So say David and his men tied up and circumcised 200 Philistines. I don't think it is likely that some Philistines would come along and kill all 200 of them for choosing to be circumcised instead of choosing death. It seems like a scenario where they were taken as prisoners of war.
David arose and went, he and his men, and killed two hundred men of the Philistines. And David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full count to the king. 1 Samuel 18:2.
Capture only occurs when the enemy retreats or flees, and surrender, because they are powerless to do anything.
It's not possible to tie up fighting men. David attacked a garrison of soldiers, who weren't sitting eating bread, with their weapons hung up in tents.
e.g. I found this with DeepSeek
Japanese military culture during WWII viewed surrender as dishonorable, and soldiers were often expected to fight to the death or commit suicide rather than be captured.
The USSR considered surrender treasonous under Order No. 270 (1941), which mandated that soldiers fight to the death.
That's what I'm saying.
Soldiers don't surrender without a fight, even when they are afraid.
Consider 1 Samuel 4:5-11
5 And when the ark of the covenant of the Lord came into the camp, all Israel shouted so loudly that the earth shook.
6 Now
when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said, “What does the sound of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews mean?” Then they understood that the ark of the Lord had come into the camp. 7 So the Philistines were afraid, for they said, “God has come into the camp!” And they said, “Woe to us! For such a thing has never happened before. 8 Woe to us! Who will deliver us from the hand of these mighty gods? These
are the gods who struck the Egyptians with all the plagues in the wilderness.
9 Be strong and conduct yourselves like men, you Philistines, that you do not become servants of the Hebrews, as they have been to you. [a]Conduct yourselves like men, and fight!”
10 So the Philistines fought, and Israel was [b]defeated, and every man fled to his tent. There was a very great slaughter, and there fell of Israel thirty thousand foot soldiers. 11 Also the ark of God was captured; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, died.
Even during their fear, the commander will always try to boost the men's moral, and he will bellow words for them to be courageous, valiant, competent men.
The soldiers will respond to the commander, because none will be labeled a coward.
Even when they are six feet under, they will be honored with words such as, "they died a hero". Or "they dies a brave soldier".
