1Samuel 28
28Some time later the Philistines gathered their troops to fight Israel, and Achish said to David, "Of course you understand that you and your men are to fight on my side."H3117H6430H6908H4264H6908H6635H3898H3478H397H559H1732H3045H3045H3318H4264H5822"Of course," David answered. "I am your servant, and you will see for yourself what I can do." Achish said, "Good! I will make you my permanent bodyguard."H1732H559H397H3651H3045H5650H6213H397H559H1732H7760H8104H7218H31173Now Samuel had died, and all the Israelites had mourned for him and had buried him in his hometown of Ramah. Saul had forced all the fortunetellers and mediums to leave Israel.H8050H4191H3478H5594H6912H7414H5892H7586H5493H178H3049H7764The Philistine troops assembled and camped near the town of Shunem; Saul gathered the Israelites and camped at Mount Gilboa.H6430H6908H935H2583H7766H7586H6908H3478H6908H2583H15335When Saul saw the Philistine army, he was terrified,H7586H7200H4264H6430H3372H3820H3966H27296and so he asked the LORD what to do. But the LORD did not answer him at all, either by dreams or by the use of Urim and Thummim or by prophets.H7586H7592H3068H3068H6030H2472H224H50307Then Saul ordered his officials, "Find me a woman who is a medium, and I will go and consult her." "There is one in Endor," they answered.H559H7586H5650H1245H802H1172H178H3212H1875H5650H559H802H1172H178H58748So Saul disguised himself; he put on different clothes, and after dark he went with two of his men to see the woman. "Consult the spirits for me and tell me what is going to happen," he said to her. "Call up the spirit of the man I name."H7586H2664H3847H312H899H3212H8147H582H935H802H3915H559H7080H178H5927H5599The woman answered, "Surely you know what King Saul has done, how he forced the fortunetellers and mediums to leave Israel. Why, then, are you trying to trap me and get me killed?"H802H559H3045H7586H6213H3772H178H3049H776H5367H5315H419110Then Saul made a sacred vow. "By the living LORD I promise that you will not be punished for doing this," he told her.H7586H7650H3068H559H3068H2416H518H5771H7136H169711"Whom shall I call up for you?" the woman asked. "Samuel," he answered.H559H802H5927H559H5927H805012When the woman saw Samuel, she screamed and said to Saul, "Why have you tricked me? You are King Saul!"H802H7200H8050H2199H1419H6963H802H559H7586H559H7411H758613"Don't be afraid!" the king said to her. "What do you see?" "I see a spirit coming up from the earth," she answered.H4428H559H3372H7200H802H559H7586H7200H430H5927H77614"What does it look like?" he asked. "It's an old man coming up," she answered. "He is wearing a cloak." Then Saul knew that it was Samuel, and he bowed to the ground in respect.H559H8389H559H2205H376H5927H5844H4598H7586H3045H8050H6915H639H776H781215Samuel said to Saul, "Why have you disturbed me? Why did you make me come back?" Saul answered, "I am in great trouble! The Philistines are at war with me, and God has abandoned me. He doesn't answer me any more, either by prophets or by dreams. And so I have called you, for you to tell me what I must do."H8050H559H7586H7264H5927H7586H559H3966H6887H6430H3898H430H5493H6030H3027H5030H2472H7121H3045H621316Samuel said, "Why do you call me when the LORD has abandoned you and become your enemy?H559H8050H7592H3068H5493H614517The LORD has done to you what he told you through me: he has taken the kingdom away from you and given it to David instead.H3068H6213H1696H3027H3068H7167H4467H3027H5414H7453H173218You disobeyed the LORD's command and did not completely destroy the Amalekites and all they had. That is why the LORD is doing this to you now.H834H8085H6963H3068H6213H2740H639H6002H3068H6213H1697H311719He will give you and Israel over to the Philistines. Tomorrow you and your sons will join me, and the LORD will also give the army of Israel over to the Philistines."H3068H5414H3478H3027H6430H4279H1121H3068H5414H4264H3478H3027H643020At once Saul fell down and lay stretched out on the ground, terrified by what Samuel had said. He was weak, because he had not eaten anything all day and all night.H7586H5307H4116H4393H6967H776H3966H3372H1697H8050H3581H398H3899H3117H391521The woman went over to him and saw that he was terrified, so she said to him, "Please, sir, I risked my life by doing what you asked.H802H935H7586H7200H3966H926H559H8198H8085H6963H7760H5315H3709H8085H1697H169622Now please do what I ask. Let me fix you some food. You must eat so that you will be strong enough to travel."H8085H6963H8198H7760H6595H3899H6440H398H3581H3212H187023Saul refused and said he would not eat anything. But his officers also urged him to eat. He finally gave in, got up from the ground, and sat on the bed.H3985H559H398H5650H802H6555H8085H6963H6965H776H3427H429624The woman quickly killed a calf which she had been fattening. Then she took some flour, prepared it, and baked some bread without yeast.H802H4770H5695H1004H4116H2076H3947H7058H3888H644H468225She set the food before Saul and his officers, and they ate it. And they left that same night.H5066H6440H7586H6440H5650H398H6965H3212H3915
Columbus, OH
