1 Samuel 17 in the early church
[LXX: 1 Kingdoms; Vulgate: 1 Kings]
80 passages quote, allude to, or echo 1 Samuel 17, grouped by verse; passages on the same verse are in date order. Verse text from the Berean Standard Bible (public domain). References use the Protestant English Bible's numbering, with a writer's own numbering in brackets where it differs.
Verses: 1 · 3 · 4 · 10 · 12 · 16 · 26 · 32 · 33 · 34 · 35 · 38 · 39 · 40 · 41 · 42 · 45 · 49 · 50 · 51
1 Samuel 17:1
Now the Philistines gathered their forces for war at Socoh in Judah, and they camped between Socoh and Azekah in Ephes-dammim.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Sam 17:1–40 | Sermon 32.6 · Augustine of Hippo | allusion, high confidence | ca. 391-430 |
1 Samuel 17:3
The Philistines stood on one hill and the Israelites stood on another, with the valley between them.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Sam 17:3 | Apologetic Book 2.5 · Orosius | quotation, high confidence | ca. 415–416 |
1 Samuel 17:4
Then a champion named Goliath, who was from Gath, came out from the Philistine camp. He was six cubits and a span in height,
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Sam 17:4 | Letter to Marcellinus 24 · Athanasius of Alexandria | allusion, medium confidence | uncertain, after 335 |
| 1 Sam 17:4 | Homilies 20.1 · Basil of Caesarea | allusion, high confidence | ca. 363-378 |
| 1 Sam 17:4–7 | Epigram 1 · Damasus I of Rome | allusion, high confidence | 366–384 |
| 1 Sam 17:4 | On the Good of Marriage 29 · Augustine of Hippo | allusion, high confidence | 401 |
| 1 Sam 17:4–7 | Apologetic Book 2.5 · Orosius | allusion, high confidence | ca. 415–416 |
1 Samuel 17:10
Then the Philistine said, “I defy the ranks of Israel this day! Give me a man to fight!”
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Sam 17:10 | Apologetic Book 2.7 · Orosius | allusion, high confidence | ca. 415–416 |
1 Samuel 17:12
Now David was the son of a man named Jesse, an Ephrathite from Bethlehem of Judah who had eight sons. And in the days of Saul, Jesse was old and well along in years.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Sam 17:12 | Apologetic Book 3.2 · Orosius | echo, low confidence | ca. 415–416 |
1 Samuel 17:16
For forty days the Philistine came forward every morning and evening to take his stand.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Sam 17:16 | Apologetic Book 2.7 · Orosius | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 415–416 |
1 Samuel 17:26
David asked the men who were standing with him, “What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel? Just who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?”
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Sam 17:26 | Explanation of Twelve Psalms 1.7.3 · Ambrose | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 387-397 |
1 Samuel 17:32
And David said to Saul, “Let no man’s heart fail on account of this Philistine. Your servant will go and fight him!”
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Sam 17:32 | Exposition of Psalm 118 18.24.1 · Ambrose | allusion, high confidence | ca. 386-397 |
| 1 Sam 17:32–37 | Part 2, chapter 25 · Quodvultdeus of Carthage | quotation, high confidence | ca. 445-450 |
1 Samuel 17:33
But Saul replied, “You cannot go out against this Philistine to fight him. You are just a boy, and he has been a warrior from his youth.”
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Sam 17:33 | Exposition of Psalm 118 18.24.2 · Ambrose | quotation, high confidence | ca. 386-397 |
1 Samuel 17:34
David replied, “Your servant has been tending his father’s sheep, and whenever a lion or a bear came and carried off a lamb from the flock,
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Sam 17:34 | On Pascha 71 · text not on this site · Melito of Sardis | echo, low confidence | ca. 160-180 |
| 1 Sam 17:34 | Exposition of Psalm 118 14.4.1 · Ambrose | quotation, medium confidence | ca. 386-397 |
| 1 Sam 17:34–35 | Part 2, chapter 25 · Quodvultdeus of Carthage | allusion, high confidence | ca. 445-450 |
1 Samuel 17:35
I went after it, struck it down, and delivered the lamb from its mouth. If it reared up against me, I would grab it by its fur, strike it down, and kill it.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Sam 17:35 | Exposition of Psalm 118 18.24.2 · Ambrose | allusion, high confidence | ca. 386-397 |
1 Samuel 17:38
Then Saul clothed David in his own tunic, put a bronze helmet on his head, and dressed him in armor.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Sam 17:38–39 | Sermon 32.7 · Augustine of Hippo | allusion, high confidence | ca. 391-430 |
| 1 Sam 17:38 | The Conferences 24.8 · John Cassian | allusion, high confidence | ca. 426–429 |
| 1 Sam 17:38–51 | Part 2, chapter 25 · Quodvultdeus of Carthage | allusion, high confidence | ca. 445-450 |
1 Samuel 17:39
David strapped his sword over the tunic and tried to walk, but he was not accustomed to them. “I cannot walk in these,” David said to Saul. “I am not accustomed to them.” So David took them off.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Sam 17:39 | On the Duties of the Clergy 1.35 · Ambrose | allusion, high confidence | ca. 386–390 |
| 1 Sam 17:39 | The Conferences 24.8 · John Cassian | allusion, high confidence | ca. 426–429 |
1 Samuel 17:40
And David took his staff in his hand, selected five smooth stones from the brook, and put them in the pouch of his shepherd’s bag. And with his sling in hand, he approached the Philistine.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Sam 17:40 | Oration 40.43 · Gregory of Nazianzus | allusion, high confidence | ca. 362–383 |
| 1 Sam 17:40 | Letter 112.2 · Jerome | allusion, high confidence | ca. 370–419 |
| 1 Sam 17:40 | Letter 75.2 · Augustine of Hippo | allusion, high confidence | ca. 386–430 |
| 1 Sam 17:40 | Sermon 32.8 · Augustine of Hippo | allusion, high confidence | ca. 391-430 |
| 1 Sam 17:40 | Sermon 32.10 · Augustine of Hippo | allusion, high confidence | ca. 391-430 |
| 1 Sam 17:40 | The Conferences 24.8 · John Cassian | allusion, high confidence | ca. 426–429 |
1 Samuel 17:41
Now the Philistine came closer and closer to David, with his shield-bearer before him.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Sam 17:41–50 | Demonstration 9.3 · Aphrahat | allusion, high confidence | 337-345 |
1 Samuel 17:42
When the Philistine looked and saw David, he despised him because he was just a boy, ruddy and handsome.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Sam 17:42–51 | Demonstration 14.10 · Aphrahat | allusion, high confidence | 337-345 |
| 1 Sam 17:42 | Exposition of Psalm 118 18.24.3 · Ambrose | allusion, high confidence | ca. 386-397 |
1 Samuel 17:45
But David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD of Hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Sam 17:45 | Commentary on John 20.220 · Origen | quotation, high confidence | ca. 230–248 |
| 1 Sam 17:45 | On the Duties of the Clergy 1.24 · Ambrose | allusion, low confidence | ca. 386–390 |
| 1 Sam 17:45 | Exposition of Psalm 118 18.24.3 · Ambrose | allusion, high confidence | ca. 386-397 |
| 1 Sam 17:45 | Sermon 153.11 · Augustine of Hippo | quotation, high confidence | ca. 391-430 |
1 Samuel 17:49
Then David reached into his bag, took out a stone, and slung it, striking the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown on the ground.
1 Samuel 17:50
Thus David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Sam 17:50 | On Jealousy and Envy 5 · Cyprian of Carthage | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 256 |
| 1 Sam 17:50 | Demonstration 14.13 · Aphrahat | allusion, high confidence | 337-345 |
| 1 Sam 17:50 | Tractates on the Psalms 143.1 · Hilary of Poitiers | allusion, high confidence | ca. 360–367 |
| 1 Sam 17:50 | Tractates 1.2.3 · Zeno of Verona | allusion, high confidence | ca. 362-380 |
| 1 Sam 17:50 | Homilies 11.1 · Basil of Caesarea | allusion, high confidence | ca. 363-378 |
| 1 Sam 17:50–54 | Question 61, section 1 · Ambrosiaster | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 370–384 |
| 1 Sam 17:50 | Second Apology of David 15 · Ambrose | allusion, high confidence | ca. 384-397 |
| 1 Sam 17:50 | Apology of the Prophet David 12 · Ambrose | allusion, high confidence | ca. 384-390 |
| 1 Sam 17:50 | Homilies on Matthew 26.7 · John Chrysostom | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 390 |
| 1 Sam 17:50 | Poem 24, lines 600–632 · Paulinus of Nola | echo, medium confidence | ca. 393–431 |
| 1 Sam 17:50 | Letters 21.1 · Paulinus of Nola | echo, medium confidence | ca. 394–413 |
1 Samuel 17:51
David ran and stood over him. He grabbed the Philistine’s sword and pulled it from its sheath and killed him, and he cut off his head with the sword. When the Philistines saw that their hero was dead, they turned and ran.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Sam 17:51 | Letter 70.2 · Jerome | allusion, high confidence | ca. 370–419 |
| 1 Sam 17:51 | Letter 112.2 · Jerome | allusion, high confidence | ca. 370–419 |
| 1 Sam 17:51 | Psalm 151 · Apollinaris of Laodicea | allusion, high confidence | uncertain (fourth to sixth century) |
| 1 Sam 17:51 | Apology of the Prophet David 26 · Ambrose | allusion, high confidence | ca. 384-390 |
| 1 Sam 17:51 | Exposition of Psalm 118 18.25.2 · Ambrose | allusion, high confidence | ca. 386-397 |
| 1 Sam 17:51 | Exposition of Psalm 118 21.11.1 · Ambrose | allusion, high confidence | ca. 386-397 |
| 1 Sam 17:51 | Letter 75.2 · Augustine of Hippo | allusion, high confidence | ca. 386–430 |