1 Samuel 28
1 Nowe at that time the Philistims assembled their bandes and armie to fight with Israel: therfore Achish said to Dauid, Be sure, thou shalt go out with me to the battel, thou, and thy men.
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 And Dauid said to Achish, Surely thou shalt knowe, what thy seruant can doe. And Achish sayde to Dauid, Surely I will make thee keeper of mine head for euer.
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 (Samuel was then dead, and all Israel had lamented him, and buried him in Ramah his owne citie: and Saul had put away the sorcerers, and the soothsayers out of the land)
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 Then the Philistims assembled themselues, and came, and pitched in Shunem: and Saul assembled all Israel, and they pitched in Gilboa.
The Philistines came together and camped at Shunem, while Saul gathered all Israel and camped at Gilboa.
5 And when Saul saw the hoste of the Philistims, he was afraid, and his heart was sore astonied.
When Saul saw the Philistine army, he was afraid and trembled violently.
6 Therefore Saul asked counsel of the Lord, and the Lord answered him not, neither by dreames, nor by Vrim, nor yet by Prophets.
He inquired of the LORD, but the LORD did not answer him by dreams or Urim or prophets.
7 Then saide Saul vnto his seruants, Seeke me a woman that hath a familiar spirite, that I may goe to her, and aske of her. And his seruants said to him, Beholde, there is a woman at En-dor that hath a familiar spirit.
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 Then Saul changed him selfe, and put on other raiment, and he went, and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night: and he saide, I pray thee, coniecture vnto me by the familiar spirite, and bring me him vp whome I shall name vnto thee.
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 And the woman saide vnto him, Beholde, thou knowest what Saul hath done, how he hath destroyed the sorcerers, and the southsayers out of the land: wherefore then seekest thou to take me in a snare to cause me to die?
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 And Saul sware to her by the Lord, saying, As the Lord liueth, no harme shall come to thee for this thing.
Then Saul swore to her by the LORD: “As surely as the LORD lives, no punishment shall come upon you for this.”
11 Then said the woman, Whom shall I bring vp vnto thee? And he answered, Bring me vp Samuel.
“Whom shall I bring up for you?” the woman asked. “Bring up Samuel,” he replied.
12 And when the woman sawe Samuel, she cryed with a loude voyce, and the woman spake to Saul, saying, Why hast thou deceiued me? for thou art Saul.
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 And the King said vnto her, Be not afraid: for what sawest thou? And the woman said vnto Saul, I saw gods ascending vp out of the earth.
“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 Then he said vnto her, What facion is hee of? And she answered, An olde man commeth vp lapped in a mantel: and Saul knewe that it was Samuel, and he enclined his face to the grounde, and bowed him selfe.
“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 And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me vp? Then Saul answered, I am in great distresse: for the Philistims make warre against me, and God is departed from me, and answereth me no more, neither by Prophetes, neither by dreames: therefore I haue called thee, that thou mayest tell me, what I shall doe.
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 Then said Samuel, Wherefore then doest thou aske of me, seeing the Lord is gone from thee, and is thine enemie?
“Why do you consult me,” asked Samuel, “since the LORD has turned away from you and become your enemy?
17 Euen the Lord hath done to him, as hee spake by mine hande: for the Lord will rent the kingdome out of thine hande, and giue it thy neighbour Dauid.
He has done exactly what He spoke through me: The LORD has torn the kingship out of your hand and given it to your neighbor David.
18 Because thou obeyedst not the voyce of the Lord, nor executedst his fierce wrath vpon the Amalekites, therefore hath the Lord done this vnto thee this day.
Because you did not obey the LORD or carry out His burning anger against Amalek, the LORD has done this to you today.
19 Moreouer the Lord wil deliuer Israel with thee into the handes of the Philistims: and to morowe shalt thou and thy sonnes be with me, and the Lord shall giue the hoste of Israel into the handes of the Philistims.
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 Then Saul fell streight way all along on the earth, and was sore afraide because of the wordes of Samuel, so that there was no strength in him: for he had eaten no bread all the day nor all the night.
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 Then the woman came vnto Saul, and sawe that he was sore troubled, and said vnto him, See, thine handmaide hath obeyed thy voyce, and I haue put my soule in mine hande, and haue obeyed thy wordes which thou saydest vnto me.
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 therefore, I pray thee, hearke thou also vnto ye voyce of thine handmaid, and let me set a morsell of bread before thee, that thou mayest eat and get thee strength, and go on thy iourney.
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 But he refused, and said, I will not eate: but his seruants and the woman together compelled him, and he obeyed their voyce: so he arose from the earth, and sate on the bed.
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 Nowe the woman had a fat calfe in the house, and she hasted, and killed it, and tooke floure and kneaded it, and baked of it vnleauened bread.
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 Then she brought them before Saul, and before his seruants: and when they had eaten, they stoode, and went away the same night.
She served it to Saul and his servants, and they ate. And that night they got up and left.
