1 Samuel 30:7

7 David said to Abiathar the priest, son of Ahimelech, "Bring me the ephod."^[a] So Abiathar brought it to him,

1 Samuel 30:7 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 30:7

And David said to Abiathar the priest, Ahimelech's son
The son of Ahimelech, who was slain at Nob by the order of Saul, ( 1 Samuel 22:19 ) ; and Abiathar his son, who fled to David with the ephod, on the death of his father, ( 1 Samuel 22:20 ) , was now high priest in his room; and who it seems was with David when he went with Achish, and returned with him; for had he been left at Ziklag, he and his ephod, in all probability, had been carried off by the Amalekites, unless we can suppose him under the protection of a special providence: it is much David had not inquired of the Lord by him about his going with Achish; perhaps the present disaster brought to mind that neglect, and made him the more diligent now:

I pray thee, bring me hither the ephod;
not to put it on himself, but that the high priest might put it on, and inquire by it before him of the Lord:

and Abiathar brought thither the ephod to David;
for the sake of David, that inquiry might be made before him of the Lord by Urim and Thummim.

1 Samuel 30:7 In-Context

5 David's two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelite and Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite, had also been kidnapped.

6 David was in a difficult position because the troops talked about stoning him, for they were all very bitter over [the loss of] their sons and daughters. But David found strength in the Lord his God.

7 David said to Abiathar the priest, son of Ahimelech, "Bring me the ephod." So Abiathar brought it to him,

8 and David asked the Lord: "Should I pursue these raiders? Will I overtake them?" The Lord replied to him, "Pursue [them], for you will certainly overtake [them] and rescue [the people]."

9 David and the 600 men with him went as far as the Wadi Besor, where where 200 men who were to remain behind would stop.

Footnotes

• [a] 1 Sm 23:6-9