But David knew that Saul was plotting evil against him; so he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod here.”
Parallel translations
- WEB David knew that Saul was devising mischief against him; and he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod here.”
- KJV And David knew that Saul secretly practised mischief against him; and he said to Abiathar the priest, Bring hither the ephod.
- BSB When David learned that Saul was plotting evil against him, he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod.”
- NKJV When David knew that Saul plotted evil against him, he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod here.”
- NLT But David learned of Saul’s plan and told Abiathar the priest to bring the ephod and ask the Lord what he should do.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Aware of Saul's plot, David calls for the ephod to inquire of the LORD.
Overview
Discerning Saul's evil intent, David turns at once to Abiathar and the ephod to seek God's guidance. His instinct to inquire of the LORD in danger reveals a heart trained to trust divine wisdom. This dependence on God marks the contrast between David's faith and Saul's self-reliant scheming.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- 1 Sam 30:7David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, “Please bring the ephod here to me.” Abiathar brought the ephod to David.
- 1 Sam 23:6When Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David to Keilah, he came down with an ephod in his hand.
- Num 27:21He shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall inquire for him by the judgment of the Urim before Yahweh. At his word they shall go out, and at his word they shall come in, both he, and all the children of Israel with him, even all the congregation.”
- 1 Sam 22:20One of the sons of Ahimelech, the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped, and fled after David.
- Jer 33:3‘Call to me, and I will answer you, and will show you great things, and difficult, which you don’t know.’
- Acts 14:6they became aware of it, and fled to the cities of Lycaonia, Lystra, Derbe, and the surrounding region.
- Acts 23:16–18But Paul’s sister’s son heard of their lying in wait, and he came and entered into the barracks and told Paul.
- Acts 9:24but their plot became known to Saul. They watched the gates both day and night that they might kill him,
- Jer 11:18–19Yahweh gave me knowledge of it, and I knew it: then you showed me their doings.
- 1 Sam 14:18Saul said to Ahijah, “Bring God’s ark here.” For God’s ark was with the children of Israel at that time.
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Christ at the center
The rise of the anointed king after Israel's failed first choice points to the true Anointed One (Messiah means 'anointed'), the shepherd-king after God's own heart from Bethlehem.
How 1 Samuel 23:9 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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