< 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 their armies together for warfare, to fight with Israel. And Achish said to David, Know you assuredly, that you shall go out with me to battle, you and your 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 Achish, Surely you shall know what your servant can do. And Achish said to David, Therefore will I make you keeper of my head 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 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 are gathered, and come in, and encamp in Shunem, and Saul gathers all Israel, and they encamp in Gilboa,
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 Saul sees the camp of the Philistines, and fears, and his heart trembles greatly,
And when Saul saw the host of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart greatly trembled.
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 when Saul inquired of the LORD, the LORD answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, 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.”
Then said Saul to his servants, Seek me a woman that has a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and inquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman that has a familiar 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.”
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 you, divine to me by the familiar spirit, and bring me him up, whom I shall name to you.
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, you know what Saul has done, how he has cut off those that have familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land: why then lay you a snare for my life, to cause me to die?
10 And Saul swears to her by YHWH, saying, “YHWH lives, punishment does not meet you for this thing.”
And Saul swore to her by the LORD, saying, As the LORD lives, there shall no punishment happen to you for this thing.
11 And the woman says, “Whom do I bring up to you?” And he says, “Bring up Samuel to me.”
Then said the woman, Whom shall I bring up to you? 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 with a loud voice: and the woman spoke to Saul, saying, Why have you deceived me? for you are 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, Be not afraid: for what saw you? 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 comes 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 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 have you 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 answers me no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams: therefore I have called you, that you may make known to 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?
Then said Samuel, Why then do you ask of me, seeing the LORD is departed from you, and is become your enemy?
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.
And the LORD has done to him, as he spoke by me: for the LORD has rent the kingdom out of your hand, and given it to your neighbor, even to 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 you obeyed not the voice of the LORD, nor executed his fierce wrath on Amalek, therefore has the LORD done this thing to you 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.”
Moreover the LORD will also deliver Israel with you into the hand of the Philistines: and to morrow shall you and your sons be with me: the LORD also shall deliver the host of Israel into the hand 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.
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 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, and saw that he was sore troubled, and said to him, Behold, your handmaid has obeyed your voice, and I have put my life in my hand, and have listened to your words which you spoke 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, I pray you, listen you also to the voice of your handmaid, and let me set a morsel of bread before you; and eat, that you may have strength, when you go on your way.
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, together with the woman, compelled him; and he listened to their voice. So he arose from the earth, and sat on 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,
And the woman had a fat calf in the house; and she hurried, and killed it, and took flour, and kneaded it, and did bake unleavened bread thereof:
25 and brings [them] near before Saul, and before his servants, and they eat, and rise, and go on during that night.
And she brought it before Saul, and before his servants; and they did eat. Then they rose up, and went away that night.

< 1 Samuel 28 >