Jerome : (Verse 26.) And Abimelech went to him from Gerar, and Ahuzzath his counselor, and Phicol the commander of his army. Regarding Ahuzzath his counselor, in Hebrew it means his group of friends: it signifies not so much a single person as a crowd of friends who came with the king, among whom was also Phicol the commander of his army. — Hebrew Questions on Genesis Origen of Alexandria : But "Abimelech" also (he who long ago had honored Abraham) now "came" with his friends "from Gerar" to Isaac: "and Isaac says to them: why have you come to me? For you have hated me and cast me out from you. To this they answer: seeing," it says, "we have seen that the Lord is with you, and we said: let there be an oath between us and you, and let us establish a covenant with you, that you do no evil with us," and the rest. This Abimelech, as I see it, does not always have peace with Isaac, but sometimes is at variance, sometimes seeks peace. If you remember how we said in earlier passages about Abimelech that he holds the person of the studious and wise of the world, who through the learning of philosophy have grasped many things even from the truth, you can understand how here with Isaac, who holds the figure of the Word of God which is in the Law, he can neither be always in dissension nor always in peace. For philosophy is neither in all things contrary to the Law of God nor in all things in agreement. For many of the philosophers write that there is one God, who created all things. In this they agree with the Law of God. Some have also added this, that God both made and governs all things through his Word, and that there is a Word of God by which all things are steered. In this they write things in agreement not only with the Law, but with the Gospels. But the moral and the physical, as it is called, philosophy — nearly all of it perceives the things that are ours. Yet it is at variance with us, when it says that matter is co-eternal with God. It is at variance, when it denies that God cares for mortal things, but confines his providence above the spaces of the lunar sphere. They are at variance with us, when they make the lives of those being born depend on the courses of the stars. They are at variance, when they say that this world is perpetual and to be closed by no end. But there are also very many other things, in which they are either at variance or in accord with us. And therefore Abimelech, according to this figure, is written to be sometimes at peace with Isaac, sometimes at variance. But this too I do not think it was without purpose a matter of care to the Holy Spirit, who writes these things, to include: that two others came with Abimelech, that is, "Ahuzzath his son-in-law and Phicol the commander of his army." Now Ahuzzath is interpreted 'holding,' and Phicol 'the mouth of all,' but Abimelech himself 'my father is king.' These three, as I judge, hold the image of the whole of philosophy, which among them is divided into three parts, logic, physics, ethics, that is, rational, natural, moral. Rational is that which confesses God the Father of all, as is Abimelech. Natural is that which is fixed and holds all things, as if relying on the powers of nature itself, which Ahuzzath professes, who is called 'holding.' Moral is that which is in the mouth of all and pertains to all and, by reason of the likeness of common precepts, is turned about in the mouth of all, which this Phicol designates, who is interpreted 'the mouth of all.' These, therefore, all instructed in learning of this kind, come to the Law of God and say: "seeing we have seen that the Lord is with you, and we said: let there be an oath between us and between you, and let us establish a covenant with you, that you do no evils with us, but just as we have not cursed you, so also may you be blessed of the Lord." These three indeed, who seek peace from the Word of God and desire to anticipate his fellowship by a covenant, can hold the figure of the magi, who come from the regions of the East, learned in their ancestral books and in the instruction of their forefathers, and say that: "seeing we have seen" "a king born," "and we saw that God is with him," "and we have come to adore him." But also, if anyone is instructed in learning of this kind, seeing that "God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself" and marvelling at the majesty of his works, let him say: "seeing we have seen that the Lord is with you, and we said: let there be an oath between us." For, coming to the Law of God, he necessarily says: "I have sworn and determined to keep your commandments." — HOMILIES ON Genesis 14.3