²² The babies jostled each other within her, and she said, “Why is this happening to me?” So she went to inquire of the Lord.^(A)

⁹ (Formerly in Israel, if someone went to inquire^(A) of God, they would say, “Come, let us go to the seer,” because the prophet of today used to be called a seer.)^(B)

⁸ and David inquired^(A) of the Lord, “Shall I pursue this raiding party? Will I overtake them?”

“Pursue them,” he answered. “You will certainly overtake them and succeed^(B) in the rescue.^(C)”

⁶ He inquired^(A) of the Lord, but the Lord did not answer him by dreams^(B) or Urim^(C) or prophets.^(D)

²² So they inquired^(A) further of the Lord, “Has the man come here yet?”

And the Lord said, “Yes, he has hidden himself among the supplies.”

³⁷ “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Once again I will yield to Israel’s plea^(A) and do this for them: I will make their people as numerous as sheep,^(B)

³¹ When you offer your gifts—the sacrifice of your children^(A) in the fire—you continue to defile yourselves with all your idols to this day. Am I to let you inquire of me, you Israelites? As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I will not let you inquire of me.^(B)

¹⁵ Was that day the first time I inquired of God for him? Of course not! Let not the king accuse your servant or any of his father’s family, for your servant knows nothing at all about this whole affair.”