1 Kings 17:39
And David having girded his sword upon his armour, began to try if he could walk in armour: for he was not accustomed to it. And David said to Saul: I cannot go thus, for I am not used to it. And he laid them off,
Open 1 Kings 17:39 in the Motif Searcher, word by word across all five texts →Show on the spiral →The verse in its languages
- Vulgate (Clementine)
- Accinctus ergo David gladio ejus super vestem suam, cœpit tentare si armatus posset incedere : non enim habebat consuetudinem. Dixitque David ad Saul : Non possum sic incedere, quia non usum habeo. Et deposuit ea,
- Septuagint (Swete)
- καὶ ἔζωσεν τὸν Δαυεὶδ τὴν ῥομφαίαν αὐτοῦ ἐπάνω τοῦ μανδύου αὐτοῦ· καὶ ἐκοπίασεν περιπατήσας ἅπαξ καὶ δίς. καὶ εἶπεν Δαυεὶδ πρὸς Σαούλ Οὐ μὴ δύνωμαι πορευθῆναι ἐν τούτοις, ὅτι οὐ πεπείραμαι· καὶ ἀφαιροῦσιν αὐτὰ ἀπ᾽ αὐτοῦ.
- Hebrew (WLC)
- וַיַּחְגֹּ֣ר דָּוִ֣ד אֶת חַ֠רְבּוֹ מֵעַ֨ל לְמַדָּ֜יו וַיֹּ֣אֶל לָלֶכֶת֮ כִּ֣י לֹֽא נִסָּה֒ וַיֹּ֨אמֶר דָּוִ֜ד אֶל שָׁא֗וּל לֹ֥א אוּכַ֛ל לָלֶ֥כֶת בָּאֵ֖לֶּה כִּ֣י לֹ֣א נִסִּ֑יתִי וַיְסִרֵ֥ם דָּוִ֖ד מֵעָלָֽיו
Haydock's commentary
Armour. Hebrew, "he tried to go." Symmachus, "he went lame." Septuagint, "he laboured in walking once and twice." (Calmet)
Salien supposes that the armour was not made for Saul, as he was much more bulky than young David. Yet we find that the latter could use the sword of the giant without difficulty. (St. Chrysostom, &c.) (Haydock)
From Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary, 1859, in the transcription made by Todd Easton and kept online by John Paul Wohlschied at johnblood.gitlab.io/haydock.
The Fathers on this verse
St Ambrose On the Duties of the Clergy, Chapter XXXV. On fortitude. This is divided into two parts: as it concerns matters of war and matters at home. The first cannot be a virtue unless combined with justice and prudence. The other depends to a large extent upon endurance
177. David never waged war unless he was driven to it. Thus prudence was combined in him with fortitude in the battle. For even when about to fight single-handed against Goliath, the enormous giant, he rejected the armour with which he was laden. His strength depended more on his own arm than on the weapons of others. Then, at a distance, to get a stronger throw, with one cast of a stone, he slew his enemy. After that he never entered on a war without seeking counsel of the Lord. Thus he was victorious in all wars, and even to his last years was ready to fight. And when war arose with the Philistines, he joined battle with their fierce troops, being desirous of winning renown, whilst careless of his own safety.