1 Samuel 28
28
1At that time, the Philistines gathered their troops for war to fight against Israel. Achish said to David, “Count on you and your soldiers marching out with me in the army.”
2“Excellent,” David answered Achish. “Now you’ll see for yourself what your servant can do.”
“Excellent,” Achish replied. “I will make you my permanent bodyguard.”
Saul and the woman of En-dor
3Now Samuel had died, and all Israel mourned him and buried him in Ramah, his hometown. And Saul had banned all mediums and diviners from the land.
4The Philistines gathered their forces and advanced to camp at Shunem. Saul gathered all Israel, and they camped at Gilboa. 5When Saul saw the Philistine army, he was so afraid that his heart beat wildly. 6When Saul questioned the LORD, the LORD didn’t answer him—not by dreams, not by the Urim, and not by the prophets. 7So Saul said to his servants, “Find me a woman who communicates with ghosts! I’ll then go to her and ask by using her techniques.”#28.7 Or through her or by her
“There is such a medium in En-dor,” his servants replied.
8So Saul disguised himself, dressing in different clothes. Then he and two men set out, going to the woman at nighttime.
“Please call up a ghost for me! Bring me the one I specify,” Saul said.
9“Listen,” the woman said to him, “you know what Saul has done, how he has banned all mediums and diviners from the land. What are you doing? Trying to get me killed?”
10But Saul promised to her by the LORD, “As surely as the LORD lives, you won’t get into trouble for this.”
11So the woman said, “Who do you want me to bring up for you?”
“Bring up Samuel,” he said.
12When the woman saw Samuel, she screamed at Saul, “Why have you tricked 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 god#28.13 Or I see gods or I see divine figures coming up from the ground.”
14“What does he look like?” Saul asked her.
“An old man is coming up,” she said. “He’s wrapped in a robe.” Then Saul knew that it was Samuel, and he bowed low out of respect, nose to the ground.
15“Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?” Samuel asked Saul.
“I’m in deep trouble!” Saul replied. “The Philistines are at war with me, and God has turned away from me and no longer answers me by prophets or by dreams. So I have called on you to tell me what I should do.”
16“Why do you ask me,” Samuel said, “since the LORD has turned away from you and has become your enemy?#28.16 LXX is with your neighbor; cf 15:28; 28:17 17The LORD has done to you#28.17 LXX; MT The LORD himself has done just what exactly what he spoke through me: The LORD has ripped the kingdom out of your hands and has given it to your friend David. 18The LORD has done this very thing to you today because you didn’t listen to the LORD’s voice and didn’t carry out his fierce anger against the Amalekites. 19The LORD will now hand over both you and Israel to the Philistines. And come tomorrow, you and your sons will be with me!#28.19 LXX you and your sons will fall in battle. The LORD will hand Israel’s army over to the Philistines.”
20Saul immediately fell full length on the ground, utterly terrified at what Samuel had said. He was weak because he hadn’t eaten anything all day or night. 21The woman approached Saul, and after seeing how scared he was, she said, “Listen, your servant has obeyed you. I risked my life and did what you told me to do. 22Now it’s your turn to listen to me, your servant. Let me give you a bit of food. Eat it, then you’ll have the strength to go on your way.”
23But Saul refused. “I can’t eat!” he said. But his servants and the woman urged him to do so, and so he did. He got up off the ground and sat on a couch. 24The woman had a fattened calf in the house, and she quickly butchered it.#28.24 Or sacrificed it She took flour, kneaded it, and baked unleavened bread. 25She served this to Saul and his servants, and they ate. They got up and left that very night.
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2011 Common English Bible. All rights reserved.
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.