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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Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version®, NIrV®
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1 Samuel 28
28
1At that time the Philistines had gathered their army to fight against Israel. Then Achish said to David, “You need to know that you and your men will be going with me into battle.”
2“Very well,” David responded to Achish, “you will then know what I can do.”
“Very well,” Achish told David, “I will make you my bodyguard for life.”
Saul’s Sin—the Occult
3Meanwhile, Samuel had died, and all Israel had mourned for him and buried him in his hometown Ramah. (Saul had rid the land of mediums and psychics.)
4The Philistines assembled and camped in Shunem. Saul also assembled the whole Israelite army, and they camped at Gilboa. 5When Saul looked at the Philistine army, he was very afraid—terrified. 6He prayed to the Lord, but the Lord didn’t answer him through dreams, the Urim,#28:6 The Urim and Thummim were used by the chief priest to determine God’s answer to questions. or prophets. 7Saul told his officers, “Find me a woman who conjures up the dead. Then I’ll go to her and ask for her services.”
His officers told him, “There is a woman at Endor who conjures up the dead.”
8After disguising himself by putting on other clothes, Saul left with two men and came to the woman that night. He said to her, “Please consult with a dead person for me. Conjure up the person I request.”
9The woman told him, “You know that Saul rid the land of mediums and psychics. Why are you trying to trap me and have me killed?”
10But Saul took an oath in the Lord’s name, “I solemnly swear, as the Lord lives, you will not be harmed if you do this.”
11“Whom should I conjure up for you?” the woman asked.
“Conjure up Samuel for me,” he answered.
12When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out loudly and asked, “Why did you deceive me? You’re Saul!”
13“Don’t be afraid,” the king said to her. “What do you see?”
“I see a god rising from the ground,” the woman answered.
14“In what form?” he asked her.
She answered, “An old man is coming up, and he’s wearing a robe.” Then Saul knew it was Samuel. Saul knelt down with his face touching the ground.
15Samuel asked Saul, “Why did you disturb me by conjuring me up?”
Saul answered, “I’m in serious trouble. The Philistines are at war with me, and God has turned against me and doesn’t answer me anymore—either by the prophets or in dreams. So I’ve called on you to tell me what to do.”
16Samuel said, “Why are you asking me when the Lord has turned against you and become your enemy? 17The Lord has done to you ⌞exactly⌟ what he spoke through me: The Lord has torn the kingship out of your hands and given it to your fellow Israelite David. 18The Lord is doing this to you today because you didn’t listen to him or unleash his burning anger on Amalek. 19For the same reasons the Lord will hand you and Israel over to the Philistines. Tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. And then the Lord will hand Israel’s army over to the Philistines.”
20Immediately, Saul fell flat on the ground. He was frightened by Samuel’s words. He also had no strength left, because he hadn’t eaten anything all day or all night. 21The woman came over to Saul and saw that he was terrified. “I listened to you,” she told him, “and I took my life in my hands when I did what you told me to do. 22Now please listen to me. I will serve you something to eat. Eat it so that you will have strength when you leave.”
23But he refused. “I don’t want to eat,” he said. Nevertheless, his officers and the woman kept urging #28:23 Greek; Masoretic Text “the woman broke through.” him until he listened to them. So he got up from the ground and sat on the bed.
24The woman immediately butchered a fattened calf that she owned. She took flour, kneaded it, and baked some unleavened bread. 25Then she served it to Saul and his officers. They ate and left that ⌞same⌟ night.
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