The Church Fathers on this verse

1 Kingdoms (1 Samuel) 29:3Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

And the princes of the Philistines said to Achis: What mean these Hebrews? And Achis said to the princes of the Philistines: Do you not know David who was the servant of Saul, the king of Israel, and hath been with me many days, or years, and I have found no fault in him, since the day that he fled over to me until this day?

Douay-Rheims

וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙ שָׂרֵ֣י פְלִשְׁתִּ֔ים מָ֖ה הָעִבְרִ֣ים הָאֵ֑לֶּה וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אָכִ֜ישׁ אֶל־שָׂרֵ֣י פְלִשְׁתִּ֗ים הֲלֽוֹא־זֶ֨ה דָוִ֜ד עֶ֣בֶד ׀ שָׁא֣וּל מֶֽלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל אֲשֶׁ֨ר הָיָ֤ה אִתִּי֙ זֶ֤ה יָמִים֙ אוֹ־זֶ֣ה שָׁנִ֔ים וְלֹֽא־מָצָ֤אתִי בוֹ֙ מְא֔וּמָה מִיּ֥וֹם נָפְל֖וֹ עַד־הַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה׃

Hebrew (Masoretic text)

The Church Fathers on this verse

One Church Father comments on this verse

Beda Venerabilis

7th centuryChurch Father

The nations hold in contempt the existence, community, and teachings of those who remain loyal to Christ, rightly referred to as Jews, meaning those in a state of transformation. They are currently moving from sin to righteousness, and they aspire to transition from death to eternal life. By gazing upwards with a spiritual perspective focused on heaven, they possess the ability to conquer the lowly cravings of the flesh and to triumph over the adversarial schemes of this world.

Cross references

Passages read together with this verse.