THEOSISJohn Chrysostom
He set aside his weapons and chose instead a shepherd's bag along with a few stones to confront that embodiment of strength.
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These five stones represent the Pentateuch that was bestowed upon them by God.
1 Kingdoms (1 Samuel) 17:40Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers
And he took his staff, which he had always in his hands: and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them into the shepherd's scrip, which he had with him, and he took a sling in his hand, and went forth against the Philistine.
וַיִּקַּ֨ח מַקְל֜וֹ בְּיָד֗וֹ וַיִּבְחַר־ל֣וֹ חֲמִשָּׁ֣ה חַלֻּקֵֽי־אֲבָנִ֣ים ׀ מִן־הַנַּ֡חַל וַיָּ֣שֶׂם אֹ֠תָם בִּכְלִ֨י הָרֹעִ֧ים אֲשֶׁר־ל֛וֹ וּבַיַּלְק֖וּט וְקַלְּע֣וֹ בְיָד֑וֹ וַיִּגַּ֖שׁ אֶל־הַפְּלִשְׁתִּֽי׃
The Church Fathers on this verse
One Church Father comments on this verse
Cross references
Passages read together with this verse.
- 1 Cor 1:27But the foolish things of the world hath God chosen, that he may confound the wise: and the weak things of the world hath God chosen, that he may confound the strong.
- 1 Cor 1:29That no flesh should glory in his sight.
- Judg 20:16Who were seven hundred most valiant men, fighting with the left hand as well as with the right: and slinging stones so sure that they could hit even a hair, and not miss by the stone's going on either side.
- Judg 15:15And finding a jawbone, even the jawbone of an ass, which lay there, catching it up, he slew therewith a thousand men.
- Judg 15:16And he said: With the jawbone of an ass, with the jaw of the colt of asses, I have destroyed them, and have slain a thousand men.
- Matt 10:10Nor scrip for your journey, nor two coats, nor shoes, nor a staff; for the workman is worthy of his meat.
- Judg 7:16And he divided the three hundred men into three parts, and gave them trumpets in their hands, and empty pitchers, and lamps within the pitchers.
- Judg 7:20And when they sounded their trumpets in three places round about the camp, and had broken their pitchers, they held their lamps in their left hands, and with their right hands the trumpets which they blew, and they cried out: The sword of the Lord and of Gedeon: