1 Samuel 31 in the early church

[LXX: 1 Kingdoms; Vulgate: 1 Kings]

11 passages quote, allude to, or echo 1 Samuel 31, 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 · 2 · 4 · 6

1 Samuel 31:1

Now the Philistines fought against Israel, and the men of Israel fled before them, and many fell slain on Mount Gilboa.
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
1 Sam 31:1–4	Demonstration 2.17 · Aphrahat	allusion, high confidence	337-345
1 Sam 31:1	Exposition of Psalm 118 17.6.3 · Ambrose	allusion, medium confidence	ca. 386-397
1 Sam 31:1–6	City of God 16.43 · Augustine of Hippo	allusion, medium confidence	413–426
1 Sam 31:1–6	Part 2, chapter 26 · Quodvultdeus of Carthage	allusion, high confidence	ca. 445-450

1 Samuel 31:2

The Philistines hotly pursued Saul and his sons, and they killed Saul’s sons Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchishua.
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
1 Sam 31:2	On the Witch of Endor 13 · Eustathius of Antioch	allusion, high confidence	ca. 324–337
1 Sam 31:2	Explanation of Twelve Psalms 37.20.8 · Ambrose	allusion, high confidence	ca. 387-397

1 Samuel 31:4

Then Saul said to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword and run me through with it, or these uncircumcised men will come and run me through and torture me!” But his armor-bearer was terrified and refused to do it. So Saul took his own sword and fell on it.
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
1 Sam 31:4	PG 12:1477 (Ps 60 LXX) · Origen	allusion, medium confidence	ca. 220-254
1 Sam 31:4	On the Destruction of Jerusalem 3.16 · Anonymous	quotation, high confidence	ca. 370
1 Sam 31:4	On the Destruction of Jerusalem 3.17 · Anonymous	allusion, high confidence	ca. 370
1 Sam 31:4	Explanation of Twelve Psalms 37.20.8 · Ambrose	allusion, high confidence	ca. 387-397

1 Samuel 31:6

So Saul, his three sons, his armor-bearer, and all his men died together that same day.
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
1 Sam 31:6	Preparation for the Gospel 9.30.2 · Eusebius of Caesarea	allusion, medium confidence	ca. 313–324