Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version When David learned that Saul was plotting against him, he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod.” New Living Translation But David learned of Saul’s plan and told Abiathar the priest to bring the ephod and ask the LORD what he should do. English Standard Version David knew that Saul was plotting harm against him. And he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod here.” Berean Standard Bible When David learned that Saul was plotting evil against him, he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod.” King James Bible And David knew that Saul secretly practised mischief against him; and he said to Abiathar the priest, Bring hither the ephod. New King James Version When David knew that Saul plotted evil against him, he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod here.” New American Standard Bible But David knew that Saul was plotting evil against him; so he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod here.” NASB 1995 Now David knew that Saul was plotting evil against him; so he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod here.” NASB 1977 Now David knew that Saul was plotting evil against him; so he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod here.” Legacy Standard Bible But David knew that Saul was plotting evil against him; so he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod here.” Amplified Bible But David knew that Saul was plotting evil against him; and he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod here.” Christian Standard Bible When David learned that Saul was plotting evil against him, he said to the priest Abiathar, “Bring the ephod.” Holman Christian Standard Bible When David learned that Saul was plotting evil against him, he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod.” American Standard Version And David knew that Saul was devising mischief against him; and he said to Abiathar the priest, Bring hither the ephod. Contemporary English Version David heard about Saul's plan to capture him, and he told Abiathar, "Let's ask God what we should do." English Revised Version And David knew that Saul devised mischief against him; and he said to Abiathar the priest, Bring hither the ephod. GOD'S WORD® Translation When David learned that Saul was planning to harm him, he told the priest Abiathar, "Bring the ephod." Good News Translation When David heard that Saul was planning to attack him, he said to the priest Abiathar, "Bring the ephod here." International Standard Version David knew that Saul was devising evil plans against him, and so he told Abiathar the priest, "Bring the ephod." NET Bible When David realized that Saul was planning to harm him, he told Abiathar the priest, "Bring the ephod!" New Heart English Bible David knew that Saul was devising mischief against him; and he said to Abiathar the priest, "Bring the ephod here." Webster's Bible Translation And David knew that Saul secretly plotted mischief against him; and he said to Abiathar the priest, Bring hither the ephod. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleWhen David learned that Saul was plotting evil against him, he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod.” World English Bible David knew that Saul was devising mischief against him. He said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod here.” Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionAnd David knows that Saul is devising the evil against him and says to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod near.” Young's Literal Translation And David knoweth that against him Saul is devising the evil, and saith unto Abiathar the priest, 'Bring nigh the ephod.' Smith's Literal Translation And David knew that Saul was working evil against him; and he will say to Abiathar the priest, Bring near the ephod. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleNow when David understood, that Saul secretly prepared evil against him, he said to Abiathar the priest: Bring hither the ephod. Catholic Public Domain Version And when David had realized that Saul had secretly prepared evil against him, he said to Abiathar, the priest, “Bring the ephod.” New American Bible When David found out that Saul was planning to harm him, he said to the priest Abiathar, “Bring the ephod here.” New Revised Standard Version When David learned that Saul was plotting evil against him, he said to the priest Abiathar, “Bring the ephod here.” Translations from Aramaic Lamsa Bibleland David knew that Saul was plotting mischief against him; and he said to Abiathar the priest, Bring the ephod to me. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated And David knew that Shaul devised evil against him, and he said to Abiathar the Priest: “Bring me the ephod” OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917And David knew that Saul devised mischief against him; and he said to Abiathar the priest: 'Bring hither the ephod.' Brenton Septuagint Translation And David knew that Saul spoke openly of mischief against him: and David said to Abiathar the priest, Bring the ephod of the Lord. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context Saul Pursues David…8Then Saul summoned all his troops to go to war at Keilah and besiege David and his men. 9When David learned that Saul was plotting evil against him, he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod.” 10And David said, “O LORD, God of Israel, Your servant has heard that Saul intends to come to Keilah and destroy the city on my account.… Cross References 1 Samuel 19:1-3 Then Saul ordered his son Jonathan and all his servants to kill David. But Jonathan delighted greatly in David, / so he warned David, saying, “My father Saul intends to kill you. Be on your guard in the morning; find a secret place and hide there. / I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are, so I can ask about you. And if I find out anything, I will tell you.” 1 Samuel 18:10-11 The next day a spirit of distress sent from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied inside the house while David played the harp as usual. Now Saul was holding a spear, / and he hurled it, thinking, “I will pin David to the wall.” But David eluded him twice. 1 Samuel 20:1-3 Then David fled from Naioth in Ramah. He came to Jonathan and asked, “What have I done? What is my iniquity? How have I sinned against your father, that he wants to take my life?” / “Far from it!” Jonathan replied. “You will not die. Indeed, my father does nothing, great or small, without telling me. So why would he hide this matter from me? This cannot be true!” / But David again vowed, “Your father knows very well that I have found favor in your eyes, and he has said, ‘Jonathan must not know of this, or he will be grieved.’ As surely as the LORD lives and as you yourself live, there is but a step between me and death.” 1 Samuel 22:17-19 Then the king ordered the guards at his side, “Turn and kill the priests of the LORD, because they too sided with David. For they knew he was fleeing, but they did not tell me.” But the king’s servants would not lift a hand to strike the priests of the LORD. / So the king ordered Doeg, “You turn and strike down the priests!” And Doeg the Edomite turned and struck down the priests himself. On that day he killed eighty-five men who wore the linen ephod. / He also put to the sword Nob, the city of the priests, with its men and women, children and infants, oxen, donkeys, and sheep. 1 Samuel 24:1-2 After Saul had returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, “David is in the wilderness of En-gedi.” / So Saul took three thousand chosen men from all Israel and went to look for David and his men in the region of the Rocks of the Wild Goats. 2 Samuel 5:17-18 When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over Israel, they all went in search of him; but David learned of this and went down to the stronghold. / Now the Philistines had come and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim. 2 Samuel 15:31-34 Now someone told David: “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” So David pleaded, “O LORD, please turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness!” / When David came to the summit, where he used to worship God, Hushai the Archite was there to meet him with his robe torn and dust on his head. / David said to him, “If you go on with me, you will be a burden to me. ... 2 Kings 6:8-12 Now the king of Aram was at war against Israel. After consulting with his servants, he said, “My camp will be in such and such a place.” / Then the man of God sent word to the king of Israel: “Be careful not to pass by this place, for the Arameans are going down there.” / So the king of Israel sent word to the place the man of God had pointed out. Time and again Elisha warned the king, so that he was on his guard in such places. ... Psalm 54:1-3 For the choirmaster. With stringed instruments. A Maskil of David. When the Ziphites went to Saul and said, “Is David not hiding among us?” Save me, O God, by Your name, and vindicate me by Your might! / Hear my prayer, O God; listen to the words of my mouth. / For strangers rise up against me, and ruthless men seek my life—men with no regard for God. Selah Psalm 56:1-2 For the choirmaster. To the tune of “A Dove on Distant Oaks.” A Miktam of David, when the Philistines seized him in Gath. Be merciful to me, O God, for men are hounding me; all day they press their attack. / My enemies pursue me all day long, for many proudly assail me. Psalm 59:1-3 For the choirmaster. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” A Miktam of David, when Saul sent men to watch David’s house in order to kill him. Deliver me from my enemies, O my God; protect me from those who rise against me. / Deliver me from workers of iniquity, and save me from men of bloodshed. / See how they lie in wait for me. Fierce men conspire against me for no transgression or sin of my own, O LORD. Psalm 142:1-3 A Maskil of David, when he was in the cave. A prayer. I cry aloud to the LORD; I lift my voice to the LORD for mercy. / I pour out my complaint before Him; I reveal my trouble to Him. / Although my spirit grows faint within me, You know my way. Along the path I travel they have hidden a snare for me. Matthew 2:13-15 When the Magi had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up!” he said. “Take the Child and His mother and flee to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the Child to kill Him.” / So he got up, took the Child and His mother by night, and withdrew to Egypt, / where he stayed until the death of Herod. This fulfilled what the Lord had spoken through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called My Son.” Matthew 10:16-18 Behold, I am sending you out like sheep among wolves; therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. / But beware of men, for they will hand you over to their councils and flog you in their synagogues. / On My account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. Matthew 12:14-15 But the Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus. / Aware of this, Jesus withdrew from that place. Large crowds followed Him, and He healed them all, Treasury of Scripture And David knew that Saul secretly practiced mischief against him; and he said to Abiathar the priest, Bring here the ephod. Jump to Previous Abiathar Abi'athar Clear David Designs Devised Devising Ephod Evil Hither Learned Mischief Nigh Plotted Plotting Practiced Priest Saul SecretlyJump to Next Abiathar Abi'athar Clear David Designs Devised Devising Ephod Evil Hither Learned Mischief Nigh Plotted Plotting Practiced Priest Saul Secretly1 Samuel 23 1. David, enquiring of the Lord by Abiathar, rescues Keilah7. God showing him the coming of Saul, and the treachery of the Keilites, 13. he escapes from Keilah 14. In Ziph Jonathan comes and comforts him 19. The Ziphites discover him to Saul 25. At Maon he is rescued from Saul by the invasion of the Philistines 29. He dwells at En Gedi When David learned that Saul was plotting evil against him David, the anointed future king of Israel, is in a precarious situation as King Saul, driven by jealousy and fear, seeks to kill him. This phrase highlights the ongoing conflict between Saul and David, a central theme in 1 Samuel. Saul's pursuit of David is relentless, reflecting the spiritual decline of Saul and his disobedience to God. David's awareness of Saul's intentions demonstrates his vigilance and reliance on God for protection. This situation is reminiscent of the broader biblical theme of the righteous being pursued by the wicked, as seen in Psalms and other scriptures. he said to Abiathar the priest “Bring the ephod.” Persons / Places / Events 1. DavidThe anointed future king of Israel, currently on the run from King Saul. David is a central figure in this passage, demonstrating reliance on God for guidance. 2. Saul The current king of Israel, who is consumed by jealousy and fear of David, leading him to plot against David's life. 3. Abiathar the Priest The son of Ahimelech, who escaped the massacre at Nob and joined David. He serves as a spiritual advisor and intermediary between David and God. 4. The Ephod A priestly garment used in ancient Israel to inquire of God. It symbolizes seeking divine guidance and direction. 5. Keilah A city in Judah where David had just delivered the inhabitants from the Philistines, only to learn that Saul was coming to capture him there. Teaching Points Seeking Divine GuidanceDavid's immediate response to Saul's threat was to seek God's guidance through the ephod. In our lives, we should prioritize seeking God's will in times of uncertainty and decision-making. Reliance on Spiritual Leaders David's interaction with Abiathar highlights the importance of having godly counsel and spiritual leaders who can help us discern God's direction. Trust in God's Sovereignty Despite the threat from Saul, David trusted in God's plan and protection. We are reminded to trust in God's sovereignty, even when circumstances seem dire. Prayer as a First Response David's instinct to inquire of the Lord teaches us to make prayer our first response, not our last resort, in times of crisis. God's Faithfulness in Deliverance Just as God delivered David from Saul's plots, He is faithful to deliver us from our own trials when we seek Him earnestly. Lists and Questions Top 10 Lessons from 1 Samuel 23How did David consult the ephod for instant divine guidance in 1 Samuel 23:9–12 when similar direct communication is uncommon elsewhere in the Old Testament? In 2 Samuel 2:1, how can David’s direct conversation with God be historically or archaeologically verified? How does God’s guidance through the ephod in 1 Samuel 23 contrast with other Old Testament passages that emphasize prophets rather than priestly objects for divine messages? In 1 Chronicles 15:27, David wears an ephod traditionally reserved for priests—how do we explain this apparent merging of royal and priestly roles without violating Mosaic Law? (9) Secretly practised mischief.--The idea of secrecy suggested in the English translation does not appear in the Hebrew; the accurate rendering would be, "was forging, or devising." It is likely enough that Jonathan contrived to keep his friend informed of these Court plots against him. Bring hither the ephod.--It is quite clear that a different method of enquiry was used by David on this occasion. In 1Samuel 23:3-4 it is merely stated that he enquired of the Lord; here at Keilah his enquiry was prefaced, in 1Samuel 23:6, by a definite statement that Abiathar the priest, with the ephod, had arrived here before he asked the question of God. The history tells us he directed Abiathar the priest to "bring hither the ephod," thus pointedly connecting the enquiry in some way with the ephod. In this ephod were set twelve precious stones, one for each of the twelve tribes. The names of the tribes were engraved on these gems, the Rabbis tell us, along with some other sacred words. On important solemn occasions--it seems perfectly certain during a considerable time--that these stones were allowed by the providence of God, who worked so many marvels for His people, to be used as oracles. It has been already stated that according to a most ancient tradition the use of the sacred gems was restricted to the high priest, who could only call out the supernatural power at the bidding of the king or the head of the State for the time being (such an one as Joshua, for instance). The Divine response given by the sacred gems seems to have been the visible response to earnest, faithful prayer. The common belief is that the ephod stones gave their answer to the royal and high priestly questions by some peculiar shining. But a passage (quoted at length in the Excursus M on the Urim and Thummim at the end of this Book) from the Babylonian Talmud (Treatise Yoma)--apparently little known--tells us that the Rabbis had two other explanations traditionally handed down from the days when the ephod and its holy gemmed breastplate was questioned on solemn occasions by the high priest. Verses 9-13. - Saul secretly practised mischief. This phrase is correctly translated "devised evil" in Proverbs 3:29; Proverbs 14:22. There is no idea of secrecy in the Hebrew verb, which literally means "to work in metals," "to forge." Saul's purpose was open enough, and when David heard of it he tells Abiathar to bring the ephod, and then offers earnest prayer to God for counsel and advice. In his prayer his two questions are put inversely to the logical order, but in accordance with their relative importance in David's mind, and no ground exists for altering the text. But when the ephod was brought forward the questions were of course put in their logical sequence. To the first question, "Will Saul come down to besiege Keilah?" the answer was, "He will." To the second, "Will the citizens of Keilah deliver me and my men into the hand of Saul?" the answer also was, "They will. Whereupon he and his followers, now increased to 600 men, withdrew, and went whithersoever they could go. Literally. "they went about whither they went about," i.e. without any fixed plan, as chance or their necessities dictated. As David was once again at large, Saul had no longer any reason for besieging Keilah, especially as its citizens had preferred his side, as that of the more powerful, to gratitude for the safety of their lives and property. CHAPTER 23:14-29 Hebrew When Davidדָּוִ֔ד (dā·wiḏ) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 1732: David -- perhaps 'beloved one', a son of Jesse learned וַיֵּ֣דַע (way·yê·ḏa‘) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 3045: To know that כִּ֣י (kî) Conjunction Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction Saul שָׁא֖וּל (šā·’ūl) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 7586: Saul -- first king of Israel, also an Edomite and two Israelites was plotting מַחֲרִ֣ישׁ (ma·ḥă·rîš) Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular Strong's 2790: To cut in, engrave, plow, devise evil הָרָעָ֑ה (hā·rā·‘āh) Article | Adjective - feminine singular Strong's 7451: Bad, evil against him, עָלָ֔יו (‘ā·lāw) Preposition | third person masculine singular Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against he said וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ (way·yō·mer) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 559: To utter, say to אֶל־ (’el-) Preposition Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to Abiathar אֶבְיָתָ֣ר (’eḇ·yā·ṯār) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 54: Abiathar -- 'the great one is father', an Israelite priest the priest, הַכֹּהֵ֔ן (hak·kō·hên) Article | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 3548: Priest “Bring הַגִּ֖ישָׁה (hag·gî·šāh) Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular | third person feminine singular Strong's 5066: To draw near, approach the ephod.” הָאֵפֽוֹד׃ (hā·’ê·p̄ō·wḏ) Article | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 646: A girdle, the ephod, highpriest's shoulder-piece, an image Links 1 Samuel 23:9 NIV1 Samuel 23:9 NLT 1 Samuel 23:9 ESV 1 Samuel 23:9 NASB 1 Samuel 23:9 KJV 1 Samuel 23:9 BibleApps.com 1 Samuel 23:9 Biblia Paralela 1 Samuel 23:9 Chinese Bible 1 Samuel 23:9 French Bible 1 Samuel 23:9 Catholic Bible OT History: 1 Samuel 23:9 David knew that Saul was devising mischief (1Sa iSam 1 Sam i sa) |
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