So Saul inquired of the <sc>Lordsc>, but the <sc>Lordsc> did not answer him &#8211; not by dreams nor by Urim<n id="1" /> nor by the prophets.

<p class="bodytext">Samuel said, &#8220;Why are you asking me, now that the <sc>Lordsc> has turned away from you and has become your enemy?

When Uriah came to him, David asked about how Joab and the army were doing and how the campaign was going.<n id="1" />

The Lord<n id="1" /> was pleased that Solomon made this request.<n id="2" />

She said, &#8220;Did I ask my master for a son? Didn&#8217;t I say, &#8216;Don&#8217;t mislead me?&#8217;&#8221;

<p class="bodytext">That night God appeared<n id="1" /> to Solomon and said to him, &#8220;Tell me<n id="2" /> what I should give you.&#8221;

<t /><p class="poetry">&#8220;But now, ask the animals and they<n id="2" /> will teach you,p> <p class="poetry">or the birds of the sky and they will tell you.p>

<p class="poetry">He asked you to sustain his life,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">and you have granted him long life and an enduring dynasty.<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">Receiving sacrifices and offerings are not your primary concern.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">You make that quite clear to me!<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">You do not ask for burnt sacrifices and sin offerings.p>

<p class="poetry">for there our captors ask us to compose songs;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">those who mock us demand that we be happy, saying:<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;Sing for us a song about Zion!&#8221;<n id="3" />p>

&#8220;Ask for a confirming sign from the <sc>Lordsc> your God. You can even ask for something miraculous.&#8221;<n id="1" />

<p class="poetry">They travel down to Egyptp> <p class="poetry">without seeking my will,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">seeking Pharaoh&#8217;s protection,p> <p class="poetry">and looking for safety in Egypt&#8217;s protective shade.<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">I look, but there is no one,p> <p class="poetry">among them there is no one who serves as an adviser,p> <p class="poetry">that I might ask questions and receive answers.p>

<p class="poetry">You who live in Aroer,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">stand by the road and watch.p> <p class="poetry">Question the man who is fleeing and the woman who is escaping.p> <p class="poetry">Ask them, &#8216;What has happened?&#8217;p>

<p class="lamhebrew">&#1491; (<i>Daleti>)p> <p class="poetry">The infant&#8217;s tongue sticksp> <p class="poetry">to the roof of its mouth due to thirst;p> <p class="poetry">little children beg for bread,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">but no one gives them even a morsel.<n id="2" />p>

&#8220;The <sc>Lordsc> who rules over all says, &#8216;Ask the priests about the law.<n id="1" />

<p class="bodytext">They replied, &#8220;The man questioned us<n id="1" /> thoroughly<n id="2" /> about ourselves and our family, saying, &#8216;Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?&#8217;<n id="3" /> So we answered him in this way.<n id="4" /> How could we possibly know<n id="5" /> that he would say,<n id="6" /> &#8216;Bring your brother down&#8217;?&#8221;p>

If your father happens to miss me, you should say, &#8216;David urgently requested me to let him go<n id="1" /> to his city Bethlehem,<n id="2" /> for there is an annual sacrifice there for his entire family.&#8217;

Was it just today that I began to inquire of God on his behalf? Far be it from me! The king should not accuse<n id="1" /> his servant or any of my father&#8217;s house. For your servant is not aware of all this &#8211; not in whole or in part!&#8221;<n id="2" />p>

She said, &#8220;I would like to ask you for just one small favor.<n id="1" /> Please don&#8217;t refuse me.&#8221;<n id="2" /> He said,<n id="3" /> &#8220;Go ahead and ask, my mother, for I would not refuse you.&#8221;