simply, the dowry was 100, not 200. The additional 100 were a “bonus” for Saul, since he wanted Philistine fore-skins so badly.
There is no contradiction.
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