1 Samuel 28
28
Saul Consults a Medium
1At that time, the Philistines gathered their armed forces to fight against Israel. Achish said to David, “You surely know that you and your men must march out with me in the army.”
2David said to Achish, “Well then, you know what your servant will do.” “Well then, I appoint you my bodyguard for life,” Achish said to David.
3Now Samuel had died, and all Israel had lamented him and buried him in Ramah, his hometown. Saul had removed from the land those who were mediums and spiritists.
4So the Philistines mustered and came and camped in Shunem; and Saul gathered all Israel together and they camped at Gilboa.
5Now when Saul saw the camp of the Philistines, he was afraid and his heart trembled greatly.
6When Saul inquired of Adonai, Adonai did not answer, neither by dreams nor by Urim or prophets.
7Then Saul said to his courtiers, “Find me a woman who is a medium, so I may go to her and inquire through her.” So his courtiers said to him, “Behold, there is a woman that is a medium at En-dor.”
8So Saul disguised himself, put on other clothes, and went with two other men, and they reached the woman by night. Then he said, “Please conjure up for me a ghost—bring up for me the one I will name to you.”
9“Look, you know what Saul has done,” she said, “how he has cut off the mediums and spiritists from the land. So why then are you setting a trap for my life to get me killed?”
10Saul vowed to her by Adonai saying, “As Adonai lives, no punishment will come on you for this thing.”
11“Whom will I bring up for you?” the woman asked. “Bring me up Samuel,” he said.
12But when the woman saw Samuel, she cried out with a loud shriek. Then the woman spoke to Saul saying, “Why have you deceived me? You are Saul!”
13“Don’t be afraid!” the king said to her. “What do you see?” The woman said to Saul, “I see a godlike being coming up from the earth.”
14“What does he look like?” he asked her. “An old man is coming up, and he is wrapped with a robe,” she said. Then Saul knew that it was Samuel, so he bowed down and prostrated himself with his face to the ground.
15Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?” “I’m in great distress,” Saul answered. “The Philistines are waging war against me, and God has turned away from me—He doesn’t answer me anymore, whether by prophets or by dreams. So I called you up to tell me what I should do.”
16Samuel said, “So why ask me, since Adonai has turned away from you and become your adversary?
17Now Adonai has done for Himself just as He foretold through me—Adonai has torn the kingship out of your hand and has given it to another fellow, to David.
18Since you did not obey the voice of Adonai and did not execute His fierce wrath on Amalek, so Adonai has done this to you today.
19Moreover, Adonai will also give the Israelites who are with you into the hand of the Philistines. Tomorrow you and your sons will be with me! Yes, Adonai will give the army of Israel into the hand of the Philistines.”
20Then Saul immediately fell full length upon the ground, and became so terrified because of the words of Samuel that there was absolutely no strength in him, for he had eaten nothing all day and all night.
21Then the woman came to Saul and saw that he was so agitated, so she told him, “Behold, your maidservant obeyed you; I put my life in my hand by listening to your words, which you spoke to me.
22Please you too listen to the voice of your maidservant, and let me set a morsel of bread before you, so you can eat and have strength to go on your way.”
23But he refused and said, “I won’t eat.” But when his courtiers and the woman urged him, he listened to them. So he got up from the ground and sat on the bed.
24The woman had a fatted calf in the house, so she hurried and butchered it, and took flour, kneaded it, and baked unleavened bread from it.
25She brought it before Saul and his courtiers, and they ate. Then they arose and went away that night.
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Copyright © 2014 - Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society
1 Samuel 28
28
Saul and the Medium of Endor
1Later, the Philistines gathered their armies to fight against Israel. Achish said to David, “You understand that you and your men must join with me in my army.”
2David answered, “Certainly! Then you can see for yourself what I, your servant, can do!”
Achish said, “Fine, I’ll make you my bodyguard for life.”
3Now Samuel was dead, and all the Israelites had shown their sadness for him. They had buried Samuel in his hometown of Ramah.
And Saul had forced out the mediums and fortune-tellers from the land of Israel.
4The Philistines came together and made camp at Shunem. Saul gathered all the Israelites and made camp at Gilboa. 5When he saw the Philistine army, he was afraid. His heart pounded with fear. 6He prayed to the Lord, but the Lord did not answer him through dreams, Urim or prophets. 7Then Saul said to his servants, “Find me a woman who is a medium. I’ll go and ask her what will happen.”
His servants answered, “There is a medium in Endor.”
8Then Saul put on other clothes so no one would know who he was. At night Saul and two of his men went to see the woman. Saul said to her, “Talk to a spirit for me. Call up the person I name.”
9But the woman said to him, “Surely you know what Saul has done. He has forced the mediums and fortune-tellers out from the land of Israel. You are trying to trap me and kill me.”
10Saul made a promise to the woman in the name of the Lord. He said, “As surely as the Lord lives, you won’t be punished for doing this.”
11The woman asked, “Whom do you want me to bring up for you?”
He answered, “Bring up Samuel.”
12When the woman saw Samuel, she screamed loudly. She said, “Why have you tricked me? You are Saul!”
13The king said to the woman, “Don’t be afraid! What do you see?”
The woman said, “I see a spirit coming up out of the ground.”
14Saul asked, “What does he look like?”
The woman answered, “An old man wearing a coat is coming up.”
Then Saul knew it was Samuel, and he bowed facedown on the ground.
15Samuel asked Saul, “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?”
Saul said, “I am greatly troubled. The Philistines are fighting against me. God has left me. He won’t answer me anymore, either by prophets or in dreams. That’s why I called you. I want you to tell me what to do.”
16Samuel said, “The Lord has left you. He has become your enemy. So why do you call on me? 17He has done what he said he would do. He said these things through me. He has torn the kingdom out of your hands. He has given it to one of your neighbors, David. 18You did not obey the Lord. You did not show the Amalekites how angry he was with them. That’s why he has done this to you today. 19The Lord will give both Israel and you to the Philistines. Tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. The Lord will let the Philistines defeat the army of Israel.”
20Saul quickly fell to the ground and lay there. He was afraid because of what Samuel had said. He was also very weak because he had eaten nothing all that day and night.
21Then the woman came to Saul. She saw that he was really frightened. She said, “Look, I, your servant, have obeyed you. I have risked my life and done what you told me to do. 22Now please listen to me. Let me give you some food. Then you may eat and have enough strength to go on your way.”
23But Saul refused. He said, “I won’t eat.”
His servants joined the woman in asking him to eat. And he listened to them. So he got up from the ground and sat on the bed.
24The woman had a fat calf at the house. She quickly killed it. She took some flour and mixed dough with her hands. Then she baked some bread without yeast. 25She put the food before them, and they ate. Then that same night they got up and left.
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