1 Kings 19:24
And he stripped himself also of his garments, and prophesied with the rest before Samuel, and lay down naked all that day and night. This gave occasion to a proverb: What! is Saul too among the prophets?
Open 1 Kings 19:24 in the Motif Searcher, word by word across all five texts →Show on the spiral →The verse in its languages
- Vulgate (Clementine)
- Et expoliavit etiam ipse se vestimentis suis, et prophetavit cum ceteris coram Samuele, et cecidit nudus tota die illa et nocte. Unde et exivit proverbium : Num et Saul inter prophetas ?
- Septuagint (Swete)
- καὶ ἐξεδύσατο τὰ ἱμάτια αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐπροφήτευσεν ἐνώπιον αὐτῶν, καὶ ἔπεσεν γυμνὸς ὅλην τὴν ἡμέραν ἐκείνην καὶ ὅλην τὴν νύκτα· διὰ τοῦτο ἔλεγον Εἰ καὶ Σαοὺλ ἐν προφήταις;
- Hebrew (WLC)
- וַיִּפְשַׁ֨ט גַּם ה֜וּא בְּגָדָ֗יו וַיִּתְנַבֵּ֤א גַם הוּא֙ לִפְנֵ֣י שְׁמוּאֵ֔ל וַיִּפֹּ֣ל עָרֹ֔ם כָּל הַיּ֥וֹם הַה֖וּא וְכָל הַלָּ֑יְלָה עַל כֵּן֙ יֹֽאמְר֔וּ הֲגַ֥ם שָׁא֖וּל בַּנְּבִיאִֽם
Haydock's commentary
Naked. Divested of his regal ornaments, (Tirinus) though not in an indecent posture. People are said to be undressed, when they have not such clothes on as might be expected. Hesiod and Virgil say, Nudus ara, sere nudus; hiems ignava colono. "Plough and sow naked; choose a fine season for work, and rest in winter." (Haydock) See Micheas i. 8., and 2 Kings vi. 20.
Yet some assert (Calmet) that Saul was entirely undressed, as some pretended prophets and slaves go in the hot countries, Isaias xx. 1. We are not to judge of the indecency of such behaviour from our own manners. Some copies read cecinit, (Calmet) and the Douay Bible has "and sang naked." (Haydock)
Saul had not the gift of prophecy, like holy men, but only like Balaam's ass, for a time. (St. Augustine ad Simp. ii. 1.) (Worthington)
Prophets. This is something wonderful. (Menochius)
The proverb was now confirmed, chap. x. 11. (Calmet)
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 Gregory of Nyssa Against Eunomius, He thus shows the oneness of the Eternal Son with the Father the identity of essence and the community of nature (wherein is a natural inquiry into the production of wine), and that the terms “Son” and “product” in the naming of the Only-Begotten include a like idea of relationship
I let these matters pass, that my discourse may not busy itself too much in the strife against lesser points, and neglect the greater; but I say that we ought carefully to consider the question whether the natural relation does introduce the use of these terms: for this surely Eunomius asserts, that with the affinity of the appellations there is also asserted an essential relationship. For he would not say, I presume, that the mere names themselves, apart from the sense of the things signified, have any mutual relation or affinity; but all discern the relationship or diversity of the appellations by the meanings which the words express. …
St Gregory Nazianzen In Defence of His Flight to Pontus, and His Return, After His Ordination to the Priesthood, with an Exposition of the Character of the Priestly Office
8. I was influenced besides by another feeling, whether base or noble I do not know, but I will speak out to you all my secrets. I was ashamed of all those others, who, without being better than ordinary people, nay, it is a great thing if they be not worse, with unwashen hands, as the saying runs, and uninitiated souls, intrude into the most sacred offices; and, before becoming worthy to approach the temples, they lay claim to the sanctuary, and they push and thrust around the holy table, as if they thought this order to be a means of livelihood, instead of a pattern of virtue, or an absolute authority, instead of a ministry of which we must give account. …
St Ambrose On the Duties of the Clergy, Chapter XLIII. On temperance and its chief parts, especially tranquillity of mind and moderation, care for what is virtuous, and reflection on what is seemly
223. David danced before the ark of the Lord. Samuel did not dance; yet David was not blamed, while the other was praised. David changed his countenance before the king, whose name was Achish. If he had done this without any fear of being recognized, he would certainly not have escaped the charge of levity. Saul also, surrounded by the company of prophets, himself prophesied. Yet of him alone, as though he were unworthy, was it said: “Is Saul also among the prophets?”