1 Samuel 6 in the early church
[LXX: 1 Kingdoms; Vulgate: 1 Kings]
21 passages quote, allude to, or echo 1 Samuel 6, 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 · 3 · 4 · 6 · 7 · 9 · 12 · 14 · 15 · 19
1 Samuel 6:1
When the ark of the LORD had been in the land of the Philistines seven months,
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Sam 6:1–12 | Against Parmenian the Donatist 7.1 · Optatus of Milevis | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 366–385 |
| 1 Sam 6:1–12 | Part 2, chapter 24 · Quodvultdeus of Carthage | allusion, high confidence | ca. 445-450 |
1 Samuel 6:2
the Philistines summoned the priests and diviners, saying, “What shall we do with the ark of the LORD? Tell us how to send it back to its place.”
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Sam 6:2–14 | Commentary on John 28.147 · Origen | allusion, high confidence | ca. 230–248 |
| 1 Sam 6:2–3 | Homilies on Numbers 16.7 · Origen | quotation, high confidence | ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410) |
1 Samuel 6:3
They replied, “If you return the ark of the God of Israel, do not send it away empty, but by all means return it to Him with a guilt offering. Then you will be healed, and you will understand why His hand has not been lifted from you.”
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Sam 6:3–4 | Demonstration 14.20 · Aphrahat | allusion, high confidence | 337-345 |
1 Samuel 6:4
“What guilt offering should we send back to Him?” asked the Philistines. “Five gold tumors and five gold rats,” they said, “according to the number of rulers of the Philistines, since the same plague has struck both you and your rulers.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Sam 6:4–5 | Book of Heresies 12.1 · Philastrius of Brescia | allusion, high confidence | ca. 380s |
1 Samuel 6:6
Why harden your hearts as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened theirs? When He afflicted them, did they not send the people out so they could go on their way?
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Sam 6:6 | Homilies on Matthew 8.2 · John Chrysostom | quotation, high confidence | ca. 390 |
1 Samuel 6:7
Now, therefore, prepare one new cart with two milk cows that have never been yoked. Hitch the cows to the cart, but take their calves away and pen them up.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Sam 6:7 | Dialogue with Trypho 132.2 · Justin Martyr | allusion, high confidence | ca. 155–160 |
| 1 Sam 6:7–9 | Homilies on Numbers 16.7 · Origen | quotation, high confidence | ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410) |
| 1 Sam 6:7–12 | Demonstration 14.20 · Aphrahat | allusion, high confidence | 337-345 |
| 1 Sam 6:7 | Homilies on Matthew 6.3 · John Chrysostom | allusion, high confidence | ca. 390 |
1 Samuel 6:9
but keep watching it. If it goes up the road to its homeland, toward Beth-shemesh, it is the LORD who has brought on us this great disaster. But if it does not, then we will know that it was not His hand that punished us and that it happened by chance.”
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Sam 6:9 | Dialogue with Trypho 132.2 · Justin Martyr | allusion, high confidence | ca. 155–160 |
| 1 Sam 6:9 | Homilies on Matthew 6.3 · John Chrysostom | allusion, high confidence | ca. 390 |
| 1 Sam 6:9 | Homilies on Matthew 22.3 · John Chrysostom | allusion, high confidence | ca. 390 |
1 Samuel 6:12
And the cows headed straight up the road toward Beth-shemesh, staying on that one highway and lowing as they went, never straying to the right or to the left. The rulers of the Philistines followed behind them to the border of Beth-shemesh.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Sam 6:12 | Dialogue with Trypho 132.3 · Justin Martyr | allusion, high confidence | ca. 155–160 |
| 1 Sam 6:12 | Homilies on Numbers 16.7 · Origen | quotation, high confidence | ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410) |
| 1 Sam 6:12 | City of God 10.17 · Augustine of Hippo | allusion, high confidence | 413–426 |
1 Samuel 6:14
The cart came to the field of Joshua of Beth-shemesh and stopped there near a large rock. The people chopped up the cart and offered the cows as a burnt offering to the LORD.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Sam 6:14 | Dialogue with Trypho 132.3 · Justin Martyr | allusion, high confidence | ca. 155–160 |
| 1 Sam 6:14–15 | To Quirinus 2.16 · Cyprian of Carthage | allusion, high confidence | ca. 248–250 (book 3 perhaps later) |
1 Samuel 6:15
And the Levites took down the ark of the LORD and the chest containing the gold objects, and they placed them on the large rock. That day the men of Beth-shemesh offered burnt offerings and made sacrifices to the LORD.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Sam 6:15 | Question 46, section 7 · Ambrosiaster | allusion, high confidence | ca. 370–384 |
1 Samuel 6:19
But God struck down some of the people of Beth-shemesh because they looked inside the ark of the LORD. He struck down seventy men, and the people mourned because the LORD had struck them with a great slaughter.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Sam 6:19 | Part 2, chapter 24 · Quodvultdeus of Carthage | allusion, high confidence | ca. 445-450 |