1 Kingdoms (1 Samuel) 17:54Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Douay-RheimsHebrew (Masoretic text)

And David taking the head of the Philistine, brought it to Jerusalem: but his armour he put in his tent.
Douay-Rheims

וַיִּקַּ֤ח דָּוִד֙ אֶת־רֹ֣אשׁ הַפְּלִשְׁתִּ֔י וַיְבִאֵ֖הוּ יְרוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם וְאֶת־כֵּלָ֖יו שָׂ֥ם בְּאָהֳלֽוֹ׃
Hebrew (Masoretic text)

The Church Fathers on this verse

One Church Father comments on this verse

Theodoret of Cyrus

5th centuryChurch Father

How did David, before he resided in Jerusalem, bring the head of a foreign enemy into the city? It is a fact that Jerusalem was still occupied by the Jebusites. However, David aimed to instill fear among them by displaying the head of the formidable warrior.

Cross references

Passages read together with this verse.

Josh 4:7You shall answer them: The waters of the Jordan ran off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord when it passed over the same: therefore were these stones set for a monument of the children of Israel forever.
Josh 4:8The children of Israel therefore did as Joshua commanded them, carrying out of the channel of the Jordan twelve stones, as the Lord had commanded him according to the number of the children of Israel unto the place wherein they camped, and there they set them.
Ex 16:33And Moses said to Aaron: Take a vessel, and put manna into it, as much as a gomor can hold; and lay it up before the Lord, to keep unto your generations,
1 Sam 21:9And the priest said: Lo, here is the sword of Goliath, the Philistine, whom thou slewest in the valley of Terebinth, wrapped up in a cloth behind the ephod: if thou wilt take this, take it, for here there is no other but this. And David said: There is none like that, give it me.