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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Shmuel Alef 28
28
1And it came to pass in those yamim, that the Pelishtim gathered their machanot together for tzava (warfare), to fight with Yisroel. And Akhish said unto Dovid, Know thou assuredly, that thou shalt go out with me to machaneh, thou and thy anashim.
2And Dovid said to Akhish, Surely thou shalt know what thy eved will do. And Akhish said to Dovid, Therefore will I make thee my shomer rosh (head bodyguard) kol hayamim.
3Now Shmuel was dead, and kol Yisroel had mourned him, and buried him in Ramah, even in his own town. And Sha'ul had deported the ovot (mediums, those with familiar spirits), and the yidonim (spiritists) from HaAretz.
4And the Pelishtim gathered themselves together, and came and encamped in Shunem; and Sha'ul gathered kol Yisroel together, and they encamped in Gilboa.
5And when Sha'ul saw the machaneh of the Pelishtim, he was afraid, and his lev greatly trembled.
6And when Sha'ul inquired of Hashem, Hashem answered him not, neither by chalomot (dreams), nor by Urim, nor by nevi'im.
7Then said Sha'ul unto his avadim, Seek me an isha that is a ba'alat ov (medium, a person with a familiar spirit), that I may go to her, and inquire of her. And his avadim said to him, Hinei, there is an eshet ba'alat ov at Ein-Dor.
8And Sha'ul disguised himself, and put on begadim acherim, and he went, and two anashim with him, and they came to the isha by lailah; and he said, divine for me by the ov (familiar spirit), and bring him up for me, whom I shall name unto thee.
9And the isha said unto him, Hinei, thou knowest what Sha'ul hath done, how he hath cut off the ovot (mediums, those with familiar spirits), and the yidoni (spiritist) from HaAretz; why then layest thou a snare for my nefesh, to cause me to die?
10And Sha'ul vowed to her by Hashem, saying, As Hashem liveth, there shall no avon (punishment) happen to thee for this thing.
11Then said the isha, Whom shall I bring up for thee? And he said, Bring up Shmuel for me.
12And when the isha saw Shmuel, she cried with a kol gadol (loud voice); and the isha spoke to Sha'ul, saying, Why hast thou deceived me? For thou art Sha'ul.
13And HaMelech said unto her, Be not afraid: for what sawest thou? And the isha said unto Sha'ul, I see elohim olim (spirits, ones ascending, a spirit ascending) from HaAretz.
14And he said unto her, Of what form is he? And she said, An ish zaken cometh up; and he is wearing a me'il (robe). And Sha'ul had da'as that it was Shmuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground, and prostrated himself.
15And Shmuel said to Sha'ul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up? And Sha'ul answered, I am greatly distressed; for the Pelishtim make war against me, and Elohim has turned away from me, and answereth me no more, neither by nevi'im, nor by chalomot (dreams): therefore I have called on thee, that thou mayest make known unto me what I should do.
16Then said Shmuel, Why then dost thou ask of me, seeing Hashem is turned away from thee, and is become thine adversary?
17And Hashem hath done for Himself just as He spoke by me; for Hashem hath torn the Mamlachah out of thine yad, and given it to thy re'a (neighbor), even to Dovid:
18Because thou obeyedst not the kol (voice) of Hashem, nor executedst His charon af upon Amalek, therefore hath Hashem done this thing unto thee this day.
19Moreover Hashem will also deliver Yisroel with thee into the yad (hand, power) of the Pelishtim; and makhar (tomorrow) shalt thou and thy banim be with me; Hashem also shall deliver the machaneh Yisroel into the yad Pelishtim.
20Then at once Sha'ul fell his full length on the ground, and was greatly afraid, because of the divrei Shmuel; and there was no ko'ach in him; for he had eaten no lechem all the yom, nor all the lailah.
21And the isha came unto Sha'ul, and saw that he was greatly terrified, and said unto him, Hinei, thine shifcha hath obeyed thy voice, and I have put my nefesh in my palm, and have paid heed unto thy devarim which thou spoke unto me.
22Now therefore, shema (pay heed) thou now also unto the voice of thine shifcha, and let me set some lechem before thee; and eat, that thou mayest have ko'ach, when thou goest on thy derech.
23But he refused, and said, I will not eat. But his avadim, together with the isha, urged him; and he paid heed unto their voice. So he arose from ha'aretz, and sat upon the mittah (bed).
24And the isha had a fattened egel in the bais; and she hasted, and slaughtered it, and took kemakh (flour), and kneaded it, and did bake matzot thereof;
25And she brought it before Sha'ul, and before his avadim; and they did eat. Then they rose up, and went away that lailah.
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