1 Samuel 28
1 En ce temps-là, les Philistins rassemblèrent leurs troupes en armée pour combattre Israël. Akhich dit à David "Sache que tu partiras en guerre avec moi, toi et tes hommes."
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].”
2 David répondit à Akhich: "Certes, tu sais bien ce que fera ton serviteur. Aussi, dit Akhich à David, je te donne la garde de ma personne à jamais."
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.”
3 Samuel étant mort, tout Israël avait mené son deuil et l’avait enterré à Rama, sa ville. D’Autre part, Saül avait fait disparaître du pays les nécromanciens et les devins.
[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].
4 Les Philistins, s’étant donc rassemblés, vinrent camper à Sunem. Saül rassembla tout Israël, et ils campèrent à Ghelboé.
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].
5 En voyant l’armée des Philistins, Saül fut effrayé et trembla fort en son cœur.
When Saul saw the army of Philistia, he became so afraid that his heart pounded/shook.
6 Il consulta le Seigneur, mais le Seigneur ne lui répondit pas, ni par des songes, ni par les Ourim, ni par les prophètes.
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.
7 Alors Saül dit à ses serviteurs: "Cherchez-moi une nécromancienne, que j’aille la trouver et la consulter." Ses serviteurs lui répondirent: "Il y a une nécromancienne à Endor."
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.”
8 Saül se déguisa en changeant de vêtements, s’en alla accompagné de deux hommes, et ils arrivèrent de nuit chez cette femme. Il lui dit: "Fais pour moi l’opération magique et évoque-moi celui que je te désignerai."
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].”
9 La femme lui répondit: "Tu sais bien ce qu’a fait Saül, qu’il a extirpé nécromanciens et devins de ce pays: pourquoi donc me tends-tu un piège en vue de causer ma mort?"
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].”
10 Et Saül lui jura par l’Eternel, disant: "Par le Dieu vivant! Il ne t’arrivera aucun malheur pour cette affaire."
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.”
11 La femme demanda: "Qui dois-je évoquer pour toi? Il répondit: "Evoque-moi Samuel."
Then the woman said, “Whom do you want me to cause to appear?” Saul replied, “Cause Samuel to appear.”
12 La femme, en voyant Samuel, jeta un grand cri et dit à Saül: "Mais tu es Saül! Pourquoi m’as-tu trompée?"
[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]!”
13 Le roi lui répondit: "Sois sans crainte. Qu’as-tu vu? J’Ai vu, répondit-elle à Saül, un être divin montant de dessous terre."
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.”
14 Il lui demanda: "Quelle figure a-t-il?" Elle répondit: "C’Est un vieillard qui monte, enveloppé d’un manteau." Saül comprit que c’était Samuel, et il s’inclina jusqu’à terre et se prosterna.
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.
15 Samuel dit à Saül: "Pourquoi troubles-tu mon repos en me faisant évoquer? Mon angoisse est grande, répondit Saül; les Philistins m’attaquent, et Dieu m’abandonne et ne me répond plus, ni par l’entremise des prophètes ni par des songes. Je t’ai donc appelé pour que tu m’apprennes ce que je dois faire."
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!”
16 Samuel reprit: "Pourquoi m’interroges-tu, alors que l’Eternel t’a abandonné pour ton rival?
Samuel said, “Yahweh has abandoned you and has become your enemy. So why do you ask me [what you should do]? [RHQ]
17 Oui, l’Eternel a agi pour lui comme il l’avait déclaré par mon organe: il t’a arraché la royauté et l’a donnée à ton rival, à David.
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.
18 Comme tu n’as pas écouté la voix du Seigneur et n’as pas servi son courroux contre Amalec, le Seigneur t’a traité de la sorte en ce jour.
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.
19 Et il livrera également Israël, avec toi, au pouvoir des Philistins: demain, toi et tes fils vous serez où je suis, et l’armée d’Israël sera livrée par le Seigneur aux Philistins."
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].
20 Aussitôt Saül tomba tout de son long par terre, fort épouvanté du discours de Samuel, et d’ailleurs épuisé de forces, car il n’avait rien mangé tout ce jour, ni toute cette nuit.
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.
21 La femme s’approcha de Saül et, le voyant tout terrifié, lui dit: "Or çà, ta servante a écouté ta voix; j’ai exposé ma vie pour obéir aux paroles que tu m’as dites.
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.
22 Donc, à ton tour, de grâce, écoute la voix de ta servante: je veux te servir une tranche de pain, mange pour être réconforté quand tu te mettras en route."
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].”
23 Il refusa, disant: "Je ne mangerai pas." Mais ses serviteurs le pressèrent, la femme pareillement, et il céda à leur voix. Il se releva de terre et s’assit sur le lit.
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.
24 La femme avait chez elle un veau gras; elle se hâta de le tuer, puis elle prit de la farine qu’elle pétrit et qu’elle fit cuire en pains azymes.
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.
25 Elle servit ce repas à Saül et à ses gens. Après avoir mangé, ils se levèrent et repartirent cette même nuit.
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.
