# Lost 2.10: "The 23rd Psalm" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 11, 2006, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-2-10-the-23rd-psalm/339422 "2006-01-11T02:18:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2006, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-2-10-the-23rd-psalm/339422/141 "2006-01-12T20:45:51Z")
> [@Shalmanese](#): > > I want to know WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO THAT GODDAMN HORSE? You didn’t see the horse? It was right there in front of Eko. Only this time it looked more like an amorphous black cloud than a horse, but a horse nonetheless. > [@John Mace](#): > > Does anyone have pics of the tail section of the Nigerian plane(s) that show the different numbers? Could the plane have two sets of numbers (one on one side and one on the other)? No pics but I did review the episode this afternoon. The working plane has it’s number very promenintly displayed in two-foot letters on the fuselage behind the cargo door. On the island, you can see the same side of the aircarft when Eko is approaching the same door and a different number is seen there in much smaller lettering. A continuity screw-up for sure. They didn’t even try to get close. ---
**Author:** ![Farmwoman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8dc957/32.png) [@Farmwoman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Farmwoman)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2006, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-2-10-the-23rd-psalm/339422/142 "2006-01-12T20:46:22Z")
I got the impression that Eko was quite religious as a boy, and even thought he may have been heading toward the priesthood before the incident with the war lords. It was Eko’s cross, after all, that the priest was wearing. It seemed to me that his brother was only holding his cross and his vocation while mistereko took care of more Earthly matters. He’s clearly a man who understands the shades of gray that exist between righteousness and sin, and I believe his understanding comes from spending most of his adulthood living there. He’s a pragmatist. That’s why he took his brother’s place, (he knew his brother’s _soul_ wouldn’t survive that life, while his would) why he engineered a plan to benefit the church by smuggling heroin out of his country, (a wrong with a good end, so good in fact that he was willing to let the church burn down to achieve it) why he went into the water to pull the bodies out of the surf (something no one else was going to be able to stomach, but which had to be done) and why he risked AL’s itchy trigger finger to carry Sawyer to a doctor (I’m not doing it for him, I’m doing it for me). I don’t think his story is of a fallen man coming back to his god. As I understand it, he was always a servant to his god, he simply allowed his brother to play divine front man for him during those middle years. About the smoke. My first guess is that’s it’s masking something else; something easier to explain than a sentient black fog. ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2006, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-2-10-the-23rd-psalm/339422/143 "2006-01-12T20:48:59Z")
> [@Flutterby](#): > > I missed part of it, but when Locke went into the gun cabinet to change the combination, there was a quick shot of him using the numbers to open it. > > But we already knew that one. The funny thing is, those weren’t the numbers. The first number is 29 then a 25, neither one of which is one of ‘the’ numbers. Now the writers are just screwing with us. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2006, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-2-10-the-23rd-psalm/339422/144 "2006-01-12T20:53:05Z")
> [@UncleRojelio](#): > > Now the writers are just screwing with us. Now? **Now?** Man, they’ve been screwing with us since the beginning! And I love it! ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2006, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-2-10-the-23rd-psalm/339422/145 "2006-01-12T20:55:51Z")
> [@UncleRojelio](#): > > The funny thing is, those weren’t the numbers. The first number is 29 then a 25, neither one of which is one of ‘the’ numbers. Now the writers are just screwing with us. But he was “setting the numbers”, right? Why would he pick any of “the numbers” for a combination lock since lots of people know them? They’d be the first numbers I’d try if I were on the island trying to open a lock (or a Locke). ---
**Author:** ![FlightlessBird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/cdc98d/32.png) [@FlightlessBird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlightlessBird)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2006, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-2-10-the-23rd-psalm/339422/146 "2006-01-12T20:56:11Z")
What I really liked? Is when Charlie gets back to camp and is telling everyone, > [@Charlie](#): > > “Yeah, the monster we saw crushing the trees and killed the pilot, is really black smoke and it came up to Mr.Eko, but then it left him just like that. Wow, something is really wierd here” Oh wait that didn’t happen because Claire was miffed at him. pfft. Someone remind me why I love this show? ---
**Author:** ![Trion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ccd318/32.png) [@Trion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trion)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2006, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-2-10-the-23rd-psalm/339422/147 "2006-01-12T21:03:05Z")
> [@FlightlessBird](#): > > What I really liked? Is when Charlie gets back to camp and is telling everyone: > > _“Yeah, the monster we saw crushing the trees and killed the pilot, is really black smoke and it came up to Mr.Eko, but then it left him just like that. Wow, something is really wierd here”_ > > Oh wait that didn’t happen because Claire was miffed at him. If you wanted people to believe that you were no longer using drugs, would you say that? ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2006, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-2-10-the-23rd-psalm/339422/148 "2006-01-12T21:11:00Z")
> [@John Mace](#): > > But he was “setting the numbers”, right? Why would he pick any of “the numbers” for a combination lock since lots of people know them? They’d be the first numbers I’d try if I were on the island trying to open a lock (or a Locke). The numbers shown are from when Locke is opening the gun safe ‘before’ he changes the combo. not really sure I give a damn about the friggin’ numbers anymore anyhow ---
**Author:** ![zev\_steinhardt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/97f17d/32.png) [@zev\_steinhardt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zev_steinhardt)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2006, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-2-10-the-23rd-psalm/339422/149 "2006-01-12T21:13:39Z")
It’s interesting to note that Ecko said that drugs wasn’t his “main line of business.” I wonder what was? Sending out emails offering to move money out of the country? 🙂 Zev Steinhardt ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2006, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-2-10-the-23rd-psalm/339422/150 "2006-01-12T21:23:36Z")
Explosives? Remember that in _The Greater Good,_ Sayid was called in to help track down a bunch of C4. Might explain why we heard his name last night in Nigeria. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Tiger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6de8d8/32.png) [@Mama\_Tiger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Tiger)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2006, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-2-10-the-23rd-psalm/339422/151 "2006-01-12T21:28:05Z")
Going back a ways in the discussion: > [@](#): > > Originally Posted by **borschevsky** > Also, did anyone else hear the drug deal guys mention Sayid right before they got Eko-slashed? I don’t even remember the exact context of it now, but I was sure I heard Sayid’s name. At physical therapy today, I hijacked the whole department for a discussion of the show, and before I could even get to that, one of the therapists said that she was listening to a radio show about it this morning and one of the DJs said that, and a woman who speaks Arabic called in and said that what we thought we heard was actually part of another, longer word that means “prophet.” I have no way of verifying this, obviously, but perhaps someone who speaks Arabic could help us out? ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2006, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-2-10-the-23rd-psalm/339422/152 "2006-01-12T21:30:17Z")
The drug dealers were listed as Moroccans in the credits weren’t they? ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2006, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-2-10-the-23rd-psalm/339422/153 "2006-01-12T21:41:24Z")
> [@Mama Tiger](#): > > At physical therapy today, I hijacked the whole department for a discussion of the show, and before I could even get to that, one of the therapists said that she was listening to a radio show about it this morning and one of the DJs said that, and a woman who speaks Arabic called in and said that what we thought we heard was actually part of another, longer word that means “prophet.” I have no way of verifying this, obviously, but perhaps someone who speaks Arabic could help us out? Someone chimed in on this subject over at TWOP. The gist of it was that, ‘sayid’, even though it sounds suspiciously like the name of Naveen Andrews character, means something like ‘Mister’ or ‘Sir’. An honorific that is very common in a conversation. I don’t speak Arabic, I have no idea if this is an actual fact. ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Tan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/charlie_tan/32/12582_2.png) [@Charlie\_Tan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Tan)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2006, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-2-10-the-23rd-psalm/339422/154 "2006-01-12T22:01:13Z")
I can easily explain away the different numbers on the plane: When moving around, they had to change license plates to avoid detection. In reality, it was a continuity error, but I’ve decided to ignore that. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2006, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-2-10-the-23rd-psalm/339422/155 "2006-01-12T22:07:51Z")
> [@Honey](#): > > Rumors are swirling that… > > Clancy Brown. > > Will be guest starring in the future. > > Please let this be true. Wouldn’t he be perfect as the leader of the others? Just the thought of it is giving me chills. 🙂 Mr Krabs! ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2006, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-2-10-the-23rd-psalm/339422/156 "2006-01-12T22:07:55Z")
I thought the ranch dressing jar was empty. I assumed so, anyway. ---
**Author:** ![middleman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@middleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/middleman)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2006, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-2-10-the-23rd-psalm/339422/157 "2006-01-12T22:11:16Z")
> [@Psycho Pirate](#): > > As much fun as it is to come up with weird theories about where Walt is and what is happening to him, the obvious reason for this subplot is that the actor who plays Walt is a small child, and it is too difficult to have him in every episode because small children grow too quickly. This is probably the same reason the small children were taken from the Tailies. It wouldn’t make any sense for Walt to grow eight inches in “a few months” of island time, so they have to come up with something to remove him. My guess is that he will never be back in a full time role, or if he is, he will have been “aged” by “The Others”, perhaps as part of the “Hanso Foundation Life-Extension Project.” This is jsut speculation, so I quoted it without the spoiler box. We have bounced around the idea that not only is it a logistics issue with working with a child actor, but also that Waaaaallllt would somehow be aged. But wouldn’t it be weird if the Life-Extension Project was some kind of energy “vampire” process that takes years off the kids and gives them to older people? That would explain why they are obsessed with kids (the tailies, Walt ,Alex, and possibly Aaron). But there is still the question of whether they ever wanted Aaron. > [@](#): > > \*\*Zev Steinhardt \*\* > It’s interesting to note that Ecko said that drugs wasn’t his “main line of business.” I wonder what was? Sending out emails offering to move money out of the country? NICE! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Katriona](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/katriona/32/113_2.png) [@Katriona](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Katriona)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2006, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-2-10-the-23rd-psalm/339422/158 "2006-01-12T22:12:14Z")
> [@vivalostwages](#): > > I thought the ranch dressing jar was empty. I assumed so, anyway. I assumed it was something that was past it’s ‘best if used by…’ date. DH wondered why they were bent on destroying a container that could be used toc arry food or water, whatever was or wasn’t in it. ---
**Author:** ![panamajack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/47e85d/32.png) [@panamajack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panamajack)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2006, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-2-10-the-23rd-psalm/339422/159 "2006-01-12T22:32:30Z")
I’m not Catholic, but shouldn’t it be the 22nd (or is it 24th) Psalm? Then again, they are quoting a Bible in which it is Psalm 23, so maybe it’s okay. Assuming Humbaba to be the same thing that’s been noising about in the forest before, it should be a ‘defense mechanism’ according to Rousseau. I wonder if it’s something generated by the island itself (or by the spirit of the island) or controlled by the Dharma Bums. My feeling is that the primary explanation for the island’s mysteries are that it is a psychic amplifier, which can either control world events or cause to come together people who are connected but don’t know it. ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2006, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-2-10-the-23rd-psalm/339422/160 "2006-01-12T22:38:03Z")
I went back and listened to the Arabic several times. There was something like “saya/sayim/sayid” It sounded like it flowed as part of a word rather than as a distinct entity that you’d expect a name to be, though. Probably just normal Arabic not related to Sayid. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-2-10-the-23rd-psalm/339422.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-2-10-the-23rd-psalm/339422.md?page=9)