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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1 Samuel 28
28
Saul and the Witch of Endor
1Later, the Philistines gathered their armies to fight against Israel. Achish said to David, “You understand that you and your men must join my army.”
2David answered, “You will see for yourself what I, your servant, can do!”
Achish said, “Fine, I’ll make you my permanent bodyguard.”
3Now Samuel was dead, and all the Israelites had shown their sadness for him. They had buried Samuel in his hometown of Ramah.
And Saul had forced out the mediums and fortune-tellers from the land.
4The Philistines came together and made camp at Shunem. Saul gathered all the Israelites and made camp at Gilboa. 5When he saw the Philistine army, he was afraid, and his heart pounded with fear. 6He prayed to the Lord, but the Lord did not answer him through dreams, Urim, or prophets. 7Then Saul said to his servants, “Find me a woman who is a medium so I may go and ask her what will happen.”
His servants answered, “There is a medium in Endor.”
8Then Saul put on other clothes to disguise himself, and at night he and two of his men went to see the woman. Saul said to her, “Talk to a spirit for me. Bring up the person I name.”
9But the woman said to him, “Surely you know what Saul has done. He has forced the mediums and fortune-tellers from the land. You are trying to trap me and get me killed.”
10Saul made a promise to the woman in the name of the Lord. He said, “As surely as the Lord lives, you won’t be punished for this.”
11The woman asked, “Whom do you want me to bring up?”
He answered, “Bring up Samuel.”
12When the woman saw Samuel, she screamed. She said, “Why have 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.”
14Saul asked, “What does he look like?”
The woman answered, “An old man wearing a coat is coming up.”
Then Saul knew it was Samuel, and he bowed facedown on the ground.
15Samuel asked Saul, “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?”
Saul said, “I am greatly troubled. The Philistines are fighting against me, and God has left me. He won’t answer me anymore, either by prophets or in dreams. That’s why I called for you. Tell me what to do.”
16Samuel said, “The Lord has left you and has become your enemy. So why do you call on me? 17He has done what he said he would do—the things he said through me. He has torn the kingdom out of your hands and given it to one of your neighbors, David. 18You did not obey the Lord; you did not show the Amalekites how angry he was with them. That’s why he has done this to you today. 19The Lord will hand over both Israel and you to the Philistines. Tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. The Lord will hand over the army of Israel to the Philistines.”
20Saul quickly fell flat on the ground and was afraid of what Samuel had said. He was also very weak because he had eaten nothing all that day and night.
21Then the woman came to Saul and saw that he was really frightened. She said, “Look, I, your servant, have obeyed you. I have risked my life and done what you told me to do. 22Now please listen to me. Let me give you some food so you may eat and have enough strength to go on your way.”
23But Saul refused, saying, “I won’t eat.”
His servants joined the woman in asking him to eat, and he listened to them. So he got up from the ground and sat on the bed.
24At the house the woman had a fat calf, which she quickly killed. She took some flour and mixed dough with her hands. Then she baked some bread without yeast. 25She put the food before them, and they ate. That same night they got up and left.
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