Charles Ellicott Commentary 1 Samuel 23:9

"And David knew that Saul was devising mischief against him; and he said to Abiathar the priest, Bring hither the ephod." — 1 Samuel 23:9 (ASV)

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 here the ephod. — It is quite clear that a different method of enquiry was used by David on this occasion. In 1 Samuel 23:3–4 it is merely stated that he enquired of the Lord; here at Keilah his enquiry was prefaced, in 1 Samuel 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 here 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 occasions—it seems perfectly certain for a considerable time—that these stones were allowed by the providence of God, who worked so many marvels for His people, to be used as oracles. It has already been 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 (someone like 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 from the Babylonian Talmud (Treatise Yoma)—quoted at length in the Excursus M on the Urim and Thummim at the end of this Book and apparently little known—tells us that the Rabbis had two other explanations. These were traditionally handed down from the days when the high priest questioned the ephod and its holy gemmed breastplate on solemn occasions.