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
Saul and the Medium
1At that time, the Philistines # 1Sm 29:1 brought their military units together into one army to fight against Israel. So Achish said to David, “You know, of course, that you and your men must march out in the army # DSS, LXX read battle with me.”
2David replied to Achish, “Good, you will find out what your servant can do.”
So Achish said to David, “Very well, I will appoint you as my permanent bodyguard.” # 1Sm 1:22,28
3By this time Samuel had died, # 1Sm 25:1 and all Israel had mourned for him and buried him in Ramah, his city, # 1Sm 7:17 and Saul had removed the mediums and spiritists from the land. # Lv 19:31; 20:27; Dt 18:10-11 4The Philistines came together and camped at Shunem. So Saul gathered all Israel, and they camped at Gilboa. 5When Saul saw the Philistine camp, he was afraid and trembled violently. 6He inquired of the Lord, but the Lord did not answer him in dreams or by the Urim or by the prophets. # Ex 28:30; Nm 27:21; 1Kg 3:5 7Saul then said to his servants, “Find me a woman who is a medium, so I can go and consult her.”
His servants replied, “There is a woman at En-dor # Jos 17:1; Ps 83:10 who is a medium.” # Ac 16:16
8Saul disguised himself # 2Ch 18:29; 35:21-22 by putting on different clothes and set out with two of his men. They came to the woman at night, and Saul said, “Consult a spirit for me. # Is 8:19 Bring up for me the one I tell you.” # Dt 18:10-11
9But the woman said to him, “You surely know what Saul has done, # 1Sm 28:3 how he has killed the mediums and spiritists in the land. Why are you setting a trap for me to get me killed? ”
10Then Saul swore to her by the Lord: “As surely as the Lord lives, nothing bad will happen to you because of this.”
11“Who is it that you want me to bring up for you? ” the woman asked.
“Bring up Samuel for me,” he answered.
12When the woman saw Samuel, she screamed, and then she asked Saul, “Why did you deceive me? You are Saul! ”
13But the king said to her, “Don’t be afraid. What do you see? ”
“I see a spirit form # Or a god, or a divine being coming up out of the earth,” the woman answered.
14Then Saul asked her, “What does he look like? ”
“An old man is coming up,” she replied. “He’s wearing a robe.” # 1Sm 15:27 Then Saul knew that it was Samuel, and he bowed his face to the ground and paid homage. # 1Sm 24:8
15“Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up? ” Samuel asked Saul.
“I’m in serious trouble,” replied Saul. “The Philistines are fighting against me and God has turned away from me. # 1Sm 16:13-14; 18:12 He doesn’t answer me anymore, # 1Sm 28:6 either through the prophets or in dreams. So I’ve called on you to tell me what I should do.”
16Samuel answered, “Since the Lord has turned away from you and has become your enemy, why are you asking me? 17The Lord has done # Some Hb, some LXX mss, Vg read done to you exactly what He said through me: The Lord has torn the kingship out of your hand and given it to your neighbor David. # 1Sm 15:28 18You did not obey the Lord and did not carry out His burning anger against Amalek; # 1Sm 15:1-9 therefore the Lord has done this to you today. 19The Lord will also hand Israel over to the Philistines along with you. Tomorrow you and your sons will be with me, # LXX reads sons will fall # 1Sm 31:2; Jb 3:17-19 and the Lord will hand Israel’s army over to the Philistines.”
20Immediately, Saul fell flat on the ground. He was terrified by Samuel’s words and was also weak because he hadn’t had any food all day and all night. 21The woman came over to Saul, and she saw that he was terrified and said to him, “Look, your servant has obeyed you. I took my life in my hands # 1Sm 19:5 and did what you told me to do. 22Now please listen to your servant. Let me set some food in front of you. Eat and it will give you strength so you can go on your way.”
23He refused, saying, “I won’t eat,” but when his servants and the woman urged him, he listened to them. # 2Kg 5:13 He got up off the ground and sat on the bed. # Est 1:6; Ezk 23:41
24The woman had a fattened calf at her house, and she quickly slaughtered it. # Gn 18:6-7 She also took flour, kneaded it, and baked unleavened bread. 25She served it to Saul and his servants, and they ate. Afterward, they got up and left that night.
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