1 Samuel 30:7

THE MESSAGE

David's Strength Was in His God Three days later, David and his men arrived back in Ziklag. Amalekites had raided the Negev and Ziklag. They tore Ziklag to pieces and then burned it down. They captured all the women, young and old. They didn't kill anyone, but drove them like a herd of cattle. By the time David and his men entered the village, it had been burned to the ground, and their wives, sons, and daughters all taken prisoner. David and his men burst out in loud wails—wept and wept until they were exhausted with weeping. David's two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail widow of Nabal of Carmel, had been taken prisoner along with the rest. And suddenly David was in even worse trouble. There was talk among the men, bitter over the loss of their families, of stoning him. David strengthened himself with trust in his God . He ordered Abiathar the priest, son of Ahimelech, "Bring me the Ephod so I can consult God." Abiathar brought it to David.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
David said to the priest Abiathar son of Ahimelech, “Bring me the ephod.” So Abiathar brought it to him,

Hebrew Names Version
David said to Avyatar the Kohen, the son of Achimelekh, Please bring me here the efod. Avyatar brought there the efod to David.

King James Version
And David said to Abiathar the priest, Ahimelech's son, I pray thee, bring me hither the ephod. And Abiathar brought thither the ephod to David.

Lexham English Bible
Then David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, "Please bring the ephod here for me." So Abiathar brought the ephod to David.

English Standard Version
And David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, "Bring me the ephod." So Abiathar brought the ephod to David.

New Century Version
David said to Abiathar the priest, "Bring me the holy vest."

New English Translation
Then David said to the priest Abiathar son of Ahimelech, "Bring me the ephod." So Abiathar brought the ephod to David.

Amplified Bible
David said to Abiathar the priest, Ahimelech's son, "Please bring me the ephod." So Abiathar brought him the ephod.

New American Standard Bible
Then David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, "Please bring me the ephod." So Abiathar brought the ephod to David.

Geneva Bible (1587)
And Dauid saide to Abiathar the Priest Ahimelechs sonne, I pray thee, bring me the Ephod. And Abiathar brought the Ephod to Dauid.

Legacy Standard Bible
Then David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, "Please bring the ephod near to me." So Abiathar brought the ephod near to David.

Contemporary English Version
and he said to the priest, "Abiathar, let's ask God what to do." Abiathar brought everything he needed to get answers from God, and he went over to David.

Complete Jewish Bible
David said to Avyatar the cohen, the son of Achimelekh, "Please bring the ritual vest here to me." Avyatar brought the vest to David.

Darby Translation
And David said to Abiathar the priest, Ahimelech's son, Bring near to me, I pray thee, the ephod. And Abiathar brought the ephod near to David.

Easy-to-Read Version
David said to Abiathar the priest, "Bring the ephod." So Abiathar brought it.

George Lamsa Translation
And David said to Abiathar the priest, Ahimelecks son, Bring me here the ephod. And Abiathar brought the ephod to David.

Good News Translation
David said to the priest Abiathar son of Ahimelech, "Bring me the ephod," and Abiathar brought it to him.

Literal Translation
And David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, Please bring the ephod near to me. And Abiathar brought the ephod to David.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
& sayde vnto Abiathar ye prest the sonne of Ahimelech: Bringe me hither the ouerbody cote. And whan Abiathar had broughte the ouerbody cote vnto Dauid,

American Standard Version
And David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, I pray thee, bring me hither the ephod. And Abiathar brought thither the ephod to David.

Bible in Basic English
And David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, Come here to me with the ephod. And Abiathar took the ephod to David.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And sayde to Abiathar the priest Ahimelechs sonne: I pray thee, bring me the Ephod. And Abiathar brought the Ephod to Dauid.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
And David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech: 'I pray thee, bring me hither the ephod.' And Abiathar brought thither the ephod to David.

King James Version (1611)
And Dauid said to Abiathar the Priest Ahimelechs sonne, I pray thee, bring mee hither the Ephod: and Abiathar brought thither the Ephod to Dauid.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And David said to Abiathar the priest the son of Achimelech, Bring near the ephod.

English Revised Version
And David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, I pray thee, bring me hither the ephod. And Abiathar brought thither the ephod to David.

Berean Standard Bible
Then David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, "Bring me the ephod." So Abiathar brought it to him,

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And he seide to Abiathar, preest, the sone of Achymelech, Bringe thou ephoth to me. And Abiathar brouyte ephoth to Dauid; and Dauid councelide the Lord,

Young's Literal Translation
And David saith unto Abiathar the priest, son of Ahimelech, `Bring nigh, I pray thee, to me the ephod;' and Abiathar bringeth nigh the ephod unto David,

Update Bible Version
And David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, I pray you, bring the ephod here to me. And Abiathar brought the ephod there to David.

Webster's Bible Translation
And David said to Abiathar the priest, Ahimelech's son, I pray thee bring me hither the ephod. And Abiathar brought thither the ephod to David.

World English Bible
David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, Please bring me here the ephod. Abiathar brought there the ephod to David.

New King James Version
Then David said to Abiathar the priest, Ahimelech's son, "Please bring the ephod here to me." And Abiathar brought the ephod to David.

New Living Translation
Then he said to Abiathar the priest, "Bring me the ephod!" So Abiathar brought it.

New Life Bible
David said to Abiathar the religious leader, son of Ahimelech, "Bring me the linen vest." So Abiathar brought the linen vest to David.

New Revised Standard
David said to the priest Abiathar son of Ahimelech, "Bring me the ephod." So Abiathar brought the ephod to David.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Then said David to Abiathar the priest, son of Ahimelech, Do bring near me, I pray thee, the ephod. So Abiathar brought near the ephod, unto David.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And he said to Abiathar, the priest, the son of Achimelech: Bring me hither the ephod. And Abiathar brought the ephod to David.

Revised Standard Version
And David said to Abi'athar the priest, the son of Ahim'elech, "Bring me the ephod." So Abi'athar brought the ephod to David.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Then David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, "Please bring me the ephod." So Abiathar brought the ephod to David.

Contextual Overview

⁷David's Strength Was in His God Three days later, David and his men arrived back in Ziklag. Amalekites had raided the Negev and Ziklag. They tore Ziklag to pieces and then burned it down. They captured all the women, young and old. They didn't kill anyone, but drove them like a herd of cattle. By the time David and his men entered the village, it had been burned to the ground, and their wives, sons, and daughters all taken prisoner. David and his men burst out in loud wails—wept and wept until they were exhausted with weeping. David's two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail widow of Nabal of Carmel, had been taken prisoner along with the rest. And suddenly David was in even worse trouble. There was talk among the men, bitter over the loss of their families, of stoning him. David strengthened himself with trust in his God . He ordered Abiathar the priest, son of Ahimelech, "Bring me the Ephod so I can consult God." Abiathar brought it to David. ⁸ Then David prayed to God , "Shall I go after these raiders? Can I catch them?" The answer came, "Go after them! Yes, you'll catch them! Yes, you'll make the rescue!" ⁹David went, he and the six hundred men with him. They arrived at the Brook Besor, where some of them dropped out. David and four hundred men kept up the pursuit, but two hundred of them were too fatigued to cross the Brook Besor, and stayed there. ¹¹Some who went on came across an Egyptian in a field and took him to David. They gave him bread and he ate. And he drank some water. They gave him a piece of fig cake and a couple of raisin muffins. Life began to revive in him. He hadn't eaten or drunk a thing for three days and nights! ¹³David said to him, "Who do you belong to? Where are you from?" "I'm an Egyptian slave of an Amalekite," he said. "My master walked off and left me when I got sick—that was three days ago. We had raided the Negev of the Kerethites, of Judah, and of Caleb. Ziklag we burned." ¹⁵ David asked him, "Can you take us to the raiders?" "Promise me by God," he said, "that you won't kill me or turn me over to my old master, and I'll take you straight to the raiders." ¹⁶ He led David to them. They were scattered all over the place, eating and drinking, gorging themselves on all the loot they had plundered from Philistia and Judah. ¹⁷David pounced. He fought them from before sunrise until evening of the next day. None got away except for four hundred of the younger men who escaped by riding off on camels. David rescued everything the Amalekites had taken. And he rescued his two wives! Nothing and no one was missing—young or old, son or daughter, plunder or whatever. David recovered the whole lot. He herded the sheep and cattle before them, and they all shouted, "David's plunder!"

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Abiathar: 1 Samuel 22:20, 1 Samuel 22:21, 1 Samuel 23:2-9, 1 Kings 2:26, Mark 2:26

Reciprocal: Exodus 28:4 - ephod Exodus 28:30 - General Numbers 27:21 - he shall Deuteronomy 20:2 - General Joshua 9:14 - asked not 1 Samuel 14:37 - Shall I go 1 Samuel 23:9 - Bring 2 Samuel 2:1 - inquired 2 Samuel 5:19 - inquired Hosea 3:4 - ephod

Gill's Notes on the Bible

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.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Abiathar had continued to abide with David, ever since he joined him at Keilah 1 Samuel 23:6. On inquiry of the Lord by the ephod, see Judges 1:1 note. The answers were evidently given by the Word of the Lord in the mouth of the high priest (compare John 11:51).

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Samuel 30:7. Bring me hither the ephod. — It seems as if David had put on the ephod, and inquired of the Lord for himself; but it is more likely that he caused Abiathar to do it.