1 Samuel 28
28
Saul and the Medium of En-dor
1In those days #[ch. 29:1]the Philistines gathered their forces for war, to fight against Israel. And Achish said to David, “Understand that you and your men are to go out with me in the army.” 2David said to Achish, “Very well, you shall know what your servant can do.” And Achish said to David, “Very well, I will make you my bodyguard for life.”
3Now #ch. 25:1 Samuel had died, and all Israel had mourned for him and buried him #ch. 1:19 in Ramah, his own city. And Saul had put #[Ex. 22:18; Lev. 19:31; 20:27; Deut. 18:10, 11]the mediums and the necromancers out of the land. 4The Philistines assembled and came and encamped #Josh. 19:18 at Shunem. And Saul gathered all Israel, and they encamped #ch. 31:1at Gilboa. 5When Saul saw the army of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart trembled greatly. 6And when Saul inquired of the Lord, #ver. 15; ch. 14:37 the Lord did not answer him, either #Num. 12:6 by dreams, or #[Ex. 28:30; Num. 27:21; Deut. 33:8]by Urim, or by prophets. 7Then Saul said to his servants, #[1 Chr. 10:13] “Seek out for me a woman who is a medium, that I may go to her and inquire of her.” And his servants said to him, “Behold, there is a medium at #Josh. 17:11; Ps. 83:10En-dor.”
8So Saul #1 Kgs. 20:38; 22:30; 2 Chr. 18:29; 35:22 disguised himself and put on other garments and went, he and two men with him. And they came to the woman by night. And he said, #[Deut. 18:10]“Divine for me by a spirit and bring up for me whomever I shall name to you.” 9The woman said to him, “Surely you know what Saul has done, #[See ver. 3 above]how he has cut off the mediums and the necromancers from the land. Why then are you laying a trap for my life to bring about my death?” 10But Saul swore to her by the Lord, #See Ruth 3:13“As the Lord lives, no punishment shall come upon you for this thing.” 11Then the woman said, “Whom shall I bring up for you?” He said, “Bring up Samuel for me.” 12When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out with a loud voice. And the woman said to Saul, “Why have you deceived me? You are Saul.” 13The king said to her, “Do not be afraid. What do you see?” And the woman said to Saul, “I see a god coming up out of the earth.” 14He said to her, “What is his appearance?” And she said, “An old man is coming up, and he is wrapped #ch. 15:27in a robe.” And Saul knew that it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground and paid homage.
15Then Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?” Saul answered, “I am in great distress, for the Philistines are warring against me, and #ch. 16:14; 18:12 God has turned away from me and #ver. 6answers me no more, either by prophets or by dreams. Therefore I have summoned you to tell me what I shall do.” 16And Samuel said, “Why then do you ask me, since the Lord has turned from you and become your enemy? 17The Lord has done to you as he spoke by me, for #ch. 15:28the Lord has torn the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbor, David. 18#ch. 15:9Because you did not obey the voice of the Lord and did not carry out his fierce wrath against Amalek, therefore the Lord has done this thing to you this day. 19Moreover, the Lord will give Israel also with you into the hand of the Philistines, and tomorrow you #ch. 31:2and your sons shall be with me. The Lord will give the army of Israel also into the hand of the Philistines.”
20Then Saul fell at once full length on the ground, filled with fear because of the words of Samuel. And there was no strength in him, for he had eaten nothing all day and all night. 21And the woman came to Saul, and when she saw that he was terrified, she said to him, “Behold, your servant has obeyed you. #See Judg. 12:3I have taken my life in my hand and have listened to what you have said to me. 22Now therefore, you also obey your servant. Let me set a morsel of bread before you; and eat, that you may have strength when you go on your way.” 23He refused and said, “I will not eat.” But his servants, together with the woman, urged him, and he listened to their words. So he arose from the earth and sat on the bed. 24Now the woman had a fattened calf in the house, and she quickly killed it, and she took flour and kneaded it and baked unleavened bread of it, 25and she put it before Saul and his servants, and they ate. Then they rose and went away that night.
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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
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I Samuel 28
28
1Now #Judg. 1:16it happened in those days that the Philistines gathered their armies together for war, to fight with Israel. And Achish said to David, “You assuredly know that you will go out with me to battle, you and your men.”
2So David said to Achish, “Surely you know what your servant can do.”
And Achish said to David, “Therefore I will make you one of my chief guardians forever.”
Saul Consults a Medium
3Now #1 Sam. 29:1, 2Samuel had died, and all Israel had lamented for him and buried him in #1 Sam. 25:1Ramah, in his own city. And Saul had put #1 Sam. 1:19the mediums and the spiritists out of the land.
4Then the Philistines gathered together, and came and encamped at #Ex. 22:18; Lev. 19:31; 20:27; Deut. 18:10, 11; 1 Sam. 15:23; 28:9Shunem. So Saul gathered all Israel together, and they encamped at #Josh. 19:18; 1 Sam. 28:4; 1 Kin. 1:3; 2 Kin. 4:8Gilboa. 5When Saul saw the army of the Philistines, he was #1 Sam. 31:1afraid, and his heart trembled greatly. 6And when Saul inquired of the Lord, #Job 18:11; (Is. 57:20)the Lord did not answer him, either by #1 Sam. 14:37; Prov. 1:28; Lam. 2:9dreams or #Num. 12:6; Joel 2:28by Urim or by the prophets.
7Then Saul said to his servants, “Find me a woman who is a medium, #Ex. 28:30; Num. 27:21; Deut. 33:8that I may go to her and inquire of her.”
And his servants said to him, “In fact, there is a woman who is a medium at En Dor.”
8So Saul disguised himself and put on other clothes, and he went, and two men with him; and they came to the woman by night. And #1 Chr. 10:13he said, “Please conduct a séance for me, and bring up for me the one I shall name to you.”
9Then the woman said to him, “Look, you know what Saul has done, how he has #Deut. 18:10, 11; 1 Chr. 10:13; Is. 8:19cut off the mediums and the spiritists from the land. Why then do you lay a snare for my life, to cause me to die?”
10And Saul swore to her by the Lord, saying, “As the Lord lives, no punishment shall come upon you for this thing.”
11Then the woman said, “Whom shall I bring up for you?”
And he said, “Bring up Samuel for me.”
12When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out with a loud voice. And the woman spoke to Saul, saying, “Why have you deceived me? For you are Saul!”
13And the king said to her, “Do not be afraid. What did you see?”
And the woman said to Saul, “I saw #1 Sam. 28:3a spirit ascending out of the earth.”
14So he said to her, “What is his form?”
And she said, “An old man is coming up, and he is covered with #Ex. 22:28; Ps. 138:1a mantle.” And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he stooped with his face to the ground and bowed down.
15Now Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you #1 Sam. 15:27; 2 Kin. 2:8, 13disturbed me by bringing me up?”
And Saul answered, “I am deeply distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and #Is. 14:9God has departed from me and #1 Sam. 16:14; 18:12does not answer me anymore, neither by prophets nor by dreams. Therefore I have called you, that you may reveal to me what I should do.”
16Then Samuel said: “So why do you ask me, seeing the Lord has departed from you and has become your enemy? 17And the Lord has done for Himself #1 Sam. 28:6as He spoke by me. For the Lord has torn the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbor, David. 18#1 Sam. 15:28Because you did not obey the voice of the Lord nor execute His fierce wrath upon #1 Sam. 13:9–13; 15:1–26; 1 Kin. 20:42; 1 Chr. 10:13; Jer. 48:10Amalek, therefore the Lord has done this thing to you this day. 19Moreover the Lord will also deliver Israel with you into the hand of the Philistines. And tomorrow you and your sons will be with #1 Sam. 15:3–9me. The Lord will also deliver the army of Israel into the hand of the Philistines.”
20Immediately Saul fell full length on the ground, and was dreadfully afraid because of the words of Samuel. And there was no strength in him, for he had eaten no food all day or all night.
21And the woman came to Saul and saw that he was severely troubled, and said to him, “Look, your maidservant has obeyed your voice, and I have #1 Sam. 31:1–6; Job 3:17–19put my life in my hands and heeded the words which you spoke to me. 22Now therefore, please, heed also the voice of your maidservant, and let me set a piece of bread before you; and eat, that you may have strength when you go on your way.”
23But he refused and said, “I will not eat.”
So his servants, together with the woman, urged him; and he heeded their voice. Then he arose from the ground and sat on the bed. 24Now the woman had a fatted calf in the house, and she hastened to kill it. And she took flour and kneaded it, and baked unleavened bread from it. 25So she brought it before Saul and his servants, and they ate. Then they rose and went away that night.
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The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.