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
1 Kings 28
28
1And it came to pass in those days, that the Philistines gathered together their armies to be prepared for war against Israel. And Achis said to David: Know thou now assuredly, that thou shalt go out with me to the war, thou, and thy men.
2And David said to Achis: Now thou shalt know what thy servant will do. And Achis said to David: And I will appoint thee to guard my life for ever.
3Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel mourned for him, and buried him in Ramatha his city. And Saul had put away all the magicians and soothsayers out of the land.
4And the Philistines were gathered together, and came and camped in Sunam. And Saul also gathered together all Israel, and came to Gelboe.
5And Saul saw the army of the Philistines, and was afraid: and his heart was very much dismayed.
6And he consulted the Lord, and he answered him not; neither by dreams, nor by priests, nor by prophets.
7And Saul said to his servants: Seek me a woman that hath a divining spirit; and I will go to her, and inquire by her. And his servants said to him: There is a woman that hath a divining spirit at Endor.
8Then he disguised himself and put on other clothes. And he went, and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night. And he said to her: Divine to me by thy divining spirit, and bring me up him whom I shall tell thee.
9And the woman said to him: Behold, thou knowest all that Saul hath done, and how he hath rooted out the magicians and soothsayers from the land. Why then dost thou lay a snare for my life, to cause me to be put to death?
10And Saul swore unto her by the Lord, saying: As the Lord liveth there shall no evil happen to thee for this thing.
11And the woman said to him: Whom shall I bring up to thee? And he said, Bring me up Samuel.
12And when the woman saw Samuel, she cried out with a loud voice, and said to Saul: Why hast thou deceived me? For thou art Saul.
13And the king said to her: Fear not. What hast thou seen? And the woman said to Saul: I saw gods ascending out of the earth.
14And he said to her: What form is he of? And she said: An old man cometh up, and he is covered with a mantle. And Saul understood that it was Samuel, and he bowed himself with his face to the ground, and adored.
15And Samuel said to Saul: Why hast thou disturbed my rest, that I should be brought up? And Saul said: I am in great distress; for the Philistines fight against me; and God is departed from me; and would not hear me, neither by the hand of prophets, nor by dreams. Therefore I have called thee, that thou mayest shew me what I shall do.
16And Samuel said: Why askest thou me, seeing the Lord has departed from thee, and is gone over to thy rival?
17For the Lord will do to thee as he spoke by me; and he will rend thy kingdom out of thy hand, and will give it to thy neighbour David.
18Because thou didst not obey the voice of the Lord, neither didst thou execute the wrath of his indignation upon Amalec. Therefore hath the Lord done to thee what thou sufferest this day.
19And the Lord also will deliver Israel with thee into the hands of the Philistines. And to-morrow thou and thy sons shall be with me. And the Lord will also deliver the army of Israel into the hands of the Philistines.
20And forthwith Saul fell all along on the ground, for he was frightened with the words of Samuel: and there was no strength in him, for he had eaten no bread all that day.
21And the woman came to Saul (for he was very much troubled) and said to him: Behold, thy handmaid hath obeyed thy voice; and I have put my life in my hand; and I hearkened unto the words which thou spokest to me.
22Now therefore hear thou also the voice of thy handmaid: and let me set before thee a morsel of bread, that thou mayest eat and recover strength, and be able to go on thy journey.
23But he refused, and said: I will not eat. But his servants and the woman forced him; and at length hearkening to their voice he arose from the ground and sat upon the bed.
24Now the woman had a fatted calf in the house, and she made haste and killed it: and taking meal kneaded it, and baked some unleavened bread,
25And set it before Saul, and before his servants. And when they had eaten they rose up, and walked all that night.
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An historical text maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.