¹⁸ Saul said to Ahijah, “Bring^(A) the ark^(B) of God.” (At that time it was with the Israelites.)^[a]

²⁴ Zadok^(A) was there, too, and all the Levites who were with him were carrying the ark^(B) of the covenant of God. They set down the ark of God, and Abiathar^(C) offered sacrifices until all the people had finished leaving the city.

²⁵ Then the king said to Zadok, “Take the ark of God back into the city. If I find favor in the Lord’s eyes, he will bring me back and let me see it and his dwelling place^(D) again. ²⁶ But if he says, ‘I am not pleased with you,’ then I am ready; let him do to me whatever seems good to him.^(E)”

¹¹ Uriah said to David, “The ark^(A) and Israel and Judah are staying in tents,^[a] and my commander Joab and my lord’s men are camped in the open country. How could I go to my house to eat and drink and make love^(B) to my wife? As surely as you live, I will not do such a thing!”

⁷ Then David said to Abiathar^(A) the priest, the son of Ahimelek, “Bring me the ephod.^(B)” Abiathar brought it to him, ⁸ and David inquired^(C) of the Lord, “Shall I pursue this raiding party? Will I overtake them?”

“Pursue them,” he answered. “You will certainly overtake them and succeed^(D) in the rescue.^(E)”

7 ¹ So the men of Kiriath Jearim came and took up the ark^(A) of the Lord. They brought it to Abinadab’s^(B) house on the hill and consecrated Eleazar his son to guard the ark of the Lord.

² Then they carried the ark into Dagon’s temple and set it beside Dagon.^(A)

³ When the soldiers returned to camp, the elders of Israel asked, “Why^(A) did the Lord bring defeat on us today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark^(B) of the Lord’s covenant from Shiloh,^(C) so that he may go with us^(D) and save us from the hand of our enemies.”

⁴ So the people sent men to Shiloh, and they brought back the ark of the covenant of the Lord Almighty, who is enthroned between the cherubim.^(E) And Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.

⁵ When the ark of the Lord’s covenant came into the camp, all Israel raised such a great shout^(F) that the ground shook.

²⁷ And the Israelites inquired of the Lord.^(A) (In those days the ark of the covenant of God^(B) was there, ²⁸ with Phinehas son of Eleazar,^(C) the son of Aaron, ministering before it.)^(D) They asked, “Shall we go up again to fight against the Benjamites, our fellow Israelites, or not?”

The Lord responded, “Go, for tomorrow I will give them into your hands.^(E)”

²³ The Israelites went up and wept before the Lord^(A) until evening,^(B) and they inquired of the Lord.^(C) They said, “Shall we go up again to fight^(D) against the Benjamites, our fellow Israelites?”

The Lord answered, “Go up against them.”