SEV Biblia, Chapter 18:25
Y Saúl dijo: Decid así a David: No está el contentamiento del rey en la dote, sino en cien prepucios de filisteos, para que sea tomada venganza de los enemigos del rey. Mas Saúl pensaba echar a David en manos de los filisteos.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 18:25
Verse 25. But a hundred foreskins] That is, Thou shalt slay one hundred Philistines, and thou shalt produce their foreskins, as a proof, not only that thou hast killed one hundred men, but that these are of the uncircumcised. A custom similar to this still prevails among the Abyssinians, according to Bruce. See his Travels.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 25. And Saul said, thus shall ye say to David , etc.] In answer to his objections, and in order to remove them, and especially what concerned the dowry: the king desireth not any dowry, but an hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged of the king’s enemies ; that is, he required or desired no other dowry of David, but that he would slay an hundred Philistines, and bring their foreskins to him; by which he would be able to know that they were Philistines he slew, not Israelites who were circumcised; though it cannot well be thought that Saul should have any suspicion of that, or take such a method to prevent it; but as those were almost, if not altogether, the only uncircumcised persons that were their neighbours, since the Arabians, Edomites, Midianites, etc. received circumcision from their ancestors, it would be a clear case to him that these were the men he slew; and whom he the rather pitched upon, because they were his enemies, and the enemies of Israel, and abhorred of the Lord; which carried in it a show of zeal for the glory of God, and the good of his people, and because he hoped David would fall by them in the enterprise, or however render himself very odious to them, and they would bear him ill will, and seek his ruin. Strabo reports of the people in Carmania, that no man among them marries a wife before he cuts off the head of an enemy, and brings it to the king; and the king lays up the skulls in a treasury, and he is the most famous that has the most heads brought unto him. Saul chose not heads, but foreskins, for the reasons before given: but Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines ; he hoped in the enterprise the Philistines would be too powerful for him, and kill him.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 12-30 - For a long time David was kept in continual apprehension of falling by the hand of Saul, yet he persevered in meek and respectful behaviou towards his persecutor. How uncommon is such prudence and discretion especially under insults and provocations! Let us inquire if we imitat this part of the exemplary character before us. Are we behaving wisel in all our ways? Is there no sinful omission, no rashness of spirit nothing wrong in our conduct? Opposition and perverseness in others will not excuse wrong tempers in us, but should increase our care, an attention to the duties of our station. Consider Him that endure contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be weary and faint in your minds, Heb 12:3. If David magnified the honour of being son-in-la to king Saul, how should we magnify the honour of being sons to the King of kings __________________________________________________________________
Original Hebrew
ויאמר 559 שׁאול 7586 כה 3541 תאמרו 559 לדוד 1732 אין 369 חפץ 2656 למלך 4428 במהר 4119 כי 3588 במאה 3967 ערלות 6190 פלשׁתים 6430 להנקם 5358 באיבי 341 המלך 4428 ושׁאול 7586 חשׁב 2803 להפיל 5307 את 853 דוד 1732 ביד 3027 פלשׁתים׃ 6430
