And carry these ten cheeses unto the captain of their thousand, and look how thy brethren fare, and take their pledge.
For forty days the armies faced each other, neither moving, while Goliath bellowed his challenge twice daily and grew proud in his defiance, and Israel grew timid in theirs. God was ripening him for ruin and preparing to make Israel's rescue shine the brighter. All this time David kept his father's sheep, content in obscurity after his service at court, until Providence set him in the field to seize the laurel no other Israelite dared reach for.
AI summary
Commenting on 1 Samuel 17:12-30
The captain of their thousand gets these ten cheeses, either as a gift to win his favor toward Jesse's sons or to distribute among the men. As for taking their pledge, the most likely sense is a token of their safety, something they send back to assure your father they are alive and well, though some hold it means pawning for food, or even bills of divorce should they fall in battle.
AI summary
Ten cheeses to the captain secures his goodwill. These are no soft curds but proper dried cheese, firm enough to travel. The pledge you bring back will be tokens of their welfare, a lock of hair, a piece of nail, some sign that your brothers live.
AI summary