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 camps together for warfare, to fight with Israel; and Achish said unto David, Thou must know that thou shalt go out with me into the camp, 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 Achish, By reason of this wilt thou thyself ascertain what thy servant will do. And Achish said to David, Therefore will I make thee the guard of my head for all times.
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 removed 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 assembled themselves together, and came and encamped at Shunem: and Saul assembled together all Israel, and they encamped at Gilboa'.
5 and Saul sees the camp of the Philistines, and fears, and his heart trembles greatly,
And when Saul saw the camp of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart trembled greatly.
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 Saul asked counsel of the Lord; but the Lord answered him not, either by means of dreams, or by means of the Urim, or by means of the 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 unto his servants, Seek out for me a woman that hath 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 hath a familiar spirit at 'En-dor.
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 garments, and he went, he and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night: and he said, Divine, I pray thee, unto me by the familiar spirit, and bring up for me the one whom I shall say unto 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 unto him, Behold, thou well knowest that which Saul hath done, that 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 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 liveth, there shall no guilt attach 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.”
Then said the woman, Whom shall I bring up for thee? And he said, Samuel thou must bring up for me.
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 said to Saul thus, Why hast thou deceived me? since 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 unto her, Be not afraid; however, what hast thou seen? And the woman said unto Saul, A divine being have I seen 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 unto her, What is his form? And she said, An old man is coming up; and he is wrapt in a mantle. And so Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground, and prostrated 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 hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up? And Saul answered, I am greatly distressed, and the Philistines make war against me, and God is departed from me, and hath not answered me any more, either by the agency of the prophets, or by means of dreams; wherefore I have called thee, to make known unto 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, And why wilt thou ask me, seeing the Lord is departed from thee, and is become thy 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 hath done for himself as he hath spoken through my agency; and the Lord hath rent the government out of thy hand, and hath given it to thy associate, 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;
As thou didst not obey the voice of the Lord, and didst not execute his fierce wrath upon 'Amalek; therefore hath the Lord done this thing unto thee 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 will deliver also Israel with thee into the hand of the Philistines; and tomorrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me: also the camp of Israel will the Lord deliver 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 fell Saul hastily with his full length to the earth, and was greatly afraid, because of the words of Samuel: there was also no strength in him; for he had not eaten any food all that day, and all that 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 unto Saul, and saw that he was greatly terrified; and she said unto him, Behold, thy hand-maid hath obeyed thy voice; and I put my life in my hand, and hearkened unto thy words which thou spokest unto 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.”
And now, hearken thou also, I pray thee, unto the voice of thy hand-maid, and let me set before thee a morsel of bread, and eat; that thou mayest have strength when thou goest on the 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 urged him much, as also the woman; and he hearkened unto their voice. So he arose from the earth, 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,
And the woman had a fatted calf in the house; and she hastened, and slaughtered it, and took flour, and kneaded it, and baked 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 near before Saul, and before his servants; and they ate. Then they rose up, and went away that night.
