1 Samuel 28

1 Now in those days the Philistines gathered their forces for warfare against Israel. So Achish said to David, “You must understand that you and your men are to go out to battle with me.”

2 David replied, “Then you will come to know what your servant can do.” “Very well,” said Achish. “I will make you my bodyguard for life.”

3 Now by this time Samuel had died, and all Israel had mourned for him and buried him in Ramah, his own city. And Saul had removed the mediums and spiritists from the land.

4 The Philistines gathered together and camped at Shunem, while Saul gathered all Israel and camped at Gilboa.

5 When Saul saw the Philistine army, he was afraid and trembled violently.

6 He inquired of the LORD, but the LORD did not answer him by dreams or Urim or prophets.

7 Then Saul said to his servants, “Find me a woman who is a medium, so I can go and consult her.” “There is a medium at Endor,” his servants replied.

8 So Saul disguised himself by putting on different clothes, and he set out with two of his men. They came to the woman at night, and Saul said, “Consult a spirit for me. Bring up for me the one I name.”

9 But the woman replied, “Surely you know what Saul has done, how he has killed the mediums and spiritists in the land. Why have you set a trap to get me killed?”

10 Then Saul swore to her by the LORD: “As surely as the LORD lives, no punishment shall come upon you for this.”

11 “Whom shall I bring up for you?” the woman asked. “Bring up Samuel,” he replied.

12 But when the woman saw Samuel, she cried out in a loud voice and said to Saul, “Why have you deceived me? You are Saul!”

13 “Do not be afraid,” the king replied. “What do you see?” “I see a god coming up out of the earth,” the woman answered.

14 “What does he look like?” asked Saul. “An old man is coming up,” she replied. “And he is wearing a robe.” So Saul knew that it was Samuel, and he bowed facedown in reverence.

15 Then Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?” “I am deeply distressed,” replied Saul. “The Philistines are fighting against me, and God has turned away from me. He no longer answers me, either by prophets or by dreams. So I have called on you to tell me what to do.”

16 “Why do you consult me,” asked Samuel, “since the LORD has turned away from you and become your enemy?

17 He has done exactly what He spoke through me: The LORD has torn the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbor David.

18 Because you did not obey the LORD or carry out His burning anger against Amalek, the LORD has done this to you today.

19 Moreover, the LORD will deliver Israel with you into the hand of the Philistines, and tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. And the LORD will deliver the army of Israel into the hand of the Philistines.”

20 Immediately Saul fell flat on the ground, terrified by the words of Samuel. And his strength was gone, because he had not eaten anything all that day and night.

21 When the woman came to Saul and saw how distraught he was, she said to him, “Look, your maidservant has obeyed your voice. I took my life in my hands and did as you told me.

22 Now please listen to your servant and let me set a morsel of bread before you so you may eat and have the strength to go on your way.”

23 Saul refused, saying, “I will not eat.” But his servants joined the woman in urging him, and he heeded their voice. He got up from the ground and sat on the bed.

24 The woman had a fattened calf at her house, and she quickly slaughtered it. She also took flour, kneaded it, and baked unleavened bread.

25 She served it to Saul and his servants, and they ate. And that night they got up and left.

1 ¶ And it came to pass in those days, that the Philistines gathered their armies together for warfare, to fight with Israel. And Achish said unto David, Know thou assuredly, that thou shalt go out with me to battle, thou and thy men.

2 And David said to Achish, Surely thou shalt know what thy servant can do. And Achish said to David, Therefore will I make thee keeper of mine head for ever.

3 Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him, and buried him in Ramah, even in his own city. And Saul had put away those that had familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land.

4 And the Philistines gathered themselves together, and came and pitched in Shunem: and Saul gathered all Israel together, and they pitched in Gilboa.

5 And when Saul saw the host of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart greatly trembled.

6 And when Saul enquired of the LORD, the LORD answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets.

7 ¶ Then said Saul unto his servants, Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and enquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, [there is] a woman that hath a familiar spirit at Endor.

8 And Saul disguised himself, and put on other raiment, and he went, and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night: and he said, I pray thee, divine unto me by the familiar spirit, and bring me [him] up, whom I shall name unto thee.

9 And the woman said unto him, Behold, thou knowest what Saul hath done, how he hath cut off those that have familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land: wherefore then layest thou a snare for my life, to cause me to die?

10 And Saul sware to her by the LORD, saying, [As] the LORD liveth, there shall no punishment happen to thee for this thing.

11 Then said the woman, Whom shall I bring up unto thee? And he said, Bring me up Samuel.

12 And when the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice: and the woman spake to Saul, saying, Why hast thou deceived me? for thou [art] Saul.

13 And the king said unto her, Be not afraid: for what sawest thou? And the woman said unto Saul, I saw gods ascending out of the earth.

14 And he said unto her, What form [is] he of? And she said, An old man cometh up; and he [is] covered with a mantle. And Saul perceived that it [was] Samuel, and he stooped with [his] face to the ground, and bowed himself.

15 ¶ And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up? And Saul answered, I am sore distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God is departed from me, and answereth me no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams: therefore I have called thee, that thou mayest make known unto me what I shall do.

16 Then said Samuel, Wherefore then dost thou ask of me, seeing the LORD is departed from thee, and is become thine enemy?

17 And the LORD hath done to him, as he spake by me: for the LORD hath rent the kingdom out of thine hand, and given it to thy neighbour, [even] to David:

18 Because thou obeyedst not the voice of the LORD, nor executedst his fierce wrath upon Amalek, therefore hath the LORD done this thing unto thee this day.

19 Moreover the LORD will also deliver Israel with thee into the hand of the Philistines: and to morrow [shalt] thou and thy sons [be] with me: the LORD also shall deliver the host of Israel into the hand of the Philistines.

20 ¶ Then Saul fell straightway all along on the earth, and was sore afraid, because of the words of Samuel: and there was no strength in him; for he had eaten no bread all the day, nor all the night.

21 And the woman came unto Saul, and saw that he was sore troubled, and said unto him, Behold, thine handmaid hath obeyed thy voice, and I have put my life in my hand, and have hearkened unto thy words which thou spakest unto me.

22 Now therefore, I pray thee, hearken thou also unto the voice of thine handmaid, and let me set a morsel of bread before thee; and eat, that thou mayest have strength, when thou goest on thy way.

23 But he refused, and said, I will not eat. But his servants, together with the woman, compelled him; and he hearkened unto their voice. So he arose from the earth, and sat upon the bed.

24 And the woman had a fat calf in the house; and she hasted, and killed it, and took flour, and kneaded [it], and did bake unleavened bread thereof:

25 And she brought [it] before Saul, and before his servants; and they did eat. Then they rose up, and went away that night.

1 And it came to pass in those days, that the Philistines gathered their host together to battle against Israel. And Achish said unto David, Thou shalt know that thou and thy men shall go forth with me into the army.

2 And David said unto Achish, Well, thou shalt know what thy servant shall do. And Achish said unto David, Therefore will I make thee keeper of my head all the days of my life.

3 And Samuel died, and all Israel mourned for him, and buried him in Ramah his city. So Saul had driven out of the land the soothsayers and the diviners.

4 And it came to pass, when the Philistines were gathered together, and were come and encamped at Sunem, that Saul gathered all Israel together, and encamped at Gilboa.

5 And when Saul saw the host of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart was sore troubled.

6 And he consulted the LORD: but the LORD answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by light, nor by prophets.

7 And Saul said unto his servants: Seek me out a woman that hath a spirit of divination, that I may go unto her, and ask her. And his servants said unto him, Behold, there is a woman at Endor that hath a spirit of divination:

8 And Saul changed his garments, and put on other garments, and went, and two others with him, and came by night unto the woman, and said, Prophesy unto me by the spirit of the diviner, and bring up unto me that I tell thee.

9 And the woman said unto him, Behold, thou knowest well what Saul hath done, how he hath cut off the soothsayers and the diviners from the land: why then wilt thou bring my soul into the net, that I may be killed?

10 And Saul sware unto her by the LORD, saying, As the LORD liveth, let not this thing come to thee into iniquity.

11 And the woman said, Whom shall I bring up unto thee? And he said, Bring up Samuel unto me.

12 And when the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice, and said unto Saul, Why hast thou deceived me? Thou art Saul.

13 And the king said unto her, Fear not; what seest thou? And the woman said unto Saul, I see gods coming up out of the earth.

14 And he said, What manner of man is he? And she said, There cometh up an old man, clothed in a robe of silk. And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and bowed himself with his face to the ground, and worshipped.

15 And Samuel said unto Saul, Why hast thou troubled me, to bring me up? And Saul said: I am greatly distressed, the Philistines fight against me, and God is departed from me, and answereth me not, neither by prophets, nor by dreams: therefore have I sent for thee, that thou mightest tell me what I should do.

16 And Samuel said, What wilt thou ask me, because the LORD is departed from thee, and is become thine enemy?

17 The LORD will do unto thee as he hath spoken by me, and will snatch the kingdom out of thine hand, and will give it to David thy neighbour;

18 Because thou hast not hearkened unto the voice of the LORD, nor executed the fury of his wrath against thee, therefore hath the LORD done this thing unto thee.

19 And the LORD shall deliver Israel with thee into the hand of the Philistines. Tomorrow thou and thy sons shall be with me. The LORD also shall deliver the host of Israel into the hand of the Philistines.

20 And Saul fell to the ground as long as he was, and was sore afraid at the words of Samuel, because there was no strength in him: for he had eaten nothing all that day nor all that night.

21 And the woman went in unto Saul, and saw that he was sore afraid, and said unto him, Behold, thy handmaid hath hearkened unto thy voice, and I have put my soul in mine hand, to hearken unto thy words which thou hast spoken unto me.

22 Now therefore thou also shalt obey thy handmaid's voice. I will set before thee a morsel of bread, that thou mayest eat, and recover thy strength, and go thy way.

23 But he refused, and said: I will not eat. And his servants and the woman constrained him, that he should obey their voice. And he arose from the earth, and sat up in bed.

24 And the woman had a fatted calf at home; and she made haste, and slew it, and took flour, and kneaded it, and baked it unleavened.

25 And he brought it before Saul, and before his servants. And when they had eaten, they arose, and passed the night.