tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-274501252024-03-06T14:00:41.911-06:00The Wonderful TruthAs found in the Bible, the Word of GodGaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02447246460369080748noreply@blogger.comBlogger533125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27450125.post-79897142742405968932009-05-05T19:29:00.002-05:002009-05-05T19:32:40.177-05:00The Heroes of Jabesh<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><a href="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?passage=1+Samuel+31:11-13&language=english&version=NIV">1 Samuel 31:11-13</a> - <span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">When the people of Jabesh Gilead heard of what the Philistines had done to Saul, all their valiant men journeyed through the night to Beth Shan. They took down the bodies of Saul and his sons from the wall of Beth Shan and went to Jabesh, where they burned them. Then they took their bones and buried them under a tamarisk tree at Jabesh, and they fasted seven days.</span><br /><br />I wonder if it was difficult to find the bodies at night. Or was it really obvious even in the dark?<br /><br />I wonder if the fasting was a total abstinence from eating for the entire week. I doubt that they didn't drink any water for the entire 7 days.<br /><span style="font-size:78%;"><br />I'm curious. Could you please tell me what brought you to this page by mentioning it in a comment? I won't publish the comment, if you ask me not to.</span><br /></span>Garyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02447246460369080748noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27450125.post-46446277334541341072009-05-05T19:26:00.002-05:002009-05-05T19:29:52.909-05:00David Saves the Day -- and Everything Else<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><a href="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?passage=1+Samuel+30:18-19&language=english&version=NIV">1 Samuel 30:18-19</a> - <span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">David recovered everything the Amalekites had taken, including his two wives. Nothing was missing: young or old, boy or girl, plunder or anything else they had taken. David brought everything back.</span><br /><br />I wonder why the Amalekites didn't kill even one person (or animal?) when they raided Ziklag. They were known for their ruthlessness. They even left one of their own slaves behind, but not the new-found foreigners.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">I'm curious. Could you please tell me what brought you to this page by mentioning it in a comment? I won't publish the comment, if you ask me not to.</span><br /></span>Garyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02447246460369080748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27450125.post-83699019513714316092009-05-05T19:23:00.001-05:002009-05-05T19:26:46.186-05:00Whose side is David on?<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><a href="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?passage=1+Samuel+29:2-3&language=english&version=NIV">1 Samuel 29:2-3</a> - <span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">As the Philistine rulers marched with their units of hundreds and thousands, David and his men were marching at the rear with Achish. The commanders of the Philistines asked, "What about these Hebrews?"</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);"> Achish replied, "Is this not David, who was an officer of Saul king of Israel? He has already been with me for over a year, and from the day he left Saul until now, I have found no fault in him."</span><br /><br />I can understand the Philistine commanders' misgivings, but why didn't someone say something earlier before they all left home?<br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">I'm curious. Could you please tell me what brought you to this page by mentioning it in a comment? I won't publish the comment, if you ask me not to.</span><br /></span>Garyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02447246460369080748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27450125.post-41351852698983345022009-05-05T19:20:00.002-05:002009-05-05T19:23:51.595-05:00Samuel the Spirit<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><a href="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?passage=1+Samuel+28:12&language=english&version=NIV">1 Samuel 28:12</a> - <span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out at the top of her voice and said to Saul, "Why have you deceived me? You are Saul!"</span><br /><br />How did seeing the spirit of Samuel tell the woman that her visitor was really Saul?<br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">I'm curious. Could you please tell me what brought you to this page by mentioning it in a comment? I won't publish the comment, if you ask me not to.</span><br /></span>Garyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02447246460369080748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27450125.post-16758988540195423212009-04-25T18:06:00.002-05:002009-04-25T18:09:38.765-05:00David in Gath<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><a href="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?passage=1+Samuel+27:1-4&language=english&version=NIV">1 Samuel 27:1-4</a> - <span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">But David thought to himself, "One of these days I will be destroyed by the hand of Saul. The best thing I can do is to escape to the land of the Philistines. Then Saul will give up searching for me anywhere in Israel, and I will slip out of his hand."</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">So David and the six hundred men with him left and went over to Achish son of Maoch king of Gath. David and his men settled in Gath with Achish. Each man had his family with him, and David had his two wives: Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail of Carmel, the widow of Nabal. When Saul was told that David had fled to Gath, he no longer searched for him.</span><br /><br />I wonder why Achish didn't have a problem with accepting David and 600 (mostly) Israelite men into his territory. Was it really enough just to be Saul's enemy? That is, anyone who's an enemy of Saul is a friend of mine? Doesn't seem like a particularly smart move on Achish's part.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">I'm curious. Could you please tell me what brought you to this page by mentioning it in a comment? I won't publish the comment, if you ask me not to.</span><br /></span>Garyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02447246460369080748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27450125.post-34009503152475927472009-04-25T18:03:00.002-05:002009-04-25T18:06:20.582-05:00David calls out Abner<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><a href="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?passage=1+Samuel+26:13-14&language=english&version=NIV">1 Samuel 26:13-14</a> - <span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">Then David crossed over to the other side and stood on top of the hill some distance away; there was a wide space between them. He called out to the army and to Abner son of Ner, "Aren't you going to answer me, Abner?"</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);"> Abner replied, "Who are you who calls to the king?"</span><br /><br />I wonder if other soldiers woke when David shouted. They all should have felt as ashamed as Abner. Didn't they have anyone on guard duty?<br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">I'm curious. Could you please tell me what brought you to this page by mentioning it in a comment? I won't publish the comment, if you ask me not to.</span><br /></span>Garyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02447246460369080748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27450125.post-64644031095068715722009-04-25T18:00:00.002-05:002015-02-22T16:50:48.289-06:00Nabal and Abigail<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><a href="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?passage=1+Samuel+25:3&language=english&version=NIV">1 Samuel 25:3</a> - <span style="color: #990000;">His name was Nabal and his wife's name was Abigail. She was an intelligent and beautiful woman, but her husband, a Calebite, was surly and mean in his dealings.</span><br /><br />I know marriages were often (always?) arranged by parents in those days, but I still wonder why these two were married. It seems Abigail would have had enough sense not to marry Nabal of her own accord - unless it was for his wealth. Or maybe Nabal hadn't been so foolish when they first met.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: 78%;">I'm curious. Could you please tell me what brought you to this page by mentioning it in a comment? I won't publish the comment, if you ask me not to.</span></span>Garyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02447246460369080748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27450125.post-20920304937208837922009-04-18T23:48:00.002-05:002009-04-18T23:51:40.503-05:00Cutting Corners<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><a href="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?passage=1+Samuel+24:4&language=english&version=NIV">1 Samuel 24:4</a> - <span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">The men said, "This is the day the LORD spoke of when he said to you, 'I will give your enemy into your hands for you to deal with as you wish.' " Then David crept up unnoticed and cut off a corner of Saul's robe.</span><br /><br />I wonder if Saul was wearing the robe at the time. Maybe he had tossed it aside -- perhaps even farther back into the cave -- where David could get at it more easily. If not, Saul must have been half asleep to not notice David or feel his presence. Or else David was <span style="font-style: italic;">vewy, vewy</span> quiet.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">I'm curious. Could you please tell me what brought you to this page by mentioning it in a comment? I won't publish the comment, if you ask me not to.</span><br /></span>Garyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02447246460369080748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27450125.post-36379204526959274122009-04-18T23:44:00.002-05:002009-04-18T23:47:45.867-05:00Tattle Tales<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">1 Samuel 23 (bits of various verses)<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">1: When David was told</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">7: Saul was told</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">9: When David learned</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">13: When Saul was told</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">15: [David] learned</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">25: when David was told</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">25: When Saul heard</span><br /><br />Who is doing all the telling? Are there spies on each side who can move faster than either group and not be captured? Were there other groups of informants like the Ziphites?<br /><span style="font-size:78%;"><br />I'm curious. Could you please tell me what brought you to this page by mentioning it in a comment? I won't publish the comment, if you ask me not to.</span><br /></span>Garyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02447246460369080748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27450125.post-74510294065555787102009-04-18T23:41:00.001-05:002009-04-18T23:44:11.806-05:00Refusing the King's Orders<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><a href="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?passage=1+Samuel+22:17&language=english&version=NIV">1 Samuel 22:17</a> - <span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">Then the king ordered the guards at his side: "Turn and kill the priests of the LORD, because they too have sided with David. They knew he was fleeing, yet they did not tell me."</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);"> But the king's officials were not willing to raise a hand to strike the priests of the LORD.</span><br /><br />I wonder what, if anything, happened to those guards who refused to kill the priests. They did the right thing -- obeying God rather than men -- by not killing innocent people, but Saul may have had punishments doled out to them anyway.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">I'm curious. Could you please tell me what brought you to this page by mentioning it in a comment? I won't publish the comment, if you ask me not to.</span><br /></span>Garyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02447246460369080748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27450125.post-37131238368372048082009-04-11T14:11:00.001-05:002009-04-11T14:16:06.330-05:00Goliath's Sword<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><a href="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?passage=1+Samuel+21:8-9&language=english&version=NIV">1 Samuel 21:8-9</a> - <span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">David asked Ahimelech, "Don't you have a spear or a sword here? I haven't brought my sword or any other weapon, because the king's business was urgent."</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">The priest replied, "The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you killed in the Valley of Elah, is here; it is wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod. If you want it, take it; there is no sword here but that one."</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);"> David said, "There is none like it; give it to me."</span><br /><br />I wonder how Goliath's sword came to have a home with the priests of Nob. Why hadn't David or Saul kept it after David had used it on Goliath?<br /><br />I wonder how heavy the sword was. David had used it once before but not really in hand to hand combat. Was he strong enough to wield it effectively now?<br /><span style="font-size:78%;"><br />I'm curious. Could you please tell me what brought you to this page by mentioning it in a comment? I won't publish the comment, if you ask me not to.</span><br /></span>Garyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02447246460369080748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27450125.post-75059109499742733722009-04-11T14:08:00.002-05:002009-04-11T14:11:23.364-05:00Ahimelech<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><a href="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?passage=1+Samuel+21:1&language=english&version=NIV">1 Samuel 21:1</a> - <span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">David went to Nob, to Ahimelech the priest. Ahimelech trembled when he met him, and asked, "Why are you alone? Why is no one with you?"</span><br /><br />Why was Ahimelech trembling? Was it out of fear? Worry? Awe? Excitement?<br /><br />Why was he so curious about David being alone? What did he suspect as David's reason for being alone? Running away? Chasing someone? Abandonment? A secret mission (as David purported to be on)?<br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">I'm curious. Could you please tell me what brought you to this page by mentioning it in a comment? I won't publish the comment, if you ask me not to.</span><br /></span>Garyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02447246460369080748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27450125.post-4705734833039977192009-04-11T14:05:00.002-05:002009-04-11T14:07:44.148-05:00Marksmanship<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><a href="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?passage=1+Samuel+20:32-33&language=english&version=NIV">1 Samuel 20-32-33</a> - <span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">"Why should he be put to death? What has he done?" Jonathan asked his father. But Saul hurled his spear at him to kill him. Then Jonathan knew that his father intended to kill David.</span><br /><br />Was Saul not that good at throwing a spear? More than once he missed his (moving) target at close range. I suppose his anger may have thrown his accuracy off a bit.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">I'm curious. Could you please tell me what brought you to this page by mentioning it in a comment? I won't publish the comment, if you ask me not to.</span><br /></span>Garyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02447246460369080748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27450125.post-5419835209137396512009-04-11T14:01:00.001-05:002009-04-11T14:04:59.835-05:00Ezel<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><a href="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?passage=1+Samuel+20:19&language=english&version=NIV">1 Samuel 20:19</a> - <span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">The day after tomorrow, toward evening, go to the place where you hid when this trouble began, and wait by the stone Ezel.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">I wonder how big the stone was. Why was it named? I think it was probably so big that no one wanted to try to move it, so they left it where it was and named it for use as a landmark.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:78%;">I'm curious. Could you please tell me what brought you to this page by mentioning it in a comment? I won't publish the comment, if you ask me not to.</span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"></span><br /></span>Garyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02447246460369080748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27450125.post-58957580141921841992009-04-11T13:58:00.002-05:002009-04-11T14:01:10.849-05:00How Not to Watch a House<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><a href="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?passage=1+Samuel+19:11-12&language=english&version=NIV">1 Samuel 19:11-12</a> - <span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">Saul sent men to David's house to watch it and to kill him in the morning. But Michal, David's wife, warned him, "If you don't run for your life tonight, tomorrow you'll be killed." So Michal let David down through a window, and he fled and escaped.</span><br /><br />Did Saul's men only watch the front door and not the windows? Were there only 2 men, and they couldn't cover all the exits?<br /><br />And how did Michal know Saul was planning to kill David that night? Hmmm??<br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">I'm curious. Could you please tell me what brought you to this page by mentioning it in a comment? I won't publish the comment, if you ask me not to.</span><br /></span>Garyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02447246460369080748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27450125.post-21897586894857585312009-04-11T13:55:00.001-05:002009-04-11T13:57:48.552-05:00The Spear in the Wall<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><a href="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?passage=1+Samuel+19:9-10&language=english&version=NIV">1 Samuel 19:9-10</a> - <span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">But an evil spirit from the LORD came upon Saul as he was sitting in his house with his spear in his hand. While David was playing the harp, Saul tried to pin him to the wall with his spear, but David eluded him as Saul drove the spear into the wall. That night David made good his escape.</span><br /><br />I wonder what the wall was made of. Apparently it wasn't stone.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">I'm curious. Could you please tell me what brought you to this page by mentioning it in a comment? I won't publish the comment, if you ask me not to.</span><br /></span>Garyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02447246460369080748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27450125.post-43395558488256273692009-03-29T00:10:00.001-05:002009-03-29T00:12:54.617-05:00Goliath Loses His Head<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><a href="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?passage=1+Samuel+17:51&language=english&version=NIV">1 Samuel 17:51</a> - <span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">David ran and stood over him. He took hold of the Philistine's sword and drew it from the scabbard. After he killed him, he cut off his head with the sword.</span><br /><br />Where was Goliath's shield bearer? Perhaps he had no weapon of his own and fled from David when Goliath fell.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">I'm curious. Could you please tell me what brought you to this page by mentioning it in a comment? I won't publish the comment, if you ask me not to.</span><br /></span>Garyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02447246460369080748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27450125.post-90388361758805403782009-03-29T00:07:00.001-05:002009-03-29T00:10:29.510-05:00Goliath's Shield<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><a href="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?passage=1+Samuel+17:4-7&language=english&version=NIV">1 Samuel 17:4-7</a> - <span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">A champion named Goliath, who was from Gath, came out of the Philistine camp. He was over nine feet tall. He had a bronze helmet on his head and wore a coat of scale armor of bronze weighing five thousand shekels; on his legs he wore bronze greaves, and a bronze javelin was slung on his back. His spear shaft was like a weaver's rod, and its iron point weighed six hundred shekels. His shield bearer went ahead of him.</span><br /><br />If Goliath was over 9 feet tall, I wonder how big his shield was. And how big was his shield bearer who had to carry it to help protect Goliath?<br /><br />Looking ahead, I wonder just how good of a shield bearer he really was.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">I'm curious. Could you please tell me what brought you to this page by mentioning it in a comment? I wont' publish the comment, if you ask me not to.</span><br /></span>Garyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02447246460369080748noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27450125.post-80333616119323837452009-03-29T00:03:00.002-05:002009-03-29T00:07:38.539-05:00Music Soothes the Savage Beast<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><a href="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?passage=1+Samuel+16:15-16&language=english&version=NIV">1 Samuel 16:15-16</a> - <span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">Saul's attendants said to him, "See, an evil spirit from God is tormenting you. 16 Let our lord command his servants here to search for someone who can play the harp. He will play when the evil spirit from God comes upon you, and you will feel better."</span><br /><br />I wonder why the attendants decided that music would be the cure. Did they consider medicine?<br /><br />Was it hard to find a good harpist? Was harp music common or rare in those days? If the one attendant hadn't known David, it sounds like they would have had to go searching for someone who could play.<br /><br />Why did they decide on harp music? Was it the most soothing kind they knew of? Was a flautist considered?<br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">I'm curious. Could you please tell me what brought you to this page by mentioning it in a comment? I won't publish the comment, if you ask me not to.</span><br /></span>Garyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02447246460369080748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27450125.post-65779522796871542232009-03-25T19:47:00.002-05:002009-03-25T19:50:25.827-05:00Agag<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><a href="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?passage=1+Samuel+15:8&language=english&version=NIV">1 Samuel 15:8</a> - <span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">He took Agag king of the Amalekites alive, and all his people he totally destroyed with the sword.</span><br /><br />I wonder why Saul spared Agag. Wouldn't the leader of an enemy nation be one of the first you'd try to get rid of -- especially if you were getting rid of the entire nation anyway? What did Saul intend to do with Agag after bringing him back home?<br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">I'm curious. Could you please tell me what brought you to this page by mentioning it in a comment? I won't publish the comment, if you ask me not to.</span><br /></span>Garyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02447246460369080748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27450125.post-40506894594473773512009-03-25T19:43:00.002-05:002009-03-25T19:47:30.680-05:00Using an Ephod<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><a href="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?passage=1+Samuel+14:18-19&language=english&version=NIV">1 Samuel 14:18-19</a> - <span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">Saul said to Ahijah, "Bring the ark of God." (At that time it was with the Israelites.) While Saul was talking to the priest, the tumult in the Philistine camp increased more and more. So Saul said to the priest, "Withdraw your hand."</span><br /><br />Whether it was the Ark or an ephod that is meant in these verses, I wonder where it was that the priest was supposed to withdraw his hand from. It seems unlikely that he would have touched the Ark. So if it was an ephod that he had his hand in, what did you do with your hand inside an ephod? How was an ephod properly used?<br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">I'm curious. Could you please tell me what brought you to this page by mentioning it in a comment? I won't publish the comment, if you ask me not to.</span><br /></span>Garyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02447246460369080748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27450125.post-32582873764673130952009-03-25T19:39:00.002-05:002009-03-25T19:43:56.713-05:00My Kingdom for a Blacksmith<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><a href="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?passage=1+Samuel+13:19-22&language=english&version=NIV">1 Samuel 13:19-22</a> - <span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">Not a blacksmith could be found in the whole land of Israel, because the Philistines had said, "Otherwise the Hebrews will make swords or spears!" So all Israel went down to the Philistines to have their plowshares, mattocks, axes and sickles sharpened. The price was two thirds of a shekel for sharpening plowshares and mattocks, and a third of a shekel for sharpening forks and axes and for repointing goads.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">So on the day of the battle not a soldier with Saul and Jonathan had a sword or spear in his hand; only Saul and his son Jonathan had them.</span><br /><br />Did the Philistines take all of the tools of the blacksmiths too? Was there no one who could learn the trade (well enough) and work in secret? Did the Philistines take all but 2 of the weapons in the land? Did no one else try to hide one from the enemy?<br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">I'm curious. Could you please tell me what brought you to this page by mentioning it in a comment? I won't publish the comment, if you ask me not to.</span><br /></span>Garyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02447246460369080748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27450125.post-32425982744759581832009-03-16T18:21:00.002-05:002009-03-16T18:25:16.381-05:00Dagon Down<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><a href="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?passage=1+Samuel+5:1-5&language=english&version=NIV">1 Samuel 5:1-5</a> - <span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">After the Philistines had captured the ark of God, they took it from Ebenezer to Ashdod. Then they carried the ark into Dagon's temple and set it beside Dagon. When the people of Ashdod rose early the next day, there was Dagon, fallen on his face on the ground before the ark of the LORD! They took Dagon and put him back in his place. But the following morning when they rose, there was Dagon, fallen on his face on the ground before the ark of the LORD! His head and hands had been broken off and were lying on the threshold; only his body remained. That is why to this day neither the priests of Dagon nor any others who enter Dagon's temple at Ashdod step on the threshold.</span><br /><br />I wonder what explanation the people of Ashdod came up with for what happened to Dagon. Did they think the God of Israel was responsible? Did they blame vandals? Did they call it an accident and/or coincidence?<br /><br />If they blamed God, did it bother them that God was more powerful than Dagon?<br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">I'm curious. Could you please tell me what brought you to this page by mentioning it in a comment? I won't publish the comment, if you ask me not to.</span><br /></span>Garyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02447246460369080748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27450125.post-4860531690612645322009-03-14T15:39:00.002-05:002009-03-14T15:46:29.917-05:00Samuel Given to Eli<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><a href="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?passage=1+Samuel+1:20-28&language=english&version=NIV">1 Samuel 1:20-28</a>, <a href="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?passage=1+Samuel+2:11&language=english&version=NIV">2:11</a> - <span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">So in the course of time Hannah conceived and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, saying, "Because I asked the LORD for him."</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">When the man Elkanah went up with all his family to offer the annual sacrifice to the LORD and to fulfill his vow, Hannah did not go. She said to her husband, "After the boy is weaned, I will take him and present him before the LORD, and he will live there always."</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">"Do what seems best to you," Elkanah her husband told her. "Stay here until you have weaned him; only may the LORD make good his word." So the woman stayed at home and nursed her son until she had weaned him.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">After he was weaned, she took the boy with her, young as he was, along with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour and a skin of wine, and brought him to the house of the LORD at Shiloh. When they had slaughtered the bull, they brought the boy to Eli, and she said to him, "As surely as you live, my lord, I am the woman who stood here beside you praying to the LORD. I prayed for this child, and the LORD has granted me what I asked of him. So now I give him to the LORD. For his whole life he will be given over to the LORD." And he worshiped the LORD there.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">Then Elkanah went home to Ramah, but the boy ministered before the LORD under Eli the priest.</span><br /><br />How old was Samuel when Hannah gave him to Eli? He could have been less than a year old, perhaps only a few months old. It sounds like this was the order of events:<br /></span><ol style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><li>Annual sacrifice; Hannah prays for a child</li><li>Hannah conceives</li><li>Hannah gives birth to Samuel</li><li>Annual sacrifice; Elkanah and family attend while Hannah and Samuel stay home</li><li>Samuel is weaned</li><li>Hannah and Samuel join the family at the sacrifice</li><li>Elkanah (and family) return home, but Samuel stays with Eli</li></ol><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">If Samuel was only a few months old, I wonder what Eli thought when Hannah presented him with a baby.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-size:78%;" >I'm curious. Could you please tell me what brought you to this page by mentioning it in a comment? I won't publish the comment, if you ask me not to.</span>Garyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02447246460369080748noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27450125.post-77589436425258201432009-03-14T15:36:00.002-05:002009-03-14T15:39:33.367-05:00O Little Town of Bethlehem<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><a href="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?passage=Ruth+1:19&language=english&version=NIV">Ruth 1:19</a> - <span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">So the two women went on until they came to Bethlehem. When they arrived in Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred because of them, and the women exclaimed, "Can this be Naomi?"</span><br /><br />I wonder how many people lived in Bethlehem. I think there weren't very many since, after 10 years, virtually everyone still knew Naomi and was stirred by her return.<br /><br />I wonder how many children had been born in those years that would have been new faces to Naomi. I bet she got to know each and every one of them.<br /><span style="font-size:78%;"><br />I'm curious. Could you please tell me what brought you to this page by mentioning it in a comment? I won't publish the comment, if you ask me not to.</span><br /></span>Garyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02447246460369080748noreply@blogger.com0