Since Samuel left Saul after Saul's disobedience at Gilgal (1 Samuel 13:15), Saul was left without a means of hearing from God. Ahijah was thus meant to serve as Samuel’s replacement.1 He wore an ephod so that he could use the Urim and the Thummin to try and discern God’s will (see Exodus 29:5–30; Leviticus 8:7). The decision to involve Ahijah does not bode well seeing as he was related to Phinehas, one of Eli’s sons who did much evil (see 1 Samuel 2:12–17; 1 Samuel 2:22–25).2 The reference to Ahijah and the rejected house of Eli likely serves to stress and confirm the rejection of Saul’s royal house (see 1 Samuel 13:14).3
2 Saul was staying in the outskirts of Gibeah in the pomegranate cave at Migron. The people who were with him were about six hundred men,