1 Samuel 28
28
Saul and the Spirit Medium
1In those days the Philistines gathered their forces for war to fight against Israel. Achish said to David, “Understand for certain that you and your men will go out with me to battle.” 2David said to Achish, “All right, you shall know what your servant can do.” So Achish said to David, “Therefore I will make you my bodyguard for life.”
3Now Samuel had died, and all Israel had mourned for him and buried him in Ramah, his own city. And Saul had removed the mediums and the spiritists (soothsayers) from the land. 4The Philistines assembled and came and camped at Shunem; and Saul gathered all the Israelites and they camped at Gilboa. 5When Saul saw the Philistine army, he was afraid and #28:5 Lit his heart trembled greatly.badly shaken. 6So Saul inquired of the Lord, but the Lord did not answer him, either by dreams or by Urim [used like lots by the priest to determine the will of God] or by prophets. [Prov 1:24-30] 7Then Saul said to his servants, “Find for me a woman who is a medium [between the living and the dead], so that I may go to her and ask her advice.” His servants said to him, “There is a woman who is a medium at En-dor.”
8So Saul disguised himself by wearing different clothes, and he left with two men, and they came to the woman at night. He said to her, “Conjure up for me, please, and bring up [from the dead] for me [the spirit] whom I shall name to you.” 9But the woman said to him, “See here, you know what Saul has done, how he has cut off (eliminated) those who are mediums and spiritists from the land. So why are you laying a trap for my life, to cause my death?” 10Then Saul swore [an oath] to her by the Lord, saying, “As the Lord lives, no punishment shall come upon you for this.” 11So the woman said, “Whom shall I bring up for you?” He said, “Bring up Samuel for me.” 12When the woman saw Samuel, she screamed with a loud voice; and she said to Saul, “Why have you deceived me? You are Saul!” 13The king said to her, “Do not be afraid; but [tell me] what do you see?” The woman said to Saul, “I see a #28:13 Or god.divine [superhuman] being coming up from the earth.” 14He said to her, “What is his appearance?” And she said, “An old man is coming up, wrapped in a robe.” Then Saul knew that it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground and paid respect [to him].
15Then Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?” Saul answered, “I am greatly distressed; for the Philistines are making war against me, and God has left me and no longer answers me, either through prophets or by dreams; therefore I have called you to make known to me what I should do.” 16Samuel said, “Why then do you ask me, since the Lord has left you and has become your enemy? 17The Lord has done [to you] just as He said through me [when I was with you]; for the Lord has torn the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbor, to David. [1 Sam 15:22-28] 18Because you did not obey the voice of the Lord and did not execute His fierce wrath on Amalek, therefore the Lord has done this thing to you this day. 19Moreover, the Lord will also put Israel along with you into the hands of the Philistines, and tomorrow you and your sons will be with me [among the dead]. Indeed, the Lord will put the army of Israel into the hands of the Philistines.”
20Then Saul immediately fell full length on the earth [floor of the medium’s house], and was very afraid because of Samuel’s words; #28:20 Lit there was no strength in him.and he was thoroughly exhausted because he had not eaten all day and all night. 21The woman came to Saul and saw that he was greatly troubled, and she said to him, “Look, your maidservant has obeyed you, and I have taken my life in my hand and have listened to everything you said to me. 22So now, please listen to the voice of your maidservant, and let me set a piece of bread before you, and eat, so that you may have strength when you go on your way.” 23But he refused and said, “I will not eat.” But his servants together with the woman urged him, and he [finally] listened to them. So he got up from the ground and sat on the bed. 24The woman had a fattened calf in the house; she quickly killed it, and took flour, kneaded it and baked unleavened bread. 25She brought it before Saul and his servants, and they ate. Then they got up and went away that night.
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1 Samuel 28
28
1Around that time the Philistines called up their armies to go to war against Israel. So Achish told David, “You do realize that you and your men must accompany me as part of the army.”
2“That's fine!” David replied. “Then you yourself will discover what I, your servant, can do.”
“That's fine too,” Achish responded. “I'll make you my bodyguard for life.”
3By now Samuel had died, and all of Israel had mourned for him and buried him in Ramah, his home town. Saul had got rid of mediums and spiritists from the country.
4The Philistine armies gathered and set up camp at Shunem. Saul called up all the Israelite army and set up camp at Gilboa. 5When Saul saw the Philistine army, he was terrified, shaking with fear. 6He asked advice from the Lord, but the Lord didn't answer him either by dreams or by Urim or by prophets. 7So Saul told his officers, “Find me a woman who is a medium so I can go and ask her advice.”
“There's a woman who is a medium at Endor,” his officers replied.
8Saul disguised himself by wearing different clothes. He went with two of his men to the woman at night. Saul told her, “Bring up a spirit for me so I can ask some questions. I'll give you the name.”
9“Don't you know what Saul has done,” she replied. “He's got rid of the mediums and spiritists from the country. Are you trying to set a trap for me and get me killed?”
10Saul swore an oath to her by the Lord, “As the Lord lives, you won't be held guilty for doing this.”
11“Who do you want me to bring up for you?” the woman asked.
“Bring up Samuel,” he replied.
12But when the woman saw Samuel, she shouted loudly, and said to Saul, “Why have you tricked me? You're Saul!”
13“Don't be scared,” the king told her. “What can you see?”
“I see a god coming up out of the ground,” the woman replied.
14“What does he look like?” Saul asked.
“An old man is coming up,” she replied. “He has a robe wrapped around him.” Saul thought it must be Samuel, and he bowed facedown in respect.
15Samuel said to Saul, “Why are you bothering me by bringing me up?”
“I'm in terrible trouble,” Saul replied. “The Philistines are attacking me, and God has abandoned me. He doesn't answer me anymore, either by prophets or by dreams. That's why I have called you up so you tell me what to do.”
16“Why come and ask me when the Lord has abandoned you and has become your enemy?” Samuel asked. 17“The Lord has done to you exactly what he said through me, for the Lord has ripped the kingdom from you and has given it to your neighbor, David. 18The Lord has done this to you today because you did not do what the Lord commanded and you did not execute his furious anger on the Amalekites. 19The Lord will hand over Israel and you yourself to the Philistines. Tomorrow you and your sons will die and be with me. The Lord will also hand over the Israelite army to the Philistines.”
20Saul collapsed facedown on the ground, terrified at what Samuel had said. He had no strength, because he hadn't eaten anything all that day and night. 21The woman came over to Saul and saw that he was absolutely terrified. She told him, “Look, sir, I did what you asked. I risked my life and did what you told me. 22Now please do what I tell you. Let me bring you a little bit of food. Eat it, and you'll have the strength to go on your way.”
23But he refused, saying, “I can't eat anything.” But his men and the woman encouraged him to eat, and he did what they said. He got up from the ground and sat on the bed.
24The woman had a fattened calf at the house, and she quickly went and slaughtered it. She also got some flour, kneaded it, and baked some unleavened bread. 25She served the meal to Saul and his men, and they ate it. Then they got up and left, the same night.
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Dr. Jonathan Gallagher. Released under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 Unported License. Version 4.3. For corrections send email to jonathangallagherfbv@gmail.com