1 Samuel 28:3-25
Lexham English Bible
Saul Inquires of the Medium at Endor
3 (Now Samuel had died, and all Israel had mourned for him, and they had buried him in Ramah, his own city. And Saul had expelled the mediums[a] and the soothsayers from the land.) 4 Then the Philistines assembled and came and encamped at Shunem, so Saul assembled all Israel, and they encamped at Gilboa. 5 When Saul saw the army of the Philistines, he was afraid and his heart trembled greatly. 6 And Saul inquired of Yahweh, but Yahweh did not answer him, not by dreams or by the Urim[b] or by the prophets. 7 So Saul said to his servants, “Search for me a woman who is a medium[c] so that I may go to her and inquire of her.” His servants said to him, “Look there is a woman who is a medium in Endor.” 8 So Saul disguised himself and put on other clothes, and he went with two of his men.[d] And they came to the woman by night and he said, “Please consult a spirit for me through the ritual pit,[e] and bring up for me the one whom I tell you.” 9 But the woman said to him, “Look, you know what Saul did, how he exterminated the mediums[f] and the soothsayers from the land! Why are you setting a trap for my life to kill me?” 10 Then Saul swore to her by Yahweh, “As Yahweh lives,[g] you will not be punished[h] for this thing.” 11 So the woman asked, “Whom shall I bring up for you?” He said, “Bring up Samuel for me.” 12 When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out with a loud voice, and the woman said to Saul, “Why did you deceive me? You are Saul!” 13 The king said to her, “Do not be afraid! What do you see?” And the woman said to Saul, “I see a god[i] coming up from the ground!” 14 Then he said to her, “What is his appearance?” She said, “An old man is coming up, and he is wrapped in a robe.”[j] Then Saul realized that it was Samuel, and he knelt with his face to the ground and bowed down.
15 Then Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?” And Saul said, “I am in distress![k] For the Philistines are about to make war against me, but God has turned away from me, and he does not answer me any more, not by the prophets[l] or by the dreams. So I called to you to let me know what I should do.” 16 Then Samuel said, “Why do you ask me, since Yahweh has turned away from you and has become your enemy? 17 Yahweh has done to you just as he spoke by my hand! Yahweh has torn the kingdom from your hand and has given it to your neighbor, to David. 18 Because you did not obey[m] Yahweh and did not carry out the fierce anger of his wrath[n] against Amalek, therefore Yahweh has done this thing to you today. 19 And Yahweh will also give Israel with you into the hands of the Philistines, and tomorrow you and your sons will be with me, and Yahweh will also give the army of Israel into the hand of the Philistines.” 20 Then Saul immediately fell prostrate[o] to the ground, and he was very afraid because of the words of Samuel; there was no more strength in him, for he had not eaten food all day and all night. 21 Then the woman came to Saul and realized that he was absolutely[p] terrified, so she said to him, “Look, your female servant has obeyed you,[q] and I have risked my life.[r] I have listened to your words that you have spoken to me. 22 So then, you also please listen to the voice of your female servant, and let me set before you a morsel of bread, and you eat so that you will have strength[s] in you when you go on your[t] way.” 23 But he refused and said, “I will not eat!” However, his servants urged him, and the woman also. So he listened to what they said,[u] and he got up from the ground and sat on the bed. 24 Now the woman had a fattened bull calf in the house, so she quickly slaughtered it[v] and took flour, kneaded dough, and baked him some unleavened bread. 25 She brought it before Saul and his servants, and they ate. Then they got up and went away that very night.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 1 Samuel 28:3 Or “necromancers”
- 1 Samuel 28:6 A device for revealing God’s decisions; see Exod 28:30; Num 27:21; Neh 7:65; Prov 16:33
- 1 Samuel 28:7 Literally “a woman of an owner of a spirit of the dead” (= “a woman who owns a ritual pit for summoning spirits of the dead”)
- 1 Samuel 28:8 Literally “and two of his men with him”
- 1 Samuel 28:8 Literally “the spirit of the dead”
- 1 Samuel 28:9 Or “necromancers”
- 1 Samuel 28:10 Literally “The life of Yahweh”
- 1 Samuel 28:10 Literally “guilt will not meet you”
- 1 Samuel 28:13 Or “a divine being”
- 1 Samuel 28:14 Literally “he is wrapping himself with a robe”
- 1 Samuel 28:15 Literally “Great distress is for me”
- 1 Samuel 28:15 Literally “by the hand of the prophets”
- 1 Samuel 28:18 Literally “did not listen to”
- 1 Samuel 28:18 Literally “face”
- 1 Samuel 28:20 Literally “Saul did at once and fell with the fullness of his height”
- 1 Samuel 28:21 Hebrew “very”
- 1 Samuel 28:21 Literally “has listened to your voice”
- 1 Samuel 28:21 Literally “I have put my life in my palm”
- 1 Samuel 28:22 Literally “it will be your strength”
- 1 Samuel 28:22 Hebrew “the”
- 1 Samuel 28:23 Literally “their voice”
- 1 Samuel 28:24 Literally “and she did quickly and she slaughtered it”
1 Samuel 28:3-25
New International Version
Saul and the Medium at Endor
3 Now Samuel was dead,(A) and all Israel had mourned for him and buried him in his own town of Ramah.(B) Saul had expelled(C) the mediums and spiritists(D) from the land.
4 The Philistines assembled and came and set up camp at Shunem,(E) while Saul gathered all Israel and set up camp at Gilboa.(F) 5 When Saul saw the Philistine army, he was afraid; terror(G) filled his heart. 6 He inquired(H) of the Lord, but the Lord did not answer him by dreams(I) or Urim(J) or prophets.(K) 7 Saul then said to his attendants, “Find me a woman who is a medium,(L) so I may go and inquire of her.”
“There is one in Endor,(M)” they said.
8 So Saul disguised(N) himself, putting on other clothes, and at night he and two men went to the woman. “Consult(O) a spirit for me,” he said, “and bring up for me the one I name.”
9 But the woman said to him, “Surely you know what Saul has done. He has cut off(P) the mediums and spiritists from the land. Why have you set a trap(Q) for my life to bring about my death?”
10 Saul swore to her by the Lord, “As surely as the Lord lives, you will not be punished for this.”
11 Then the woman asked, “Whom shall I bring up for you?”
“Bring up Samuel,” he said.
12 When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out at the top of her voice and said to Saul, “Why have you deceived me?(R) You are Saul!”
13 The king said to her, “Don’t be afraid. What do you see?”
The woman said, “I see a ghostly figure[a] coming up out of the earth.”(S)
14 “What does he look like?” he asked.
“An old man wearing a robe(T) is coming up,” she said.
Then Saul knew it was Samuel, and he bowed down and prostrated himself with his face to the ground.
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 departed(U) from me. He no longer answers(V) me, either by prophets or by dreams.(W) So I have called on you to tell me what to do.”
16 Samuel said, “Why do you consult me, now that the Lord has departed from you and become your enemy? 17 The Lord has done what he predicted through me. The Lord has torn(X) the kingdom out of your hands and given it to one of your neighbors—to David. 18 Because you did not obey(Y) the Lord or carry out his fierce wrath(Z) against the Amalekites,(AA) the Lord has done this to you today. 19 The Lord will deliver both Israel and you into the hands of the Philistines, and tomorrow you and your sons(AB) will be with me. The Lord will also give the army of Israel into the hands of the Philistines.”
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 all that night.
21 When the woman came to Saul and saw that he was greatly shaken, she said, “Look, your servant has obeyed you. I took my life(AC) in my hands and did what you told me to do. 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.”
23 He refused(AD) 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.
24 The woman had a fattened calf(AE) at the house, which she butchered at once. She took some flour, kneaded it and baked bread without yeast. 25 Then she set it before Saul and his men, and they ate. That same night they got up and left.
Footnotes
- 1 Samuel 28:13 Or see spirits; or see gods
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