They set out, went to Bethel, and enquired of God. The Israelites asked, ‘Who is to go first to fight for us against the Benjaminites? ’ And the Lord answered, ‘Judah will be first.’
He will stand before the priest Eleazar who will consult the Lord for him with the decision of the Urim. He and all the Israelites with him, even the entire community, will go out and come back in at his command.’
Samuel continued, ‘Although you once considered yourself unimportant, haven’t you become the leader of the tribes of Israel? The Lord anointed you king over Israel
Saul responded, ‘Am I not a Benjaminite from the smallest of Israel’s tribes and isn’t my clan the least important of all the clans of the Benjaminite tribe? So why have you said something like this to me? ’
and Phinehas son of Eleazar, son of Aaron, was serving before it. The Israelites asked, ‘Should we again fight against our brothers the Benjaminites or should we stop? ’ The Lord answered, ‘Fight, because I will hand them over to you tomorrow.’
They went up, wept before the Lord until evening, and enquired of him, ‘Should we again attack our brothers the Benjaminites? ’ And the Lord answered, ‘Fight against them.’
Then he made the tribe of Benjamin come forward by its clans, and the Matrite clan was selected. Finally, Saul son of Kish was selected. But when they searched for him, they could not find him.
and David asked the Lord, ‘Should I pursue these raiders? Will I overtake them? ’ The Lord replied to him, ‘Pursue them, for you will certainly overtake them and rescue the people.’
Some time later, David enquired of the Lord: ‘Should I go to one of the towns of Judah? ’ The Lord answered him, ‘Go.’ Then David asked, ‘Where should I go? ’ ‘To Hebron,’ the Lord replied.
During David’s reign there was a famine for three successive years, so David enquired of the Lord. The Lord answered, ‘It is due to Saul and to his bloody family, because he killed the Gibeonites.’