1st Samuel Chapter 14 verse 18 Holy Bible

Ellicott's Commentary

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(18) And Saul said unto Ahiah . . .--The LXX. renders here, "And Saul said to Ahijah, Bring hither the ephod; for he bore the ephod in those days before the children of Israel." This is a statement easily to be understood. Saul was in doubt what to do under the present emergency. Should he--seeing the panic that was evidently increasing in the Philistine camp, and knowing nothing of the cause, only that his son and the armour-bearer were missing--should he risk his little force, and, leaving his strong position, attack that great host of apparently panic-stricken enemies? So he sent for the high priest Ahijah, and bade him consult the Urim and Thummim in his ephod.But the Hebrew and all the versions read as in our English Version, "Bring hither the Ark of God" What does this mean? Was the Ark, then, with that little band of Saul? We never before, or after, find the slightest hint that the sacred coffer ever left the "city of woods" (Kiriath-yearim) until David bore it to Zion. Then, again, the word preceding "Bring hither" is never used in connection with the Ark. No question or oracle could be asked of the Ark or by the Ark. The Urim and Thummim, whatever these mysterious objects were alone were used to give answers to questions solemnly asked by king and people, and this Urim and Thummim were connected, not with the Ark, but with the high-priestly ephod. On the whole, the reading of the LXX. probably represents the original Hebrew. The present Hebrew text, with the word "Ark," is, however, clearly of extreme antiquity; the second part of the verse is most likely an explanatory gloss of some ancient scribe. Josephus' account of this transaction shows us that he had before him a text corresponding to the LXX. His words are, "He bid the priest take the garment of his high priesthood and prophesy" (Antiq., 6 ? 3). Maurer prefers the present Hebrew text, for he says, At that supreme moment of danger Saul wanted not the advice of an oracle, but rather the help and encouragement which the presence of the sacred Ark would give to his handful of soldiers. But this would rather degrade Saul to the level of the superstitious Hophni and Phinehas, the wicked sons of Eli. who, it will be remembered, exposed and lost the sacred Ark in the fatal battle in which they perished. Saul, with all his faults, was a far nobler type of man than those profligate, though brave, priests.Parallel Commentaries ...HebrewThen Saulשָׁאוּל֙ (šā·’ūl)Noun - proper - masculine singularStrong's 7586: Saul -- first king of Israel, also an Edomite and two Israelitessaidוַיֹּ֤אמֶר (way·yō·mer)Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularStrong's 559: To utter, sayto Ahijah,לַֽאֲחִיָּ֔ה (la·’ă·ḥî·yāh)Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singularStrong's 281: Ahijah -- 'brother of Yah', an Israelite name“Bringהַגִּ֖ישָׁה (hag·gî·šāh)Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular | third person feminine singularStrong's 5066: To draw near, approachthe arkאֲר֣וֹן (’ă·rō·wn)Noun - common singular constructStrong's 727: A chest, arkof God.”הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים (hā·’ĕ·lō·hîm)Article | Noun - masculine pluralStrong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative(Forכִּֽי־ (kî-)ConjunctionStrong's 3588: A relative conjunctionat thatהַה֖וּא (ha·hū)Article | Pronoun - third person masculine singularStrong's 1931: He, self, the same, this, that, as, aretimeבַּיּ֥וֹם (bay·yō·wm)Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singularStrong's 3117: A dayitאֲר֧וֹן (’ă·rō·wn)Noun - common singular constructStrong's 727: A chest, arkwasהָיָ֞ה (hā·yāh)Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularStrong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, bewith the Israelites.)וּבְנֵ֥י (ū·ḇə·nê)Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural constructStrong's 1121: A sonJump to PreviousAhiah Ahijah Ahi'jah Ark Children Ephod Hither Israel Israelites Nigh Saul Time