28:1 In those days the Philistines gathered their forces to fight against Israel. Achish said to David, “You must understand that you and your men will accompany me in the army.”
28:2 David said, “Then you will see for yourself what your servant can do.” Achish replied, “Very well, I will make you my bodyguard for life.”
28:3 Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had mourned for him and buried him in his own town of Ramah. Saul had expelled the mediums and spiritists from the land.
28:4 The Philistines assembled and came and set up camp at Shunem, while Saul gathered all the Israelites and set up camp at Gilboa.
28:5 When Saul saw the Philistine army, he was afraid; terror filled his heart.
28:6 He inquired of the LORD, but the LORD did not answer him by dreams or Urim or prophets.
28:7 Saul then said to his attendants, “Find me a woman who is a medium, so I may go and inquire of her.” “There is one in Endor,” they said.
28:8 So Saul disguised himself, putting on other clothes, and at night he and two men went to the woman. “Consult a spirit for me,” he said, “and bring up for me the one I name.”
28:9 But the woman said to him, “Surely you know what Saul has done. He has cut off the mediums and spiritists from the land. Why have you set a trap for my life to bring about my death?”
28:10 Saul swore to her by the LORD, “As surely as the LORD lives, you will not be punished for this.”
28:11 Then the woman asked, “Whom shall I bring up for you?” “Bring up Samuel,” he said.
28:12 When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out at the top of her voice and said to Saul, “Why have you deceived me? You are Saul!”
28:13 The king said to her, “Don’t be afraid. What do you see?” The woman said, “I see a spirit coming up out of the ground.”
28:14 “What does he look like?” he asked. “An old man wearing a robe is coming up,” she said. Then Saul knew it was Samuel, and he bowed down and prostrated himself with his face to the ground.
28:15 Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?” “I am in great distress,” Saul said. “The Philistines are fighting against me, and God has turned away from me. He no longer answers me, either by prophets or by dreams. So I have called on you to tell me what to do.”
28:16 Samuel said, “Why do you consult me, now that the LORD has turned away from you and become your enemy?
28:17 The LORD has done what he predicted through me. The LORD has torn the kingdom out of your hands and given it to one of your neighbors–to David.
28:18 Because you did not obey the LORD or carry out his fierce wrath against the Amalekites, the LORD has done this to you today.
28:19 The LORD will hand over both Israel and you to the Philistines, and tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. The LORD will also hand over the army of Israel to the Philistines.”
28:20 Immediately Saul fell full length on the ground, filled with fear because of Samuel’s words. His strength was gone, for he had eaten nothing all that day and night.
28:21 When the woman came to Saul and saw that he was greatly shaken, she said, “Look, your maidservant has obeyed you. I took my life in my hands and did what you told me to do.
28:22 Now please listen to your servant and let me give you some food so you may eat and have the strength to go on your way.”
28:23 He refused and said, “I will not eat.” But his men joined the woman in urging him, and he listened to them. He got up from the ground and sat on the couch.
28:24 The woman had a fattened calf at the house, which she butchered at once. She took some flour, kneaded it and baked bread without yeast.
28:25 Then she set it before Saul and his men, and they ate. That same night they got up and left.
28:1 Then in those days the Philistines gathered their camps together for war to fight against Israel. And Achish said to David, Know assuredly that you shall go out with me into the camp, you and your men.
28:2 And David said to Achish, This being so, you will know what your servant can do. And Achish said to David, Therefore I will make you my bodyguard for life.
28:3 Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had mourned for him; and they had buried him in Ramah, that is, in his own city. And Saul had the mediums and the soothsayers put out of the land.
28:4 And the Philistines gathered together, and they came and encamped in Shunem; and Saul gathered all Israel together, and they encamped in Gilboa.
28:5 And when Saul saw the camp of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart trembled greatly.
28:6 And Saul inquired of Jehovah; but Jehovah did not answer him, not by dreams or by the Urim or by the prophets.
28:7 Then said Saul to his servants, Seek for me a woman who is a medium that I may go to her and inquire of her. And his servants said to him, There is now a woman who is a medium at En-dor.
28:8 Then Saul disguised himself and put on other clothes. And he and two men with him went, and they came to the woman by night. And he said, Consult a departed spirit for me, and bring up to me the one whom I tell you.
28:9 But the woman said to him, Look, you know what Saul has done, that he has cut off the mediums and the soothsayers from the land. Why then do you lay a snare for my life to make me die?
28:10 Then Saul swore to her by Jehovah, saying, As Jehovah lives, no punishment shall happen to you for this thing.
28:11 So the woman said, Whom shall I bring up to you? And he said, Bring up Samuel to me.
28:12 Now when the woman saw Samuel, she cried out with a loud voice; and the woman spoke to Saul, saying, Why have you deceived me? For you are Saul.
28:13 And the king said to her, Do not be afraid. But what do you see? And the woman said to Saul, I see some divine being coming up out of the earth.
28:14 And he said to her, What is his appearance? And she said, An old man is coming up; and he is wrapped in a cloak. Then Saul knew that it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground and paid him homage.
28:15 And Samuel said to Saul, Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up? And Saul said, I am greatly distressed; for the Philistines wage war against me, and God has turned away from me and answers me no more, neither through the prophets nor by dreams. Therefore I have called you, that you may make known to me what I shall do.
28:16 And Samuel said, Why then have you inquired of me? For Jehovah has turned away from you and become your adversary.
28:17 And Jehovah has done for Himself just as He spoke through me, for Jehovah has torn the kingdom out from your hand and given it to an associate of yours, to David.
28:18 Because you did not listen to the voice of Jehovah and did not execute His burning anger upon the Amalekites, therefore Jehovah has done this thing to you this day.
28:19 And Jehovah will also give Israel with you into the hand of the Philistines, and tomorrow you and your sons will be with me; Jehovah will also give the camp of Israel into the hand of the Philistines.
28:20 Then immediately Saul fell his full length to the ground, and he was very afraid because of Samuel s words. And there was no strength in him, for he had not eaten food all day and all night.
28:21 And the woman came to Saul and saw that he was very troubled. And she said to him, Indeed, your servant has listened to your voice; and I have put my life in my hand and have listened to your words which you spoke to me.
28:22 Now therefore, you listen also to the voice of your servant, and let me set a morsel of bread before you; and eat, that you may have strength when you go on your way.
28:23 But he refused and said, I will not eat. Then his servants, as well as the woman, compelled him, and he listened to their voice; and he rose up from the ground and sat on the bed.
28:24 And the woman had a fattened calf in the house; and she hurried and killed it, and took flour and kneaded it, and baked unleavened bread with it.
28:25 And she brought it before Saul and his servants, and they ate. And they rose up and went away that night.