Building a house for gods
Building a house for gods was a common thing for a king or leader to do in the ancient Near East. David’s desire to build… Read More »Building a house for gods
Building a house for gods was a common thing for a king or leader to do in the ancient Near East. David’s desire to build… Read More »Building a house for gods
Dancing was a vital part of both worship and celebration (6:14). The Hebrew word for dance can mean to twist or whirl about in circular… Read More »Dancing
Millo means “fill” in Hebrew. The Millo (5:9) was a series of terraces built so that houses and other structures could rest on flat areas… Read More »Millo
Hanging by the neck was never used as a form of execution in ancient Israel. However, the hanging of a person’s body after execution was… Read More »Hanging
Dogs are mentioned 40 times in Scripture, and few of the references are positive. Dogs were viewed as unclean animals because they were scavengers, not… Read More »Dogs
The pool of Gibeon (2:13) was probably a huge round cistern cut into limestone rock. Since the water was about 80 feet (24 m) below… Read More »The pool of Gibeon
Laments were a common way of showing grief and mourning for the dead. They could poetically capture a person’s feelings toward the departed.
Pressed fig cakes were a common food for travelers (30:12). The dried figs would not spoil, and their sugar content made them an ideal energy… Read More »Pressed fig cakes
How is a fattened calf different from a regular calf? A fattened calf (28:24) was one that had been set aside for a special occasion.… Read More »How is a fattened calf different from a regular calf?
“Go, serve other gods.” Telling a fellow Israelite to go and serve other gods (26:19) was a capital offense against the Lord. For non-Israelites, it… Read More »“Go, serve other gods.”
Why was David sorry after he had cut Saul’s robe? The cutting of another person’s clothes (24:5) was considered an act of humiliation and provocation.… Read More »Why was David sorry after he had cut Saul’s robe?
Psalms of deliverance. Many of the psalms of David were composed during his time spent on the run from Saul.