And it came to be afterwards that Dawiḏ inquired of יהוה, saying, “Do I go up to any of the cities of Yehuḏah?” And יהוה said to him, “Go up.” And Dawiḏ said, “Where should I go up?” And He said, “To Ḥeḇron.”
And Dawiḏ inquired of יהוה, saying, “Do I go up against the Philistines? Do You give them into my hand?” And יהוה said to Dawiḏ, “Go up, for I shall certainly give the Philistines into your hand.”
And Dawiḏ again inquired of Elohim, and Elohim said to him, “Do not go up after them. Go around them, and come upon them in front of the mulberry trees.
“So you shall do to Ai and its sovereign as you did to Yeriḥo and its sovereign. Only its spoil and its livestock you take as plunder for yourselves. Set for yourselves an ambush for the city, behind it.”
“Have I today begun to inquire of Elohim for him? Far be it from me! Let not the sovereign lay a case against his servant, or against any in the house of my father. For your servant knew not of all this, little or much.”
So Dawiḏ inquired of יהוה, saying, “Shall I go and strike these Philistines?” And יהוה said to Dawiḏ, “Go and smite the Philistines, and save Qe‛ilah.”