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
1In those days the Philistines mustered their military forces to fight against Israel. So Achish said to David, “You realize, of course, that you and your warriors#You and your warriors: David is faced with a potentially dangerous dilemma: either to reveal his continuing loyalty to his own people or to obey Achish and fight against his own people. must march out for battle with me.” 2David answered Achish, “Good! Now you shall learn what your servant can do.” Then Achish said to David, “I shall appoint you as my permanent bodyguard.”
3Now, Samuel was dead. All Israel had mourned him and buried him in his city, Ramah. Meanwhile Saul had driven mediums and diviners out of the land.#1 Sm 25:1; Sir 46:20.
Saul in Despair. 4The Philistines rallied and, coming to Shunem, they encamped. Saul, too, mustered all Israel; they camped on Gilboa. 5When Saul saw the Philistine camp, he grew afraid and lost heart completely. 6He consulted the Lord; but the Lord gave no answer, neither in dreams nor by Urim nor through prophets.#1 Sm 14:37, 41; Ex 28:30; Lv 8:8. 7Then Saul said to his servants, “Find me a medium#A medium: Saul’s own prohibition of necromancy and divination (v. 3) was in keeping with the consistent teaching of the Old Testament (cf. Lv 19:31; 20:6, 27; Dt 18:10). through whom I can seek counsel.” His servants answered him, “There is a woman in Endor who is a medium.”#Lv 19:31; 20:27; Dt 18:10–12; 2 Kgs 21:6; 1 Chr 10:13–14; Acts 16:16.
The Medium at Endor. 8So he disguised himself, putting on other clothes, and set out with two companions. They came to the woman at night, and Saul said to her, “Divine for me; conjure up the spirit I tell you.”#1 Sm 15:23; 1 Kgs 14:2. 9But the woman answered him, “You know what Saul has done, how he expelled the mediums and diviners from the land. Then why are you trying to entrap me and get me killed?” 10But Saul swore to her by the Lord, “As the Lord lives, you shall incur no blame for this.” 11“Whom do you want me to conjure up?” the woman asked him. “Conjure up Samuel for me,” he replied.
Samuel Appears. 12When the woman saw Samuel, she shrieked at the top of her voice and said to Saul, “Why have you deceived me? You are Saul!” 13But the king said to her, “Do not be afraid. What do you see?” “I see a god rising from the earth,” she replied. 14“What does he look like?” asked Saul. “An old man is coming up wrapped in a robe,” she replied. Saul knew that it was Samuel, and so he bowed his face to the ground in homage.
Saul’s Doom. 15#The consultation with the medium serves to remind the reader that the Lord’s plan for David marches onward; no sorcery can thwart it. Samuel then said to Saul, “Why do you disturb me by conjuring me up?” Saul replied: “I am in great distress, for the Philistines are waging war against me and God has turned away from me. Since God no longer answers me through prophets or in dreams, I have called upon you to tell me what I should do.”#1 Sm 14:37; Sir 46:20. 16To this Samuel said: “But why do you ask me, if the Lord has abandoned you for your neighbor?#1 Sm 15:27–28. 17The Lord has done to you what he declared through me: he has torn the kingdom from your hand and has given it to your neighbor David.
18“Because you disobeyed the Lord’s directive and would not carry out his fierce anger against Amalek, the Lord has done this to you today.#1 Sm 15:18–19, 26. 19Moreover, the Lord will deliver Israel, and you as well, into the hands of the Philistines. By tomorrow you and your sons will be with me, and the Lord will have delivered the army of Israel into the hands of the Philistines.”#1 Sm 31:2–6; Sir 46:20.
20Immediately Saul fell full length on the ground, in great fear because of Samuel’s message. He had no strength left, since he had eaten nothing all that day and night. 21Then the woman came to Saul and, seeing that he was quite terror-stricken, said to him: “Remember, your maidservant obeyed you: I took my life in my hands and carried out the request you made of me. 22Now you, in turn, please listen to your maidservant. Let me set out a bit of food for you to eat, so that you are strong enough to go on your way.” 23But he refused, saying, “I will not eat.” However, when his servants joined the woman in urging him, he listened to their entreaties, got up from the ground, and sat on a couch. 24The woman had a stall-fed calf in the house, which she now quickly slaughtered. Then taking flour, she kneaded it and baked unleavened bread. 25She set the meal before Saul and his servants, and they ate. Then they got up and left the same night.
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