1 Samuel 18 in the early church
[LXX: 1 Kingdoms; Vulgate: 1 Kings]
47 passages quote, allude to, or echo 1 Samuel 18, 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 · 6 · 7 · 8 · 10 · 11 · 14 · 17 · 18 · 20 · 25 · 27 · 28
1 Samuel 18:1
After David had finished speaking with Saul, the souls of Jonathan and David were knit together, and Jonathan loved him as himself.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Sam 18:1 | Address of Thanksgiving 6 · Gregory Thaumaturgus | quotation, high confidence | ca. 238–245 |
| 1 Sam 18:1–3 | On the Witch of Endor 15 · Eustathius of Antioch | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 324–337 |
1 Samuel 18:6
As the troops were returning home after David had killed the Philistine, the women came out of all the cities of Israel to meet King Saul with singing and dancing, with joyful songs, and with tambourines and other instruments.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Sam 18:6–11 | On Pascha 59 · text not on this site · Melito of Sardis | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 160-180 |
| 1 Sam 18:6–11 | On Pascha 69 · text not on this site · Melito of Sardis | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 160-180 |
| 1 Sam 18:6–9 | Homilies on Psalms 36-38 1.1 · Origen | allusion, high confidence | ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410) |
| 1 Sam 18:6–11 | Apostolic Constitutions 7.5.5 · Anonymous | allusion, high confidence | ca. 380 |
| 1 Sam 18:6 | Exposition of Psalm 118 18.25.2 · Ambrose | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 386-397 |
| 1 Sam 18:6–11 | Commonitorium 1.451–480 · Orientius of Auch | allusion, high confidence | ca. 420-450 |
1 Samuel 18:7
And as the women danced, they sang out: “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands.”
1 Samuel 18:8
And Saul was furious and resented this song. “They have ascribed tens of thousands to David,” he said, “but only thousands to me. What more can he have but the kingdom?”
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Sam 18:8 | 1 Clement 4.13 · Clement of Rome | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 95–97 (range ca. 70–100) |
| 1 Sam 18:8–11 | Against Novatian 14 · Anonymous | allusion, medium confidence | after 251 (disputed) |
| 1 Sam 18:8 | On Jealousy and Envy 5 · Cyprian of Carthage | allusion, high confidence | ca. 256 |
| 1 Sam 18:8–12 | Demonstration 9.8 · Aphrahat | allusion, high confidence | 337-345 |
| 1 Sam 18:8 | Exposition of Psalm 118 17.25.4 · Ambrose | allusion, high confidence | ca. 386-397 |
| 1 Sam 18:8 | Exposition of Psalm 118 18.25.3 · Ambrose | allusion, high confidence | ca. 386-397 |
| 1 Sam 18:8 | Sermon 77.3 · Augustine of Hippo | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 391-430 |
| 1 Sam 18:8–11 | Questions and Answers to the Orthodox 52 · Anonymous | allusion, medium confidence | 5th century (disputed) |
| 1 Sam 18:8–9 | Part 2, chapter 25 · Quodvultdeus of Carthage | allusion, high confidence | ca. 445-450 |
1 Samuel 18:10
The next day a spirit of distress sent from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied inside the house while David played the harp as usual. Now Saul was holding a spear,
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Sam 18:10–11 | Demonstration 9.9 · Aphrahat | allusion, high confidence | 337-345 |
| 1 Sam 18:10 | Demonstration 14.13 · Aphrahat | allusion, high confidence | 337-345 |
| 1 Sam 18:10–12 | On Apostate Kings 2 · Lucifer of Cagliari | allusion, low confidence | ca. 356–361 |
1 Samuel 18:11
and he hurled it, thinking, “I will pin David to the wall.” But David eluded him twice.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Sam 18:11 | Homilies 11.1 · Basil of Caesarea | allusion, high confidence | ca. 363-378 |
| 1 Sam 18:11 | Explanation of Twelve Psalms 36.9.2 · Ambrose | allusion, high confidence | ca. 387-397 |
1 Samuel 18:14
and he continued to prosper in all his ways, because the LORD was with him.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Sam 18:14–16 | On Saint Athanasius 1.13 · Lucifer of Cagliari | quotation, high confidence | ca. 356–361 |
1 Samuel 18:17
Then Saul said to David, “Here is my older daughter Merab. I will give her to you in marriage. Only be valiant for me and fight the LORD’s battles.” But Saul was thinking, “I need not raise my hand against him; let the hand of the Philistines be against him.”
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Sam 18:17 | Homilies on Joshua 8.7 · Origen | quotation, medium confidence | ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410) |
1 Samuel 18:18
And David said to Saul, “Who am I, and what is my family or my father’s clan in Israel, that I should become the son-in-law of the king?”
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Sam 18:18 | Long recension, Philadelphians 5 · Anonymous | allusion, medium confidence | later 4th century (probable) |
1 Samuel 18:20
Now Saul’s daughter Michal loved David, and when this was reported to Saul, it pleased him.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Sam 18:20 | Commentary on 2 Samuel 3:12-16 · Ephrem the Syrian | allusion, medium confidence | 4th century (if Ephrem's, before 373) |
1 Samuel 18:25
Saul replied, “Say to David, ‘The king desires no other dowry but a hundred Philistine foreskins as revenge on his enemies.’” But Saul intended to cause David’s death at the hands of the Philistines.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Sam 18:25 | Homilies on Matthew 42.2 · John Chrysostom | allusion, high confidence | ca. 390 |
| 1 Sam 18:25–27 | Against Jovinianus 1.5 · Jerome | allusion, high confidence | 393 |
| 1 Sam 18:25–27 | Against Jovinianus 1.24 · Jerome | allusion, high confidence | 393 |
1 Samuel 18:27
David and his men went out and killed two hundred Philistines. He brought their foreskins and presented them as payment in full to become the king’s son-in-law. Then Saul gave his daughter Michal to David in marriage.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Sam 18:27 | On the Witch of Endor 23 · Eustathius of Antioch | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 324–337 |
1 Samuel 18:28
When Saul realized that the LORD was with David and that his daughter Michal loved David,
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Sam 18:28–29 | On Saint Athanasius 1.13 · Lucifer of Cagliari | quotation, high confidence | ca. 356–361 |