1 Samuel 28
28
1While David was living in Ziklag, the Philistines gathered their army together. They planned to fight against Israel. Achish said to David, “Here is what you must understand. You and your men must march out with me and my army.”
2David said, “I understand. You will see for yourself what I can do.”
Achish replied, “All right. I’ll make you my own personal guard for life.”
Saul and the Woman at Endor
3Samuel had died. The whole nation of Israel was filled with sorrow because he was dead. They had buried him in his own town of Ramah. Saul had thrown out of the land people who get messages from those who have died. He had also thrown out people who talk to the spirits of the dead.
4The Philistines gathered together and set up camp at Shunem. At the same time, Saul gathered together all the Israelites. They set up camp at Gilboa. 5When Saul saw the Philistine army, he was afraid. Terror filled his heart. 6He asked the Lord for advice. But the Lord didn’t answer him through dreams or prophets. He didn’t answer him when Saul had the priest cast lots by using the Urim. 7Saul spoke to his attendants. He said, “Find me a woman who gets messages from those who have died. Then I can go and ask her some questions.”
“There’s a woman like that in Endor,” they said.
8Saul put on different clothes so people wouldn’t know who he was. At night he and two of his men went to see the woman. “I want you to talk to a spirit for me,” he said. “Bring up the spirit of the dead person I choose.”
9But the woman said to him, “By now you must know what Saul has done. He has removed everyone who gets messages from those who have died. He has also removed everyone who talks to the spirits of the dead. He has thrown all of them out of the land. Why are you trying to trap me? Why do you want to have me put to death?”
10Saul made a promise in the name of the Lord. He said to the woman, “You can be sure that the Lord lives. And you can be just as sure that you won’t be punished for helping me.”
11Then the woman asked, “Whose spirit should I bring up for you?”
“Bring Samuel up,” he said.
12When the woman saw Samuel, she let out a loud scream. She said to Saul, “Why have you tricked me? You are King Saul!”
13He said to her, “Don’t be afraid. Tell me what you see.”
The woman said, “I see a ghostly figure. He’s coming up out of the earth.”
14“What does he look like?” Saul asked.
“An old man wearing a robe is coming up,” she said.
Then Saul knew it was Samuel. He bowed down. He lay down flat with his face toward the ground.
15Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you troubled me by bringing me up from the dead?”
“I’m having big problems,” Saul said. “The Philistines are fighting against me. God has left me. He doesn’t answer me anymore. He doesn’t speak to me through prophets or dreams. So I’ve called on you to tell me what to do.”
16Samuel said, “The Lord has left you. He has become your enemy. So why are you asking me what you should do? 17The Lord has spoken through me and has done what he said he would do. The Lord has torn the kingdom out of your hands. He has given it to one of your neighbors. He has given it to David. 18You didn’t obey the Lord. You didn’t show his great anger against the Amalekites by destroying them. So he’s punishing you today. 19He will hand both Israel and you over to the Philistines. Tomorrow you and your sons will be down here with me. The Lord will also hand Israel’s army over to the Philistines.”
20Immediately Saul fell flat on the ground. What Samuel had said filled Saul with fear. His strength was gone. He hadn’t eaten anything all that day and all that night.
21The woman went over to Saul because she saw that he was very upset. She said, “Look, I’ve obeyed you. I put my own life in danger by doing what you told me to do. 22So please listen to me. Let me give you some food. Eat it. Then you will have the strength to go on your way.”
23But he refused. He said, “I don’t want anything to eat.”
Then his men joined the woman in begging him to eat. Finally, he paid attention to them. He got up from the ground and sat on a couch.
24The woman had a fat calf at her house. She killed it at once. She got some flour. She mixed it and baked some bread that didn’t have any yeast in it. 25Then she set the food in front of Saul and his men. They ate it. That same night they got up and left.
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1 Samuel 28: NIrV
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1 Samuel 28
28
1And it came about in those days, that the Philistines gathered their armies together for war to fight with Israel. And Achish said to David, “Know assuredly that you will go out with me to battle, you and your men.”
2David said to Achish, “Surely you will know what your servant can do.”
And Achish said to David, “Therefore I will appoint you my bodyguard for life.”
The Medium of Endor
3#Lev 19:31; 20:27Now Samuel died and all Israel mourned him, and they buried him in Ramah, his own city. And Saul had removed the mediums and the necromancers from the land.
4#Jos 19:18; 1Sa 31:1Then the Philistines gathered themselves together. And they came and camped in Shunem. So Saul gathered all Israel together, and they camped in Gilboa. 5When Saul saw the camp of the Philistines, he was afraid and his heart trembled greatly. 6#Nu 12:6; 27:21Saul inquired of the Lord, but the Lord did not answer him by dreams, or by lots, or by prophets. 7#Jos 17:11; Ps 83:10Then said Saul to his servants, “Seek for me a woman who is a medium, that I may go to her and inquire of her.”
And his servants said to him, “There is woman medium in Endor.”
8#1Ch 10:13; Isa 8:19So Saul disguised himself, put on other clothes, and he went with two of his men. And they came to the woman by night and he said, “Please divine for me by a spirit, and bring up for me whom I will name to you.”
9#1Sa 28:3The woman said to him, “Listen, you know what Saul has done, how he has eliminated the mediums and necromancers from the land. Now why are you laying a trap for my life to cause my death?”
10Saul swore to her by the Lord, saying, “As the Lord lives, no punishment will happen to you for this thing.”
11Then said the woman, “Whom shall I bring up for you?”
And he said, “Bring up Samuel for me.”
12When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out with a loud voice. And the woman said to Saul, “Why have you deceived me? For you are Saul.”
13The king said to her, “Do not be afraid. What did you see?”
And the woman said to Saul, “I saw a divine being ascending out of the earth.”
14#1Sa 15:27He said to her, “What is his appearance?”
And she said, “An old man is coming up, and he is covered with a robe.”
And Saul perceived that it was Samuel. And he kneeled with his face to the ground and bowed himself.
15#1Sa 18:12; 28:6Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you roused me to bring me up?”
And Saul answered, “I am greatly distressed, for the Philistines make war against me, and God has departed from me and does not answer me any longer by prophets or by dreams. Therefore I have called you that you might make known to me what I should do.”
16Then said Samuel, “Why then do you ask me, since the Lord has departed from you and has become your enemy? 17The Lord has done for Himself as He spoke by me. The Lord has torn the kingdom from your hand and has given it to your neighbor, David. 18#1Ki 20:42; 1Sa 15:9As you did not obey the voice of the Lord and did not carry out His fierce wrath against Amalek, therefore the Lord has done this thing to you this day. 19And moreover, the Lord will deliver Israel with you into the hand of the Philistines, and tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. The Lord will also deliver the army of Israel into the hand of the Philistines.”
20Saul immediately fell full length upon the ground because he greatly feared the words of Samuel. Also there was no strength in him, for he had eaten no bread all day and all night.
21#Jdg 12:3; 1Sa 19:5The woman came to Saul and saw that he was terrified. And she said to him, “Listen, your handmaid has obeyed your voice. I have taken my life in my hand and have listened to your words which you spoke to me. 22Now therefore you also, please obey the voice of your maidservant and let me set before you a piece of bread, and eat so that you may have strength when you go on your way.”
23#1Ki 21:4But he refused and said, “I will not eat.”
But his servants, and also the woman, urged him and he listened to them. So he arose from the ground and sat on the bed.
24#Lk 15:23Now the woman had a fattened calf in the house, and she hurried and killed it, and took flour, and kneaded it, and baked unleavened bread from it. 25She brought it before Saul and his servants, and they ate. Then they arose and went away that night.
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