¹² “He is,” they answered. “He’s ahead of you. Hurry now; he has just come to our town today, for the people have a sacrifice^(A) at the high place.^(B)

⁵⁴ He offered a sacrifice^(A) there in the hill country and invited his relatives to a meal.^(B) After they had eaten, they spent the night there.

² The people, however, were still sacrificing at the high places,^(A) because a temple had not yet been built for the Name^(B) of the Lord. ³ Solomon showed his love^(C) for the Lord by walking^(D) according to the instructions^(E) given him by his father David, except that he offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places.^(F)

⁴ The king went to Gibeon^(G) to offer sacrifices, for that was the most important high place, and Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar.

² But Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears about it, he will kill me.”

The Lord said, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’

⁵ “After that you will go to Gibeah^(A) of God, where there is a Philistine outpost.^(B) As you approach the town, you will meet a procession of prophets^(C) coming down from the high place^(D) with lyres, timbrels,^(E) pipes^(F) and harps^(G) being played before them, and they will be prophesying.^(H)

⁷ Get rid of the old yeast, so that you may be a new unleavened batch—as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.^{(A) 8} Therefore let us keep the Festival, not with the old bread leavened with malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread^(B) of sincerity and truth.

⁶ there bring your burnt offerings and sacrifices, your tithes^(A) and special gifts, what you have vowed^(B) to give and your freewill offerings, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks.^{(C) 7} There, in the presence^(D) of the Lord your God, you and your families shall eat and shall rejoice^(E) in everything you have put your hand to, because the Lord your God has blessed you.

³⁹ David left Zadok^(A) the priest and his fellow priests before the tabernacle of the Lord at the high place in Gibeon^(B)

¹⁷ But he always went back to Ramah,^(A) where his home was, and there he also held court^(B) for Israel. And he built an altar^(C) there to the Lord.