Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Samuel 23:9
And David knew that Saul secretly practiced mischief against him; and he said to Abiathar the priest, Bring hither the ephod.
9. secretly practised ] Lit. was forging. Omit “secretly.”
Bring hither the ephod ] For the high-priest did not always wear it. See note on 1Sa 14:18, and cp. 1Sa 30:7.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 9. Bring hither the ephod.] It seems as if David himself, clothed with the ephod, had consulted the Lord; and 1Sa 23:10-12 contain the words of the consultation, and the Lord’s answer. But see on 1Sa 23:2.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Saul secretly practised mischief against him; whereby it may seem he pretended that he raised his army to defend Keilah and his country from the Philistines, and kept his intention against David in his own breast. Or, designed or devised; for so the word signifies; and so it is here translated by many; and it seems both from 1Sa 23:8, and from his publicly avowed jealousy of and rage against David, that he declared his design to be against him, as a traitor to his crown and dignity.
Bring hither the ephod, and put it upon thee, that thou mayst ask counsel of God for me.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
9. he said to Abiathar the priest,Bring hither the ephodThe consultation was made, and theprayer uttered, by means of the priest. The alternative conditionshere described have often been referred to as illustrating thedoctrine of God’s foreknowledge and preordination of events.
1Sa23:14-18. DAVIDESCAPES TO ZIPH.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And. David knew that Saul secretly practised mischief against him,…. That is, plotted and contrived it, formed schemes in order to do him mischief, giving out one thing, and designing another; so he pretended war against the Philistines, but his intention was to come against Keilah, and take David there:
and he said to Abiathar the priest, bring hither the ephod; not for David to put on, but for the priest himself, that being clothed with it, and the Urim and Thummim in it, he might inquire for him of the Lord.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(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 1Sa. 23:3-4 it is merely stated that he enquired of the Lord; here at Keilah his enquiry was prefaced, in 1Sa. 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 occasionsit seems perfectly certain during a considerable timethat 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 knowntells 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.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
1Sa 23:9 And David knew that Saul secretly practised mischief against him; and he said to Abiathar the priest, Bring hither the ephod.
Ver. 9. Secretly practised mischief. ] Plotted and ploughed mischief: pretending to raise an army against the Philistines, but intending the same against David.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
secretly practised = contrived.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
David: Jer 11:18, Jer 11:19, Act 9:24, Act 14:6, Act 23:16-18
Bring: 1Sa 23:6, 1Sa 14:18, 1Sa 30:7, Num 27:21, Jer 33:3
Reciprocal: Exo 28:30 – General Num 31:6 – the holy instruments Jos 9:14 – asked not Jdg 1:1 – asked Jdg 8:27 – an ephod Jdg 11:11 – uttered 1Sa 14:37 – Shall I go 1Sa 23:2 – inquired 1Sa 28:15 – answereth 2Sa 2:1 – inquired 1Ki 22:5 – Inquire 1Ch 13:3 – we inquired 1Ch 14:10 – inquired 2Ch 18:4 – Inquire Psa 7:16 – General Psa 11:2 – that Pro 24:2 – General Dan 8:12 – and it practiced Hos 3:4 – ephod Mar 2:26 – Abiathar Joh 10:35 – unto Joh 11:51 – being
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1Sa 23:9-11. Bring hither the ephod Which, doubtless, Abiathar put on; otherwise he could not have inquired of the Lord by it. The Lord said, He will come down He purposeth to come if thou continue here. For still both Davids question and Gods answer are conditional, upon supposition. As Davids being there was the only motive for Sauls coming, so, if he departed, Saul could have no inducement to come. And accordingly we find he laid aside his design so soon as he was informed that David had escaped. It seems probable from this place that Gods answer by Urim and Thummim was not by any change in the colour or situation of the precious stones in the breast-plate of the ephod, but by a voice or suggestion from God to the high-priest.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
23:9 And David knew that Saul secretly practised mischief against him; and he said to Abiathar the priest, {d} Bring hither the ephod.
(d) To consult with the Lord by Urim and Thummim.