1 Samuel 28
1 Some time later, the people of Philistia gathered their army to attack the Israelis [again]. King Achish told David, “I am expecting that you and your men will join with my men to attack [the Israelis].”
Now it happened that, in those days, the Philistines gathered together their troops, so that they might be prepared for war against Israel. And Achish said to David, “I know now, certainly, that you will go out with me to war, you and your men.”
2 David replied, “[We will go with you, and then] you will see for yourself what we can do!” Achish said, “Okay, I will appoint you to be my bodyguard permanently.”
And David said to Achish, “You know now what your servant will do.” And Achish said to David, “And so, I will appoint you to guard my head for all days.”
3 [While Samuel was still alive, Saul did many things that pleased Yahweh. One of the good things that] Saul [did was to] expel from Israel all the people who were fortune-tellers or who talked to the spirits of dead people. But Samuel had died, and all the Israeli people had mourned for him. Then they had buried him in Ramah, his hometown. [After that, Saul did not try to please Yahweh any more].
Now Samuel was dead, and all of Israel mourned for him, and they buried him in Ramah, his city. And Saul took away the magi and soothsayers from the land.
4 The army of Philistia gathered and set up their tents at Shunem [city, in the north of Israel]. Saul gathered the Israeli army and set up their tents at Gilboa [in the eastern part of the same valley].
And the Philistines gathered together, and they arrived and made camp at Shunem. Then Saul also gathered all of Israel, and he arrived at Gilboa.
5 When Saul saw the army of Philistia, he became so afraid that his heart pounded/shook.
And Saul saw the camp of the Philistines, and he was afraid, and his heart was exceedingly terrified.
6 He prayed to Yahweh, but Yahweh did not answer him. Yahweh did not [tell Saul what he should do by] giving him a dream, or by [having the priest throw] the marked stones [that were in his sacred vest], or by [giving a message about Saul to] any prophet.
And he consulted the Lord. But he did not respond to him, neither by dreams, nor by priests, nor by prophets.
7 Then Saul said to his servants, “Find for me a woman who talks to the spirits of dead people, in order that I can ask her [what will happen].” His servants replied, “There is a woman in Endor [town] who does that.”
And Saul said to his servants, “Seek for me a woman having a divining spirit, and I will go to her, and consult through her.” And his servants said to him, “There is a woman having a divining spirit at Endor.”
8 So Saul [took off the clothes that showed that he was the king, and he] put on ordinary clothes (to disguise himself/so that people would not recognize who he was). Then he and two of his men went during the night to talk to that woman. Saul said to her, “I want you to talk to a spirit [of someone who has died]. Cause to appear the person whose name I will [give to you].”
Therefore, he changed his usual appearance, and he 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 for me, by your divining spirit, and raise up for me whomever I will tell you.”
9 But the woman replied, “You surely know what Saul has done. He expelled from this land all the people who talk to spirits of dead people and all fortune-tellers. I think that you are trying to trap me, in order that I will be executed [for doing something that is not permitted].”
And the woman said to him: “Behold, you know how much Saul has done, and how he has wiped away the magi and soothsayers from the land. Why then do you set a trap for my life, so that it will be put to death?”
10 Saul replied, solemnly asking Yahweh to listen to what he was saying, “Just as surely as Yahweh lives, you will not be punished for doing this.”
And Saul swore to her by the Lord, saying, “As the Lord lives, nothing evil will befall you because of this matter.”
11 Then the woman said, “Whom do you want me to cause to appear?” Saul replied, “Cause Samuel to appear.”
And the woman said to him, “Whom shall I raise up for you?” And he said, “Raise up for me Samuel.”
12 [So] the woman [did that. But] when she saw Samuel, she screamed. She said, “You have tricked me [RHQ]! You are Saul! [You will execute me for doing this]!”
And when the woman had seen Samuel, she cried out with a loud voice, and she said to Saul: “Why have you afflicted me? For you are Saul!”
13 Saul said to her, “Do not be afraid. What do you see?” The woman said, “I see a god/spirit coming up out of the ground.”
And the king said to her: “Do not be afraid. What have you seen?” And the woman said to Saul, “I saw gods ascending from the earth.”
14 Saul said, “What does he look like?” The woman replied, “An old man wearing a robe is appearing.” Then Saul knew that it was Samuel. So he bowed down with his face touching the ground.
And he said to her, “What appearance does he have?” And she said, “An old man ascends, and he is clothed in a cloak.” And Saul understood that it was Samuel. And he bowed himself upon his face on the ground, and he reverenced.
15 Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you bothered/disturbed me by causing me to appear?” Saul said, “I am very worried. The army of Philistia is about to attack my army, and God has abandoned me. He does not answer my questions any more. He does not give me dreams [to tell me what to do] or give messages to prophets [to tell me what to do]. That is the reason that I came to see you. So you tell me what I should do!”
Then Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you disquieted me, so that I would be raised up?” And Saul said: “I am greatly distressed. For the Philistines fight against me, and God has withdrawn from me, and he is not willing to heed me, neither by the hand of prophets, nor by dreams. Therefore, I have summoned you, so that you would reveal to me what I should do.”
16 Samuel said, “Yahweh has abandoned you and has become your enemy. So why do you ask me [what you should do]? [RHQ]
And Samuel said, “Why do you question me, though the Lord has withdrawn from you, and has crossed over to your rival?
17 He has done what he told me [previously] that he would do to you. He has torn the kingdom away from you, and he is giving it to someone who is another Israeli—David.
For the Lord will do to you just as he spoke by my hand. And he will tear your kingdom from your hand. And he will give it to your neighbor David.
18 You did not obey Yahweh. Yahweh was very angry with the Amalek people-group. You did not [kill all of their animals], with the result that you did not show that he was very angry with them. That is the reason that he has done this to you today.
For you did not obey the voice of the Lord, and you did not carry out the wrath of his fury upon Amalek. For this reason, the Lord has done to you what you are enduring this day.
19 Yahweh will enable the Philistia army to defeat you and all the other Israeli soldiers. And tomorrow you and your sons will be with me [in the place where spirits of dead people are]. Yahweh will cause the whole Israeli army to be defeated by the Philistia army.” [And after Samuel said that, he disappeared].
And the Lord also will give Israel into the hands of the Philistines, along with you. Then tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. But the Lord will also deliver the camp of Israel into the hands of the Philistines.”
20 Saul immediately fell flat on the ground. He was so afraid because of what Samuel had said that he became paralyzed. He was also very weak because he had not eaten anything all that day and night.
And immediately, Saul fell stretched out on the ground. For he was terrified by the words of Samuel. And there was no strength in him. For he had not eaten bread all that day.
21 The woman saw that he was extremely worried/terrified. She said to him, “Listen to me! I have done what you requested me to do. I could be executed for doing that.
And so, the woman entered to Saul, (for he was very troubled) and she said to him: “Behold, your handmaid has obeyed your voice, and I have placed my life in my hand. And I have heeded the words which you spoke to me.
22 So now please pay attention to what I say. Allow me to give you some food, in order that you will [eat it and] get enough strength to go back [to your army].”
And so now, I ask you to heed the voice of your handmaid, and let me place before you a morsel of bread, so that, by eating, you may recover strength, and you may be able to undertake the journey.”
23 But Saul refused. He said, “No, I will not eat anything.” Then Saul’s servants also urged him [to eat something], and finally he heeded what they said. He got up from the ground and sat on the bed.
But he refused, and he said, “I will not eat.” But his servants and the woman urged him, and after some time, heeding their voice, he rose up from the ground, and he sat upon the bed.
24 The woman had a fat calf close to her house. She quickly slaughtered it [and cooked it]. She took some flour and mixed it [with olive oil], and baked it without putting in any yeast.
Now the woman had a fatted calf in the house, and she hurried and killed it. And taking meal, she kneaded it, and she baked unleavened bread.
25 She placed the food in front of Saul and his servants, and they ate some of it. Then that night they got up and left.
And she set it before Saul and before his servants. And when they had eaten, they rose up, and they walked all through that night.
