1 Samuel 28
1 And it comes to pass in those days, that the Philistines gather their camps for the war, to fight against Israel, and Achish says to David, “You certainly know that you go out with me into the camp, you and your men.”
And it came to pass in those days, that the Philistines gathered together their armies to be prepared for war against Israel: and Achis said to David: Know thou now assuredly, that thou shalt go out with me to the war, thou, and thy men.
2 And David says to Achish, “Therefore you know that which your servant does.” And Achish says to David, “Therefore I appoint you keeper of my head [for] all the days.”
And David said to Achis: Now thou shalt know what thy servant will do. And Achis said to David: And I will appoint thee to guard my life for ever.
3 And Samuel has died, and all Israel mourns for him, and buries him in Ramah, even in his city, and Saul has turned aside those having familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land.
Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel mourned for him, and buried him in Ramatha his city. And Saul had put away all the magicians and soothsayers out of the land.
4 And the Philistines are gathered, and come in, and encamp in Shunem, and Saul gathers all Israel, and they encamp in Gilboa,
And the Philistines were gathered together, and came and camped in Sunam: and Saul also gathered together all Israel, and came to Gelboe.
5 and Saul sees the camp of the Philistines, and fears, and his heart trembles greatly,
And Saul saw the army of the Plilistines, and was afraid, and his heart was very much dismayed.
6 and Saul inquires of YHWH, and YHWH has not answered him, either by the dreams, or by the Lights, or by the prophets.
And he consulted the Lord, and he answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by priests, nor by prophets.
7 And Saul says to his servants, “Seek a woman for me possessing a familiar spirit, and I go to her, and inquire of her”; and his servants say to him, “Behold, a woman possessing a familiar spirit [is] in En-dor.”
And Saul said to his servants: Seek me a woman that hath a divining spirit, and I will go to her, and inquire by her. And his servants said to him: There is a woman that hath a divining spirit at Endor.
8 And Saul disguises himself and puts on other garments, and goes, he and two of the men with him, and they come to the woman by night, and he says, “Please divine to me by the familiar spirit, and cause him whom I say to you to come up to me.”
Then he disguised himself: and put on other clothes, and he went, and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night, and he said to her: Divine to me by thy divining spirit, and bring me up him whom I shall tell thee.
9 And the woman says to him, “Behold, you have known that which Saul has done, that he has cut off those having familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land; and why are you laying a snare for my soul—to put me to death?”
And the woman said to him: Behold thou knowest all that Saul hath done, and how he hath rooted out the magicians and soothsayers from the land: why then dost thou lay a snare for my life, to cause me to be put to death?
10 And Saul swears to her by YHWH, saying, “YHWH lives, punishment does not meet you for this thing.”
And Saul swore unto her by the Lord, saying: As the Lord liveth there shall no evil happen to thee for this thing.
11 And the woman says, “Whom do I bring up to you?” And he says, “Bring up Samuel to me.”
And the woman said to him: Whom shall I bring up to thee? And he said, Bring me up Samuel.
12 And the woman sees Samuel, and cries with a loud voice, and the woman speaks to Saul, saying, “Why have you deceived me? For you [are] Saul!”
And when the woman saw Samuel, she cried out with a loud voice, and said to Saul: Why hast thou deceived me? for thou art Saul.
13 And the king says to her, “Do not fear; for what have you seen?” And the woman says to Saul, “I have seen gods coming up out of the earth.”
And the king said to her: Fear not: what hast thou seen? And the woman said to Saul: I saw gods ascending out of the earth.
14 And he says to her, “What [is] his form?” And she says, “An aged man is coming up, and he [is] covered with an upper robe”; and Saul knows that he [is] Samuel, and bows—face to her earth—and pays respect.
And he said to her: What form is he of? And she said: An old man cometh up, and he is covered with a mantle. And Saul understood that it was Samuel, and he bowed himself with his face to the ground, and adored.
15 And Samuel says to Saul, “Why have you troubled me, to bring me up?” And Saul says, “I have great distress, and the Philistines are fighting against me, God has turned aside from me, and has not answered me anymore, either by the hand of the prophets, or by dreams; and I call for you to let me know what I [should] do.”
And Samuel said to Saul: Why hast thou disturbed my rest, that I should be brought up? And Saul said, I am in great distress: for the Philistines fight against me, and God is departed from me, and would not hear me, neither by the hand of prophets, nor by dreams: therefore I have called thee, that thou mayest shew me what I shall do.
16 And Samuel says, “And why do you ask me, and YHWH has turned aside from you, and is your enemy?
And Samuel said: Why askest thou me, seeing the Lord has departed from thee, and is gone over to thy rival:
17 And YHWH does for Himself as He has spoken by my hand, and YHWH tears the kingdom out of your hand, and gives it to your neighbor—to David.
For the Lord will do to thee as he spoke by me, and he will rend thy kingdom out of thy hand, and will give it to thy neighbour David:
18 Because you have not listened to the voice of YHWH, nor did the fierceness of His anger on Amalek—therefore YHWH has done this thing to you this day;
Because thou didst not obey the voice of the Lord, neither didst thou execute the wrath of his indignation upon Amalec. Therefore hath the Lord done to thee what thou sufferest this day.
19 indeed, YHWH also gives Israel into the hand of the Philistines with you, and tomorrow you and your sons [are] with me; YHWH also gives the camp of Israel into the hand of the Philistines.”
And the Lord also will deliver Israel with thee into the hands of the Philistines: and tomorrow thou and thy sons shall be with me: and the Lord will also deliver the army of Israel into the hands of the Philistines.
20 And Saul hurries and falls—the fullness of his stature—to the earth, and fears greatly because of the words of Samuel; also power was not in him, for he had not eaten bread all the day, and all the night.
And forthwith Saul fell all along on the ground, for he was frightened with the words of Samuel, and there was no strength in him, for he had eaten no bread all that day.
21 And the woman comes to Saul, and sees that he has been greatly troubled, and says to him, “Behold, your maidservant has listened to your voice, and I put my soul in my hand, and I obey your words which you have spoken to me;
And the woman came to Saul (for he was very much troubled) and said to him: Behold thy handmaid hath obeyed thy voice, and I have put my life in my hand: and I hearkened unto the words which thou spokest to me.
22 and now, please listen, you also, to the voice of your maidservant, and I set a morsel of bread before you; and eat, and there is power in you when you go in the way.”
Now therefore hear thou also the voice of thy handmaid, and let me set before thee a morsel of bread, that thou mayest eat and recover strength, and be able to go on thy journey.
23 And he refuses and says, “I do not eat”; and his servants urge him on, and also the woman, and he listens to their voice, and rises from the earth, and sits on the bed.
But he refused, and said: I will not eat. But his servants and the woman forced him, and at length hearkening to their voice, he arose from the ground and sat upon the bed.
24 And the woman has a calf of the stall in the house, and she hurries and slaughters it, and takes flour, and kneads, and bakes it [into] unleavened things,
Now the woman had a fatted calf in the house, and she made haste and killed it: and taking meal kneaded it, and baked some unleavened bread,
25 and brings [them] near before Saul, and before his servants, and they eat, and rise, and go on during that night.
And set it before Saul, and before his servants. And when they had eaten they rose up, and walked all that night.
