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].”
Forsothe it was doon in tho daies, Filisteis gaderiden her cumpenyes, that thei schulden be maad redi ayens Israel to batel. And Achis seide to Dauid, Thou witynge `wite now, for thou schalt go out with me in castels, thou and thi 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 Dauid seide to Achis, Now thou schalt wyte what thingis thi seruaunt schal do. And Achis seide to Dauid, And Y schal sette thee kepere of myn heed in alle dayes.
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].
Forsothe Samuel was deed, and al Israel biweilide hym, and thei birieden hym in Ramatha, his citee. And Saul dide awey fro the lond witchis and fals dyuynours, `and he slouy hem that hadden `charmers of deuelis `in her wombe.
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 Filisteis weren gaderid, and camen, and settiden tentis in Sunam; sotheli and Saul gaderide al Israel, and cam in to Gelboe.
5 When Saul saw the army of Philistia, he became so afraid that his heart pounded/shook.
And Saul siy the castels of Filisteis, and he dredde, and his herte dredde greetli.
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 counselide the Lord; and the Lord answeride not to hym, nether bi preestis, nether bi dremes, nether bi profetis.
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 seide to hise seruauntis, Seke ye to me a womman hauynge a feend spekynge in the wombe; and Y schal go to hir, and Y schal axe bi hir. And hise seruauntis seiden to hym, A womman hauynge a feend spekynge in the wombe is in 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].”
Therfor Saul chaungide his clothing, and he was clothid with othere clothis; and he yede, and twei men with hym; and thei camen to the womman in the nyyt. And he seyde, Dyuyne thou to me in a fend spekynge in the wombe, and reise thou to me whom Y schal seie to thee.
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 womman seide to hym, Lo! thou woost hou grete thingis Saul hath do, and hou he dide awei fro the lond witchis, and fals dyuynours; whi therfor settist thou tresoun to my lijf, that Y be slayn?
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 swoor to hir in the Lord, and seide, The Lord lyueth; for no thing of yuel schal come to thee for this thing.
11 Then the woman said, “Whom do you want me to cause to appear?” Saul replied, “Cause Samuel to appear.”
And the womman seide to hym, Whom schal Y reise to thee? And he seide, Reise thou Samuel to me.
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]!”
Sotheli whanne the womman hadde seyn Samuel, sche criede with greet vois, and seide to Saul, Whi hast thou disseyued me? for thou art 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 kyng seide to hir, Nyl thou drede; what hast thou seyn? And the womman seide to Saul, Y siy goddis stiynge fro erthe.
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 Saul seide to hir, What maner forme is of hym? And sche seide, An eld man stieth, and he is clothid with a mentil. And Saul vndirstood that it was Samuel; and Saul bowide hym silf on his face to the erthe, and worschipide.
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!”
Sotheli Samuel seide to Saul, Whi hast thou disesid me, that Y schulde be reisid? And Saul seide, Y am constreyned greetli; for Filisteis fiyten ayens me, and God yede awei fro me, and he nolde here me, nether bi the hond of profetis, nether bi dremes; therfor Y clepide thee, that thou schuldist schewe to me what Y schal 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 seide, What axist thou me, whanne God hath go awei fro thee, and passide to thin enemy?
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 schal do to thee as he spak in myn hond, and he schal kitte awey thi rewme fro thin hond, and he schal yyue it to Dauid, thi neiybore;
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 thou obeiedist not to the vois of the Lord, nether didist the `ire of hys strong veniaunce in Amalech. Therfor the Lord hath do to thee to day that that thou suffrist;
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 schal yyue also Israel with thee in the hond of Filisteis. Forsothe to morewe thou and thi sones schulen be with me; but also the Lord schal bitake the castels of Israel in the hond of Filistiym.
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 anoon Saul felde stretchid forth to erthe; for he dredde the wordis of Samuel, and strengthe was not in hym, for he hadde not ete breed in al that dai and al nyyt.
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.
Therfor thilke womman entride to Saul, and seide; for he was disturblid greetli; and sche seide to hym, Lo! thin handmayde obeiede to thi vois, and Y haue put my lijf in myn hond, and Y herde thi wordis, whiche thou spakist 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].”
Now therfor and thou here the vois of thin handmaide, and Y schal sette a mussel of breed bifor thee, and that thou etynge wexe strong, and maist do the iourney.
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.
And he forsook, and seide, Y schal not ete. Sothely hise seruauntis and the womman compelliden hym; and at the laste, whanne the vois of hem was herd, he roos fro the erthe, and sat on 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.
Sotheli thilke womman hadde a fat calf in the hows, and `sche hastide, and killide hym; and sche took mele, and meddlide it, and made therf breed;
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 settide bifor Saul and bifor hise seruauntis, and whanne thei hadden ete, thei risiden, and walkiden bi al that nyyt.
