Bede : And Saul said to Ahijah, "Bring the ark of God here." Ahijah, also called his brother or his relative, is thus named. Therefore, the good leaders of the Church say, all the faithful daily waging war against the powers of the air, say to their brothers endowed with the reading of sacred Scripture and with greater exercise of virtues, daily offering themselves to God through the royal priesthood as a living sacrifice: they say, I say, to such who still see themselves agitated by temptations or behold the Church generally troubled by heresies, that, having revealed the mysteries of divine words, they should elucidate more manifest testimonies, by which they ought to use against the fabricators of heresies, by which they can overcome other struggles of temptations, with clear reasoning. But it often happens that the enemies of the Church (I mean the heretics or pagans) have so many and such great conflicts and battles of words or doctrines among themselves, that it is better that they be refuted by their own dispensation outwardly, than by the assertion of spiritual pages, proving that what they teach is false and what they do is impure: and it must be done as the leaders of the heavenly army, just as it is described that Saul did, who, when tumult arose in the camp of the Philistines and it increased more and more, no longer consulted God through the priest, but himself, with the hand of the soldiers taken up, hastens to pursue and urge to flight the enemies he had found to be discordant among themselves. However, Ahijah the priest, the keeper of the ark of the Lord, can also fittingly represent the very authors of sacred Scripture; who, whenever piously requested, bring forth the ark of the divine oracle they keep: they also bring forth examples of good works they performed; which was symbolized above, where the same Ahijah is said to have carried the ephod. Nor is it without reason that it is mentioned that he was the son of Ahitub, the brother of Ichabod, the son of Phinehas, who had been born from Eli, the priest of the Lord, in Shiloh. Ahitub indeed means "good brother." For many of the authors of the sacred letters also traced their lineage from priests: and being instructed by good brothers, as Scripture itself attests, also had some brothers who were not good: and today's readers of the same, equally instructed by good ones, yet cannot lack the company of the wicked, whom Ichabod, both by birth and by name, signifies as inglorious. — Commentary on Samuel Gregory the Dialogist : Why does Saul command Ahijah the priest to bring the ark near, unless because they hear the manner of the battle from the scouts? And indeed this is rightly done in a spiritual sense by the chief priests, when they do not judge the things they hear from reporters until they seek their reasoning in the counsel of inward meditation. And, because they often follow the counsels even of another's mind, Ahijah is commanded to bring the ark near. For the priest has the ark who does not have a mind empty of spiritual knowledge. Therefore Saul commands Ahijah to bring the ark near, when the chief teacher seeks counsel from his lesser and learned ones. For counsel is to be sought there where the grace of spiritual knowledge shines forth. Whence it is also added: (Verse 18.) For the ark of God was on that day with the children of Israel. As if to say: He commanded to apply what he knew to exist. To seek the counsel of religion from the irreligious, or wisdom from fools, is not to receive counsel but to rush headlong. Therefore it is well said: "For the ark of God was there," because in doubtful matters we ought to consult those whom we openly know not to lack spiritual gifts. But there are certain things that are improved through counsel, and certain things that are improved through aid. For where the necessity is open and undoubted, there the delay of counsel is not fitting, but rather the swiftness of assistance. Doubtful and obscure matters we handle better by consulting, but open and known matters we relieve by assisting and hastening. — Commentary on 1 Kings, Book 5, Chapter 4