I Samuel 28

¹Now in those days the Philistines got their forces together to make war on Israel. And Achish said to David, Certainly you and your men are to go out with me to the fight.

²And David said to Achish, You will see now what your servant will do. And Achish said to David, Then I will make you keeper of my head for ever.

³Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel, after weeping for him, had put his body in its last resting-place in Ramah, his town. And Saul had put away from the land all those who had control of spirits and who made use of secret arts.

⁴And the Philistines came together and put their forces in position in Shunem; and Saul got all Israel together and they took up their positions in Gilboa.

⁵And when Saul saw the Philistine army he was troubled, and his heart was moved with fear.

⁶And when Saul went for directions to the Lord, the Lord gave him no answer, by a dream or by the Urim or by the prophets.

⁷Then Saul said to his servants, Get me a woman who has control of a spirit so that I may go to her and get directions. And his servants said to him, There is such a woman at En-dor.

⁸So Saul, putting on other clothing, so that he might not be seen to be the king, took two men with him and went to the woman by night; and he said, Now, with the help of the spirit which you have, make the person whose name I will give you come up.

⁹And the woman said to him, But you have knowledge of what Saul has done, how he has put away out of the land those who have control of spirits and the users of secret arts: why would you, by a trick, put me in danger of death?

¹⁰And Saul made an oath to her by the Lord, saying, By the living Lord, no punishment will come to you for this.

¹¹Then the woman said, Who am I to let you see? And he said, Make Samuel come up for me.

¹²And the woman saw that it was Saul, and she gave a loud cry, and said to Saul, Why have you made use of deceit? for you are Saul.

¹³And the king said to her, Have no fear: what do you see? And the woman said to Saul, I see a god coming up out of the earth.

¹⁴And he said to her, What is his form? And she said, It is an old man coming up covered with a robe. And Saul saw that it was Samuel, and with his face bent down to the earth he gave him honour.

¹⁵And Samuel said to Saul, Why have you made me come up, troubling my rest? And Saul in answer said, I am in great danger; for the Philistines are making war on me, and God has gone away from me and will no longer give me any answer, by the prophets or by dreams: so I have sent for you to make clear to me what I am to do.

¹⁶And Samuel said, Why do you put your questions to me, seeing that God has gone away from you and is on the side of him who is against you?

¹⁷And the Lord himself has done what I said: the Lord has taken the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbour David;

¹⁸Because you did not do what the Lord said, and did not give effect to his burning wrath against Amalek. So the Lord has done this thing to you today.

¹⁹And more than this, the Lord will give Israel up with you into the hands of the Philistines: and tomorrow you and your sons will be with me: and the Lord will give up the army of Israel into the hands of the Philistines.

²⁰Then Saul went down flat on the earth, and was full of fear because of Samuel's words: and there was no strength in him, for he had taken no food all that day or all that night.

²¹And the woman came to Saul and saw that he was in great trouble, and said to him, See now, your servant has given ear to your words, and I have put my life in danger by doing what you said.

²²So now, give ear to the voice of your servant, and let me give you a little bread; and take some food to give you strength when you go on your way.

²³But he would not, saying, I have no desire for food. But his servants, together with the woman, made him take food, and he gave way to them. So he got up from the earth, and took his seat on the bed.

²⁴And the woman had in the house a young cow, made fat for food; and she put it to death straight away; and she took meal and got it mixed and made unleavened bread;

²⁵And she put it before Saul and his servants, and they had a meal. Then they got up and went away the same night.

I Samuel 28

¹It happened in those days, that the Philistines gathered their armies together for warfare, to fight with Israel. Achish said to David, "Know assuredly that you shall go out with me in the army, you and your men."

²David said to Achish, "Therefore you shall know what your servant will do." Achish said to David, "Therefore will I make you my bodyguard for ever."

³Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him, and buried him in Ramah, even in his own city. Saul had put away those who had familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land.

⁴The Philistines gathered themselves together, and came and encamped in Shunem: and Saul gathered all Israel together, and they encamped in Gilboa.

⁵When Saul saw the army of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart trembled greatly.

⁶When Saul inquired of the Lord, The Lord did not answer him, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets.

⁷Then Saul said to his servants, "Seek me a woman who has a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and inquire of her." His servants said to him, "Behold, there is a woman who has a familiar spirit at Endor."

⁸Saul disguised himself, and put on other clothing, and went, he and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night: and he said, "Please divine to me by the familiar spirit, and bring me up whomever I shall name to you."

⁹The woman said to him, "Behold, you know what Saul has done, how he has cut off those who have familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land. Why then do you lay a snare for my life, to cause me to die?"

¹⁰Saul swore to her by the Lord, saying, "As the Lord lives, no punishment shall happen to you for this thing."

¹¹Then the woman said, "Whom shall I bring up to you?" He said, "Bring Samuel up for me."

¹²When the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice; and the woman spoke to Saul, saying, "Why have you deceived me? For you are Saul!"

¹³The king said to her, "Do not be afraid. For what do you see?" The woman said to Saul, "I see a god coming up out of the earth."

¹⁴He said to her, "What does he look like?" She said, "An old man comes up. He is covered with a robe." Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground, and showed respect.

¹⁵Samuel said to Saul, "Why have you disturbed me, to bring me up?" Saul answered, "I am very distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God has departed from me, and answers me no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams. Therefore I have called you, that you may make known to me what I shall do."

¹⁶Samuel said, "Why then do you ask of me, since the Lord has departed from you and has become your adversary?

¹⁷The Lord has done to you as he spoke by me. The Lord has torn the kingdom out of your hand, and given it to your neighbor, even to David.

¹⁸Because you did not obey the voice of the Lord, and did not execute his fierce wrath on Amalek, therefore the Lord has done this thing to you this day.

¹⁹Moreover the Lord will deliver Israel also with you into the hand of the Philistines; and tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. The Lord will deliver the army of Israel also into the hand of the Philistines."

²⁰Then Saul fell immediately his full length on the earth, and was terrified, because of the words of Samuel. There was no strength in him; for he had eaten no bread all the day, nor all the night.

²¹The woman came to Saul, and saw that he was very troubled, and said to him, "Behold, your handmaid 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.

²²Now therefore, please listen also to the voice of your handmaid, and let me set a morsel of bread before you; and eat, that you may have strength, when you go on your way."

²³But he refused, and said, I will not eat. But his servants, together with the woman, constrained him; and he listened to their voice. So he arose from the earth, and sat on the bed.

²⁴The woman had a fattened calf in the house. She hurried and killed it; and she took flour, and kneaded it, and baked unleavened bread of it.

²⁵She brought it before Saul, and before his servants; and they ate. Then they rose up, and went away that night.