1Samuel 28:15 - Prayer Tents

28During this time the Philistines mustered their troops to make war on Israel. Achish said to David, "You can count on this: You're marching with my troops, you and your men."H3117H6430H6908H4264H6908H6635H3898H3478H397H559H1732H3045H3045H3318H4264H5822And David said, "Good! Now you'll see for yourself what I can do!" "Great!" said Achish. "I'm making you my personal bodyguard—for life!"H1732H559H397H3651H3045H5650H6213H397H559H1732H7760H8104H7218H3117

Saul Prayed, but God Didn’t Answer

3Samuel was now dead. All Israel had mourned his death and buried him in Ramah, his hometown. Saul had long since cleaned out all those who held seances with the dead.H8050H4191H3478H5594H6912H7414H5892H7586H5493H178H3049H7764The Philistines had mustered their troops and camped at Shunem. Saul had assembled all Israel and camped at Gilboa.H6430H6908H935H2583H7766H7586H6908H3478H6908H2583H15335But when Saul saw the Philistine troops, he shook in his boots, scared to death.H7586H7200H4264H6430H3372H3820H3966H27296Saul prayed to GOD, but GOD didn't answer—neither by dream nor by sign nor by prophet.H7586H7592H3068H3068H6030H2472H224H50307So Saul ordered his officials, "Find me someone who can call up spirits so I may go and seek counsel from those spirits." His servants said, "There's a witch at Endor."H559H7586H5650H1245H802H1172H178H3212H1875H5650H559H802H1172H178H58748Saul disguised himself by putting on different clothes. Then, taking two men with him, he went under the cover of night to the woman and said, "I want you to consult a ghost for me. Call up the person I name."H7586H2664H3847H312H899H3212H8147H582H935H802H3915H559H7080H178H5927H5599The woman said, "Just hold on now! You know what Saul did, how he swept the country clean of mediums. Why are you trying to trap me and get me killed?"H802H559H3045H7586H6213H3772H178H3049H776H5367H5315H419110Saul swore solemnly, "As GOD lives, you won't get in any trouble for this."H7586H7650H3068H559H3068H2416H518H5771H7136H169711The woman said, "So whom do you want me to bring up?" "Samuel. Bring me Samuel."H559H802H5927H559H5927H805012When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out loudly to Saul, "Why did you lie to me? You're Saul!"H802H7200H8050H2199H1419H6963H802H559H7586H559H7411H758613The king told her, "You have nothing to fear . . . but what do you see?" "I see a spirit ascending from the underground."H4428H559H3372H7200H802H559H7586H7200H430H5927H77614"And what does he look like?" Saul asked. "An old man ascending, robed like a priest." Saul knew it was Samuel. He fell down, face to the ground, and worshiped.H559H8389H559H2205H376H5927H5844H4598H7586H3045H8050H6915H639H776H781215Samuel said to Saul, "Why have you disturbed me by calling me up?" "Because I'm in deep trouble," said Saul. "The Philistines are making war against me and God has deserted me—he doesn't answer me any more, either by prophet or by dream. And so I'm calling on you to tell me what to do."H8050H559H7586H7264H5927H7586H559H3966H6887H6430H3898H430H5493H6030H3027H5030H2472H7121H3045H621316"Why ask me?" said Samuel. "GOD has turned away from you and is now on the side of your neighbor.H559H8050H7592H3068H5493H614517GOD has done exactly what he told you through me—ripped the kingdom right out of your hands and given it to your neighbor.H3068H6213H1696H3027H3068H7167H4467H3027H5414H7453H173218It's because you did not obey GOD, refused to carry out his seething judgment on Amalek, that GOD does to you what he is doing today.H834H8085H6963H3068H6213H2740H639H6002H3068H6213H1697H311719Worse yet, GOD is turning Israel, along with you, over to the Philistines. Tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. And, yes, indeed, GOD is giving Israel's army up to the Philistines."H3068H5414H3478H3027H6430H4279H1121H3068H5414H4264H3478H3027H643020Saul dropped to the ground, felled like a tree, terrified by Samuel's words. There wasn't an ounce of strength left in him—he'd eaten nothing all day and all night.H7586H5307H4116H4393H6967H776H3966H3372H1697H8050H3581H398H3899H3117H391521The woman, realizing that he was in deep shock, said to him, "Listen to me. I did what you asked me to do, put my life in your hands in doing it, carried out your instructions to the letter.H802H935H7586H7200H3966H926H559H8198H8085H6963H7760H5315H3709H8085H1697H169622It's your turn to do what I tell you: Let me give you some food. Eat it. It will give you strength so you can get on your way."H8085H6963H8198H7760H6595H3899H6440H398H3581H3212H187023He refused. "I'm not eating anything." But when his servants joined the woman in urging him, he gave in to their pleas, picked himself up off the ground, and sat on the bed.H3985H559H398H5650H802H6555H8085H6963H6965H776H3427H429624The woman moved swiftly. She butchered a grain-fed calf she had, and took some flour, kneaded it, and baked some flat bread.H802H4770H5695H1004H4116H2076H3947H7058H3888H644H468225Then she served it all up for Saul and his servants. After dining handsomely, they got up from the table and were on their way that same night.H5066H6440H7586H6440H5650H398H6965H3212H3915