1 Samuel 14:18

14:18 So Saul said to Ahijah, “Bring near the ephod,” ¹  for he was at that time wearing the ephod. ² 

1 Samuel 14:36

14:36 Saul said, “Let’s go down after the Philistines at night; we will rout ³  them until the break of day. ⁴  We won’t leave any of them alive!” ⁵  They replied, “Do whatever seems best to you.” ⁶  But the priest said, “Let’s approach God here.”

1 Samuel 22:10

22:10 He inquired of the Lord for him and gave him provisions. He also gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.”

1 Samuel 22:15

22:15 Was it just today that I began to inquire of God on his behalf? Far be it from me! The king should not accuse ⁷  his servant or any of my father’s house. For your servant is not aware of all this – not in whole or in part!” ⁸ 

1 Samuel 23:2

23:2 So David asked the Lord, “Should I go and strike down these Philistines?” The Lord said to David, “Go, strike down the Philistines and deliver Keilah.”

1 Samuel 23:9-12

23:9 When David realized that Saul was planning to harm him, ⁹  he told Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod!” 23:10 Then David said, “O Lord God of Israel, your servant has clearly heard that Saul is planning ¹⁰  to come to Keilah to destroy the city because of me. 23:11 Will the leaders of Keilah deliver me into his hand? Will Saul come down as your servant has heard? O Lord God of Israel, please inform your servant!”

Then the Lord said, “He will come down.” 23:12 David asked, “Will the leaders of Keilah deliver me and my men into Saul’s hand?” The Lord said, “They will deliver you over.”

¹ tc Heb “the ark of God.” It seems unlikely that Saul would call for the ark, which was several miles away in Kiriath-jearim (see 1 Sam 7:2). The LXX and an Old Latin ms have “ephod” here, a reading which harmonizes better with v. 3 and fits better with the verb “bring near” (see 1 Sam 23:9; 30:7) and with the expression “withdraw your hand” in v.19. This reading is followed in the present translation (cf. NAB, TEV, NLT).

² tc Heb “for the ark of God was in that day, and the sons of Israel.” The translation follows the text of some Greek manuscripts. See the previous note.

³ tn Heb “plunder.”

⁴ tn Heb “until the light of the morning.”

⁵ tn Heb “and there will not be left among them a man.”

⁶ tn Heb “all that is good in your eyes.” So also in v. 40.

⁷ tn Heb “set a matter against.”

⁸ tn Heb “small or great.”

⁹ tn Heb “Saul was planning the evil against him.”

¹⁰ tn Heb “seeking.”