² Before you engage in battle, the priest shall come forward and speak to the troops

⁶ Moses sent them to the war, a thousand from each tribe, along with Phinehas son of Eleazar the priest,^[a] with the vessels of the sanctuary and the trumpets for sounding the alarm in his hand.^(A)

⁸ The sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow the trumpets; this shall be a perpetual institution for you throughout your generations.^{(A) 9} When you go to war in your land against the adversary who oppresses you, you shall sound an alarm with the trumpets, so that you may be remembered before the Lord your God and be saved from your enemies.^(B)

¹² See, God is with us at our head, and his priests have their battle trumpets to sound the call to battle against you. O Israelites, do not fight against the Lord, the God of your ancestors, for you cannot succeed.”^(A)

⁷ David said to the priest Abiathar son of Ahimelech, “Bring me the ephod.” So Abiathar brought the ephod to David.^{(A) 8} David inquired of the Lord, “Shall I pursue this band? Shall I overtake them?” He answered him, “Pursue, for you shall surely overtake and shall surely rescue.”^(B)

¹⁸ Saul said to Ahijah, “Bring the ark of God here.” For at that time the ark of God went with the Israelites.

²⁷ And the Israelites inquired of the Lord (for the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days,^{(A) 28} and Phinehas son of Eleazar, son of Aaron, ministered before it in those days), saying, “Shall we go out once more to battle against our kinsfolk the Benjaminites, or shall we desist?” The Lord answered, “Go up, for tomorrow I will give them into your hand.”^(B)