1 Samuel 28 – New American Standard Bible 2020 (NASB20)

Saul and the Spirit Medium

1 Now it came ^H1961 about ^H1961 in those ^H1992 days ^H3117 that the Philistines ^H6430 gathered ^H6908 their armed camps ^H4264 for war ^H6635, to fight ^H3898 against Israel ^H3478. And Achish ^H397 said ^H559 to David ^H1732, “Know ^H3045 for ^H3045 certain ^H3045 that you will go ^H3318 out ^H3318 with me in the camp ^H4264, you and your men ^H376.”

2 David ^H1732 said ^H559 to Achish ^H397, “Very ^H3651 well ^H3651, you will learn ^H3045 what ^H834 your servant ^H5650 can do ^H6213.” So Achish ^H397 said ^H559 to David ^H1732, “Then I will assuredly ^H3651 make ^H7760 you [fn]my bodyguard ^H8104 H7218 for [fn]life ^H3605 H3117!”

3 Now Samuel ^H8050 was dead ^H4191, and all ^H3605 Israel ^H3478 had mourned ^H5594 him and buried ^H6912 him in Ramah ^H7414, his own city ^H5892. And Saul ^H7586 had removed ^H5493 the mediums ^H178 and spiritists ^H3049 from the land ^H776. 4 So the Philistines ^H6430 assembled ^H6908 and came ^H935 and camped ^H2583 in Shunem ^H7766; and Saul ^H7586 gathered ^H6908 all ^H3605 Israel ^H3478 together, and they camped ^H2583 in Gilboa ^H1533. 5 When Saul ^H7586 saw ^H7200 the camp ^H4264 of the Philistines ^H6430, he was ^H3372 afraid ^H3372 and his heart ^H3820 trembled ^H2729 greatly ^H3966. 6 So Saul ^H7586 inquired ^H7592 of the LORD ^H3068, but the LORD ^H3068 did not answer ^H6030 him, either ^H1571 in dreams ^H2472, or ^H1571 by the Urim ^H224, or ^H1571 by the prophets ^H5030. 7 Then Saul ^H7586 said ^H559 to his servants ^H5650, “Find ^H1875 for me a woman ^H802 who is a medium ^H1172 H178, so that I may go ^H1980 to her and inquire ^H1875 of her.” And his servants ^H5650 said ^H559 to him, “Behold ^H2009, there is a woman ^H802 who is a medium ^H1172 H178 at En-dor ^H5874.”

8 Then Saul ^H7586 disguised ^H2664 himself by putting ^H3847 on ^H3847 different ^H312 clothes ^H899, and went ^H1980, he and two ^H8147 men ^H376 with him, and they came ^H935 to the woman ^H802 by night ^H3915; and he said ^H559, “Consult ^H7080 the spirit ^H178 for me, please ^H4994, and bring ^H5927 up ^H5927 for me the one whom ^H834 I shall [fn]name ^H559 for you.” 9 But the woman ^H802 said ^H559 to him, “Behold ^H2009, you know ^H3045 what ^H834 Saul ^H7586 has done ^H6213, that he has eliminated ^H3772 the mediums ^H178 and spiritists ^H3049 from the land ^H776. Why ^H4100 are you then setting ^H5367 a ^H5367 trap ^H5367 for my life ^H5315, to bring ^H4191 about ^H4191 my death ^H4191?” 10 So Saul ^H7586 swore ^H7650 an ^H7650 oath ^H7650 to her by the LORD ^H3068, saying ^H559, “As the LORD ^H3068 lives ^H2416, no ^H518 punishment ^H5771 shall come ^H7136 upon ^H7136 you for this ^H2088 thing ^H1697.” 11 Then the woman ^H802 said ^H559, “Whom ^H4310 shall I bring ^H5927 up ^H5927 for you?” And he said ^H559, “Bring ^H5927 up ^H5927 Samuel ^H8050 for me.” 12 When the woman ^H802 saw ^H7200 Samuel ^H8050, she cried ^H2199 out ^H2199 with a loud ^H1419 voice ^H6963; and the woman ^H802 spoke ^H559 to Saul ^H7586, saying ^H559, “Why ^H4100 have you deceived ^H7411 me? For you are Saul ^H7586!” 13 But the king ^H4428 said ^H559 to her, “Do not be ^H3372 afraid ^H3372; but what ^H4100 do you see ^H7200?” And the woman ^H802 said ^H559 to Saul ^H7586, “I see ^H7200 a [fn]divine ^H430 being ^H430 coming ^H5927 up ^H5927 from the earth ^H776.” 14 He said ^H559 to her, “[fn]How ^H4100 does he appear ^H8389?” And she said ^H559, “An old ^H2205 man ^H376 is coming ^H5927 up ^H5927, and he is wrapped ^H5844 in a robe ^H4598.” Then Saul ^H7586 knew ^H3045 that it was Samuel ^H8050, and he bowed ^H6915 with his face ^H639 to the ground ^H776 and paid ^H2331 [fn]homage ^H2331.

15 And Samuel ^H8050 said ^H559 to Saul ^H7586, “Why ^H4100 have you disturbed ^H7264 me by bringing ^H5927 me up ^H5927?” Saul ^H7586 replied ^H559, “I am ^H6887 very ^H3966 distressed ^H6887, for the Philistines ^H6430 are waging ^H3898 war ^H3898 against me, and God ^H430 has abandoned ^H5493 me and no ^H3808 longer ^H5750 answers ^H6030 me, either ^H1571 through ^H3027 prophets ^H5030 or ^H1571 in dreams ^H2472; therefore I have called ^H7121 you, so that you may let ^H3045 me know ^H3045 what ^H4100 I should do ^H6213.” 16 Samuel ^H8050 said ^H559, “But why ^H4100 ask ^H7592 me, since the LORD ^H3068 has abandoned ^H5493 you and has become ^H1961 your enemy ^H6145? 17 And the LORD ^H3068 has done ^H6213 [fn]just ^H834 as He spoke ^H1696 through ^H3027 me; for the LORD ^H3068 has torn ^H7167 the kingdom ^H4467 from your hand ^H3027 and given ^H5414 it to your neighbor ^H7453, to David ^H1732. 18 Just ^H834 as ^H834 you did not [fn]obey ^H8085 H6963 the LORD ^H3068 and did not execute ^H6213 His fierce ^H2740 wrath ^H639 on Amalek ^H6002, so ^H5921 H3651 the LORD ^H3068 has done ^H6213 this ^H2088 thing ^H1697 to you this ^H2088 day ^H3117. 19 Furthermore, the LORD ^H3068 will also ^H1571 hand ^H5414 H3027 Israel ^H3478 along ^H5973 with ^H5973 you over ^H5414 to the Philistines ^H6430; so tomorrow ^H4279 you and your sons ^H1121 will be with me. Indeed ^H1571, the LORD ^H3068 will hand ^H5414 H3027 the army ^H4264 of Israel ^H3478 over ^H5414 to the Philistines ^H6430!”

20 Then Saul ^H7586 immediately ^H4116 fell ^H5307 full ^H4393 length ^H6967 to the ground ^H776 and was ^H3372 very ^H3966 afraid ^H3372 because ^H4480 of Samuel’s ^H8050 words ^H1697; there was no ^H3808 strength ^H3581 in him either ^H1571, because ^H3588 he had eaten ^H398 no ^H3808 [fn]food ^H3899 all ^H3605 day ^H3117 and all ^H3605 night ^H3915. 21 The woman ^H802 came ^H935 to Saul ^H7586 and saw ^H7200 that he was utterly ^H3966 horrified ^H926, and she said ^H559 to him, “Behold ^H2009, your servant ^H8198 has [fn]obeyed ^H8085 H6963 you, and I have [fn]taken ^H7760 my life ^H5315 in my hand ^H3709 and have listened ^H8085 to your words ^H1697 which ^H834 you spoke ^H1696 to me. 22 So now ^H6258 you too ^H1571, please ^H4994 listen ^H8085 to the voice ^H6963 of your servant ^H8198, and let me serve ^H7760 H6440 you a piece ^H6595 of bread ^H3899, and eat ^H398 it, so that you will have ^H1961 strength ^H3581 when ^H3588 you go ^H1980 on your way ^H1870.” 23 But he refused ^H3985 and said ^H559, “I will not eat ^H398.” However, his servants ^H5650 together ^H1571 with the woman ^H802 urged ^H6555 him, and he listened ^H8085 to [fn]them. So he got ^H6965 up ^H6965 from the ground ^H776 and sat ^H3427 on the bed ^H4296. 24 Now the woman ^H802 had a fattened ^H4770 calf ^H5695 in the house ^H1004, and she quickly ^H4116 slaughtered ^H2076 it; then she took ^H3947 flour ^H7058, kneaded ^H3888 it and baked ^H644 unleavened ^H4682 bread ^H4682 from it. 25 She then served ^H5066 H6440 it to Saul ^H7586 and his servants ^H5650, and they ate ^H398. Then they got ^H6965 up ^H6965 and left ^H1980 that night ^H3915.