According to the Hebrew, Saul asks Ahijah (see verse 3) to Bring … the ark of God. Since Ahijah is mentioned for the first time since verse 3, Good News Translation restates here that he is “the priest.” Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament gives a {B} rating to the Masoretic Text, claiming that the Hebrew text (which speaks of the ark of God) is more difficult than the Septuagint (which has instead “the ephod”), and that the Septuagint has changed the text to agree with the larger context, including verse 3, where Ahijah is said to be carrying (or, “wearing”) the ephod. Revised Standard Version, New Revised Standard Version, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, and New International Version are based on the Masoretic Text.

The Septuagint, however, says that Saul asked him to bring the ephod, which, according to verse 3, he was carrying. Since the ephod apparently held the Urim and Thummim, Saul wanted to discover God’s will concerning the battle. The Septuagint is followed by many translations in addition to Good News Translation (An American Translation, Revised English Bible, New American Bible, and New Jerusalem Bible). But the Masoretic Text, as represented in Revised Standard Version, should be translated.

For the ark of God went at that time with the people of Israel: as the footnote in Good News Translation indicates, a literal translation of the Hebrew makes little sense. For this reason many translations, including Good News Translation, follow the Septuagint here.

Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament, however, gives a {B} rating to the Masoretic Text here and claims that this use of the conjunction “and [the people of Israel]” is one of the rare cases in which this Hebrew conjunction means “with.” Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament therefore recommends the following translation of this verse: “And Saul said to Ahijah, ‘Bring the ark of God.’ For at that time [or, on that day] the ark of God went with the sons of Israel.” New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh says “Thereupon Saul said to Ahijah, ‘Bring the Ark of God here’; for the Ark of God was at the time among the Israelites.” Traduction œcuménique de la Bible also follows the Masoretic Text.

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on the First and Second Books of Samuel, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2001. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .