And it came to pass, when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David to Keilah, [that] he came down [with] an ephod in his hand.
Ver. 6. With an ephod in his hand.] Or, The ephod came into his hand; whence some think, that in catching up his clothes, in making up his pack to be packing, he lighted upon the high priest's ephod, that had the Urim and Thummim in it, by chance rather than choice. a But it was surely a sweet providence of God, for the comfort of his poor servant David. Hence God answered not Saul by Urim and Thummim, 1Sa 28:6 for it was now with David, not with Saul. This ephod thus brought was more, saith one, than if many thousand soldiers had come to David.
a Forte fortuna et non dedita opera secum detulerat ephod, et posuerat inter sarcinas suas - Vatab.