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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1 Samuel 28
28
The Philistines Prepare for War
1Later, the Philistines gathered their armies to fight against Israel. Achish said to David, “Do you understand that you and your men must go with me to fight against Israel?”
2David answered, “Certainly, then you can see for yourself what I can do.”
Achish said, “Fine, I will make you my permanent bodyguard.”
Saul and the Woman at Endor
3After Samuel died, all the Israelites mourned for him and buried him in Ramah, his hometown.
Saul had removed the mediums and fortunetellers from Israel.
4The Philistines prepared for war. They came to Shunem and made their camp at that place. Saul gathered all the Israelites together and made his camp at Gilboa. 5Saul saw the Philistine army, and he was afraid. His heart pounded with fear. 6He prayed to the Lord, but the Lord did not answer him. God did not talk to Saul in dreams. God did not use the Urim to give him an answer, and God did not use prophets to speak to Saul. 7Finally, Saul said to his officers, “Find me a woman who is a medium. Then I can go ask her what will happen.”
His officers answered, “There is a medium at Endor.#28:7 Endor A town around the mountain from Shunem, where the Philistines were camped. Saul had to go around them to get to Endor.”
8That night, Saul put on different clothes so that no one would know who he was. Then Saul and two of his men went to see the woman. Saul said to her, “I want you to bring up a ghost who can tell me what will happen in the future. You must call for the ghost of the person I name.”
9But the woman said to him, “You know that Saul forced all the mediums and fortunetellers to leave the land of Israel. You are trying to trap me and kill me.”
10Saul used the Lord’s name to make a promise to the woman. He said, “As surely as the Lord lives, you won’t be punished for doing this.”
11The woman asked, “Who do you want me to bring up for you?”
Saul answered, “Bring up Samuel.”
12And it happened—the woman saw Samuel and screamed. She said to Saul, “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.#28:13 ground Or “Sheol, the place of death.””
14Saul asked, “What does he look like?”
The woman answered, “He looks like an old man wearing a special robe.”
Then Saul knew it was Samuel, and he bowed down. His face touched the ground. 15Samuel said to Saul, “Why did you bother me? Why did you bring me up?”
Saul answered, “I am in trouble! The Philistines have come to fight me, and God has left me. God won’t answer me anymore. He won’t use prophets or dreams to answer me, so I called you. I want you to tell me what to do.”
16Samuel said, “The Lord left you and is now your enemy, so why are you asking me for advice? 17The Lord used me to tell you what he would do, and now he is doing what he said he would do. He is tearing the kingdom out of your hands and giving it to your neighbor, David. 18The Lord was angry with the Amalekites and told you to destroy them. But you did not obey him. That’s why the Lord is doing this to you today. 19The Lord will let the Philistines defeat you and the army of Israel today. Tomorrow, you and your sons will be here with me.”
20Saul quickly fell to the ground and lay stretched out there. Saul was afraid because of what Samuel said. Saul was also very weak because he had not eaten any food all that day and night.
21The woman came over to Saul and saw how afraid he was. She said, “Look, I am your servant. I have obeyed you. I risked my life and did what you told me to do. 22Please, listen to me. You need to eat. Let me get you some food. Then you will have enough strength to go on your way.”
23But Saul refused. He said, “I won’t eat.”
Saul’s officers joined the woman and begged him to eat. Finally, Saul listened to them. He got up from the ground and sat on the bed. 24The woman had a calf that she had been fattening. She quickly killed the calf. She took some flour and pressed it with her hands. Then she baked some bread without yeast. 25The woman put the food before Saul and his officers and they ate. Then they got up and left during the night.
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