1 Samuel 2:25
2:25 If a man sins against a man, one may appeal to God on his behalf. But if a man sins against the Lord, who then will intercede for him?” But Eli’s sons 1 would not listen to their father, for the Lord had decided 2 to kill them.
1 Samuel 6:9
6:9 But keep an eye on it. If it should go up by the way of its own border to Beth Shemesh, then he has brought this great calamity on us. But if that is not the case, then we will know that it was not his hand that struck us; rather, it just happened to us by accident.”
1 Samuel 14:41
14:41 Then Saul said, “O Lord God of Israel! If this sin has been committed by me or by my son Jonathan, then, O Lord God of Israel, respond with Urim. But if this sin has been committed by your people Israel, respond with Thummim.” 3 Then Jonathan and Saul were indicated by lot, while the army was exonerated. 4
1 Samuel 20:13
20:13 But if my father intends to do you harm, may the Lord do all this and more to Jonathan, if I don’t let you know 5 and send word to you so you can go safely on your way. 6 May the Lord be with you, as he was with my father.
1 tn Heb “they”; the referent (Eli’s sons) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
2 tn Heb “desired.”
3 tc Heb “to the Lord God of Israel: ‘Give what is perfect.’” The Hebrew textual tradition has accidentally omitted several words here. The present translation follows the LXX (as do several English versions, cf. NAB, NRSV, TEV). See P. K. McCarter, I Samuel (AB), 247-48, and R. W. Klein, 1 Samuel (WBC), 132.
sn The Urim and Thummim were used for lot casting in ancient Israel. Their exact identity is uncertain; they may have been specially marked stones drawn from a bag. See Exod 28:30; Lev 8:8, and Deut 33:8, as well as the discussion in R. W. Klein, 1 Samuel (WBC), 140.
4 tn Heb “went out.”
5 tn Heb “uncover your ear.”
6 tn Heb “in peace.”