1 Samuel 14:18

“And Saul said unto Ahiah, bring hither the ark of the Lord, etc.] That he, the high priest, might put on the ephod, with the Urim and Thummim, and inquire by them of the Lord before it, concerning the affair of Jonathan, what he had done, and the agitation that was in the host of the Philistines; so the Septuagint version, “bring the ephod”, of which, with the Urim and Thummim, Kimchi interprets it; and ask, whether it was right for him to go out unto them, or continue where he was: for the ark of God was at that time with the children of Israel; and so it always was, except a few months it was in the hands of the Philistines; so it was at Kirjathjearim, where it was last. Jarchi thinks a…”

“Saul said unto Ahiah, Bring hither the ark of God--There is no evidence that the ark had been brought from Kirjath-jearim. The Septuagint version is preferable; which, by a slight variation of the text, reads, "the ephod"; that is, the priestly cape, which the high priest put on when consulting the oracle. That this should be at hand is natural, from the presence of Ahiah himself, as well as the nearness of Nob, where the tabernacle was then situated.”

“For “the ark,” some read “the ephod,” owing to the improbability of the ark being with Saul at this time, and from the verb “Bring hither” being never applied to the ark, but regularly to the ephod 1Sa 23:9; 1 Samuel 30:7. Moreover, not the ark, but the ephod with Urim and Thummim, was the proper instrument for inquiring of the Lord. If, however, the Hebrew text is correct, they must have brought the ark into Saul’s camp from Kirjath-jearim 1 Samuel 7:0, possibly to be safe from the Philistines. return to 'Top of Page'”

“14:18 Bring . . . Israelites: See NLT textual note; the Greek text is likely original. The Ark remained at Kiriath-jearim for twenty years (7:2), and it was never used for getting information about the future, as the ephod was (see study note on 2:18).”

“Bring hither: The Septuagint reads Προσαγαγε το εφουδ, οτι αυτος ηρε το εφουδ εν τη ημερα εκεινη ενωπιον Ισραηλ. "Bring hither the ephod; for he bore the ephod on that day before Israel," which Houbigant and others think is the true reading. Finding that his son Jonathan and his armour-bearer were absent, Saul wished to consult the high-priest; but the tumult increasing, he says to him, "Withdraw thine hand:" i.e., desist form consulting the ephod on the present occasion, and immediately hastened to make the best use he could of this astonishing victory. Sa1 4:3-5, Sa1 30:8; Num 27:21; Jdg 20:18, Jdg 20:23, Jdg 20:27, Jdg 20:28; Sa2 11:11, Sa2 15:24-26 For the ark: Sa1 5:2, Sa1 7:1 1 Kings…”