Origen, Homily on 1 Samuel 1.1
created: This entry is taken from Homily on 1 Samuel 1.1 written by Origen in 243-253 C.E
edition published: 2023-06-30-05:00
language: grc; grc
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https://caesarea-maritima.org/testimonia/332

Caesarea Maritima is indirectly attested at Origen, Homily on 1 Samuel 1.1. This passage was written ca. 243-253 C.E. possibly in Caesarea. Origen was an intellectual luminary and influential theologian of the Church during the first half to middle of the 3rd century. From his voluminous output of exegeses, treatises, and letters spanning from his early career in Alexandria to his long leadership of his new Christian school and library at Caesarea, few works survive, in large part due to the divisive controversy over his thought during the late 4th and early 5th centuries. His homilies were chiefly delivered during the later part of his career at Caesarea and transcribed thereafter, including two on I Samuel. This passage illustrates the practice of extempore preaching. Origen introduces four discrete episodes from the early life of David, and the presiding bishop—most likely Theoctistus in Caesarea but possibly Alexander in Jerusalem—choses one for the scholar’s elaboration.

Τὰ ἀναγνωσθέντα πλείονά ἐστιν, καὶ ἐπεὶ χρὴ ἐπιτεμνόμενον εἰπεῖν, δ’ εἰσὶν περικοπαί. ἀνεγνώσθη τὰ ἑξῆς τῶν περὶ Νάβαλ τὸν Καρμήλιον. εἶτα μετὰ τοῦτο ἡ ἱστορία ἡ περὶ τοῦ κεκρύφθαι τὸν Δαβὶδ παρὰ τοῖς Ζιφαίοις καὶ διαβεβλῆσθαι αὐτὸν ὑπ’ αὐτῶν, ἐληλυθέναι δὲ τὸν Σαοὺλ βουλόμενον λαβεῖν τὸν Δαβὶδ καὶ ἐληλυθότα ἐπιτηρῆσαι καιρόν, ἐπεληλυθέναι τε τῷ Σαοὺλ τὸν Δαβὶδ καὶ εἰληφέναι, κοιμωμένου αὐτοῦ καὶ τῶν φρουρούντων αὐτόν, “τὸ δόρυ καὶ τὸν φακὸν τοῦ ὕδατος” καὶ μετὰ τοῦτο ἔλεγχον προσενηνοχέναι τοῖς πεπιστευμένοις μὲν φυλάττειν αὐτόν, ἀποκοιμηθεῖσιν δέ. εἶτα [τὰ] ἑξῆς ἡ ἱστορία ἦν ἡ τρίτη, ὅτι κατέφυγε “πρὸς ⟨Ἀγχοὺς υἱὸν⟩ Ἀμμὰχ βασιλέα Γὲθ” ὁ Δαβίδ, καὶ ὅσην εὗρε χάριν παρ’ αὐτῷ μετὰ τὰ πολλὰ ἀνδραγαθήματα ὁ Δαβίδ, πρὸς ὃν “ἀρχισωματοφύλακα θήσομαί σε” φησίν. ἑξῆς τούτοις ἦν ἡ ἱστορία ἡ διαβόητος ἡ περὶ τῆς ἐγγαστριμύθου καὶ περὶ τοῦ Σαμουήλ, ὅτι ἔδοξεν ἀνενηνοχέναι ἡ ἐγγαστρίμυθος τὸν Σαμουὴλ καὶ ὁ Σαμουὴλ προφητεύει τῷ Σαούλ. τεσσάρων οὐσῶν περικοπῶν, ὧν ἑκάστη πράγματα οὐκ ὀλίγα ἔχει, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς δυναμένους ἐξετάζειν δυνάμενα ἀσχολῆσαι ὥρας οὐ μιᾶς συνάξεως ἀλλὰ καὶ πλειόνων, ὁτίποτε βούλεται ὁ ἐπίσκοπος προτεινάτω τῶν τεσσάρων, ἵνα περὶ τοῦτο ἀσχοληθῶμεν. τὰ περὶ τῆς ἐγγαστριμύθου, φησίν, ἐξεταζέσθω.

[Ed. Klostermann 1901]

What was read is lengthy, and, since it is necessary to give an abbreviated version, here are the sections. The order of events concerning Nabal of Carmel was read first; then the story of David hiding with the Ziphites and being maligned by them; and then (the story) that Saul came with the desire to seize David and, once he had come, bid his time. But David snuck up on Saul and, while he and his guards were sleeping, took “the spear and pitcher of water,” and after that he lectured the ones who were entrusted to guard Saul and yet were asleep. Then next the third section of the story, that David fled “to Anchous, son of Ammach, King of Geth,” and that David, after many exploits, found favor with him; and the King said to him, “I will make you head bodyguard.” Following these events there is the famous story concerning the medium and Samuel, that the medium had apparently conjured up Samuel and that Samuel prophesied to Saul. Since there are four pericopes, each of which has not a few events and which can also, for those able to examine them, occupy hours not of just one service but of many, let our bishop point out one of the four in order that we may occupy ourselves with it. Let us examine, he says, the story of the medium.

[Adapted from Smith 1998]

Works Cited

[...] 1.1 283
[...] 319

[1 Samuel 25-28]

[Carmel (city)

Geth (Gath, Saphitha, Blanche Garde, Tel Tzafit, Tell es-Safi)

Ziph (Tell Zif)]

[Alexander, Bishop of Jerusalem

Ammach, King of Geth (Maoch) [era of David]

Anchous, King of Geth (Anchish, Achish, Abimelech) [era of David]

David, King of Israel and Judah [ca. 1000 BCE]

Nabal [ca. 1000 BCE]

Origen

Samuel the Prophet [ca. 1025-1000 BCE]

Saul, King of Israel and Judah [ca. 1025-1000 BCE]

Theoctistus, Bishop of Caesarea]

[Christianity

Education (sacred)

Hebrew Bible

History of Israel

Judaism

Society and Culture]