S
SecretaryMonday
Guest
Everything that I have read about King David convinces me that he was a just man, even though culture and custom changes with time. It may no longer be acceptable to enslave conquered people (depending on which part of the world you’re from 
), but for David’s time this was a form of mercy; he didn’t slaughter them or drive them out into the wilderness or into hostile territory. I am guessing that, as captives of Israel, these people were provided homes and food and some level of protection, even though they did not have the same social status as a free Israelite.
So I was surprised to find this at the end of 2 Samuel 13 (its the last verse, though the exact verse number varies depending on the version),
“And bringing forth the people thereof he sawed them, and drove over them chariots armed with iron: and divided them with knives, and made them pass through brickkilns: so did he to all the cities of the children of Ammon: and David returned, with all the army to Jerusalem.”
This is from an 1899 Douay-Rheims, but I have seen the same story in newer translations of this version. (Other versions say that the Ammonites were forced to labor with saws, iron, knives, and bricks; different versions suggest that the city itself was detroyed in this fashion, being crushed with iron, knives/axes, etc.) To me it makes it look like King David stepped out of character for a moment and invented weird ways to torture unarmed captives to death, and this just after he had had a profoundly humbling experience (the Bathsheba issue).
Was this an error, and if so, why would translators let this stand, especially in an approved version like the Douay-Rheims?
(Or am I the only one who sees it this way? It wouldn’t be the first time my perspective has been a little off.)
), but for David’s time this was a form of mercy; he didn’t slaughter them or drive them out into the wilderness or into hostile territory. I am guessing that, as captives of Israel, these people were provided homes and food and some level of protection, even though they did not have the same social status as a free Israelite.So I was surprised to find this at the end of 2 Samuel 13 (its the last verse, though the exact verse number varies depending on the version),
“And bringing forth the people thereof he sawed them, and drove over them chariots armed with iron: and divided them with knives, and made them pass through brickkilns: so did he to all the cities of the children of Ammon: and David returned, with all the army to Jerusalem.”
This is from an 1899 Douay-Rheims, but I have seen the same story in newer translations of this version. (Other versions say that the Ammonites were forced to labor with saws, iron, knives, and bricks; different versions suggest that the city itself was detroyed in this fashion, being crushed with iron, knives/axes, etc.) To me it makes it look like King David stepped out of character for a moment and invented weird ways to torture unarmed captives to death, and this just after he had had a profoundly humbling experience (the Bathsheba issue).
Was this an error, and if so, why would translators let this stand, especially in an approved version like the Douay-Rheims?
(Or am I the only one who sees it this way? It wouldn’t be the first time my perspective has been a little off.)
