1 Samuel 22:13

22:13 Saul said to him, “Why have you conspired against me, you and this son of Jesse? You gave ¹  him bread and a sword and inquired of God on his behalf, so that he opposes ²  me and waits in ambush, as is the case today!”

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 ³  his servant or any of my father’s house. For your servant is not aware of all this – not in whole or in part!” ⁴ 

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 23:4

23:4 So David asked the Lord once again. But again the Lord replied, “Arise, go down to Keilah, for I will give the Philistines into your hand.”

1 Samuel 23:12

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 Samuel 30:8

30:8 David inquired of the Lord, saying, “Should I pursue this raiding band? Will I overtake them?” He said to him, “Pursue, for you will certainly overtake them and carry out a rescue!”

Numbers 27:21

27:21 And he will stand before Eleazar the priest, who ⁵  will seek counsel ⁶  for him before the Lord by the decision of the Urim. ⁷  At his command ⁸  they will go out, and at his command they will come in, he and all the Israelites with him, the whole community.”

¹ tn Heb “by giving.”

² tn Heb “rises up against.”

³ tn Heb “set a matter against.”

⁴ tn Heb “small or great.”

⁵ tn The passage simply has “and he will ask,” but Eleazar is clearly the subject now.

⁶ tn Heb “ask.”

⁷ sn The new leader would not have the privilege that Moses had in speaking to God face to face. Rather, he would have to inquire of the Lord through the priest, and the priest would seek a decision by means of the Urim. The Urim and the Thummim were the sacred lots that the priest had in his pouch, the “breastplate” as it has traditionally been called. Since the Law had now been fully established, there would be fewer cases that the leader would need further rulings. Now it would simply be seeking the Lord’s word for matters such as whether to advance or not. The size, shape or substance of these objects is uncertain. See further C. Van Dam, The Urim and Thummim.

⁸ tn Heb “mouth,” meaning what he will say.