2 Samuel 23 in the early church

[LXX: 2 Kingdoms; Vulgate: 2 Kings]

17 passages quote, allude to, or echo 2 Samuel 23, 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: 2 · 13 · 15 · 16 · 17 · 39

2 Samuel 23:2

The Spirit of the LORD spoke through me; His word was on my tongue.
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
2 Sam 23:2	Catechetical Lecture 16.28 · Cyril of Jerusalem	quotation, high confidence	ca. 350
2 Sam 23:2	Ancoratus 68.12 · Epiphanius of Salamis	quotation, high confidence	374

2 Samuel 23:13

At harvest time, three of the thirty chief men went down to David at the cave of Adullam, while a company of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim.
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
2 Sam 23:13	Panarion (Adversus Haereses), Haer. 1-64 34.17.3 · Epiphanius of Salamis	allusion, medium confidence	374-377
2 Sam 23:13	Apology of the Prophet David 34 · Ambrose	allusion, high confidence	ca. 384-390

2 Samuel 23:15

David longed for water and said, “Oh, that someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem!”
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
2 Sam 23:15–17	Oration 14.3 · Gregory of Nazianzus	allusion, high confidence	ca. 362–383
2 Sam 23:15	Apology of the Prophet David 34 · Ambrose	quotation, high confidence	ca. 384-390
2 Sam 23:15	Apology of the Prophet David 35 · Ambrose	allusion, high confidence	ca. 384-390
2 Sam 23:15	On Jacob and the Happy Life 1.3 · Ambrose	quotation, high confidence	ca. 386-390
2 Sam 23:15–17	Confessions 10.46 · Augustine of Hippo	allusion, high confidence	ca. 397–401

2 Samuel 23:16

So the three mighty men broke through the Philistine camp, drew water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem, and brought it back to David. But he refused to drink it; instead, he poured it out to the LORD,
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
2 Sam 23:16	Apology of the Prophet David 34 · Ambrose	allusion, high confidence	ca. 384-390
2 Sam 23:16	On Jacob and the Happy Life 1.3 · Ambrose	allusion, high confidence	ca. 386-390
2 Sam 23:16	On the Duties of the Clergy 2.7 · Ambrose	allusion, high confidence	ca. 386–390
2 Sam 23:16	The Institutes 8.8 · John Cassian	allusion, high confidence	ca. 419–426

2 Samuel 23:17

saying, “Far be it from me, O LORD, to do this! Is this not the blood of the men who risked their lives?” So he refused to drink it. Such were the exploits of the three mighty men.
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
2 Sam 23:17	Apology of the Prophet David 34 · Ambrose	quotation, high confidence	ca. 384-390
2 Sam 23:17	On Jacob and the Happy Life 1.3 · Ambrose	allusion, high confidence	ca. 386-390
2 Sam 23:17	The Institutes 8.8 · John Cassian	quotation, high confidence	ca. 419–426

2 Samuel 23:39

and Uriah the Hittite. There were thirty-seven in all.
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
2 Sam 23:39	Demonstration 16.6 · Aphrahat	allusion, high confidence	337-345