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28 And it came to pass in those yamim, that the Pelishtim gathered their machanot together for tzava (warfare), to fight with Yisroel. And Achish said unto Dovid, Know thou assuredly, that thou shalt go out with me to machaneh, thou and thy anashim.

And Dovid said to Achish, Surely thou shalt know what thy eved will do. And Achish said to Dovid, Therefore will I make thee my shomer rosh (head bodyguard) kol hayamim.

Now Shmuel was dead, and kol Yisroel had mourned him, and buried him in Ramah, even in his own town. And Sha’ul had deported the ovot (mediums, those with familiar spirits), and the yidonim (spiritists) from HaAretz.

And the Pelishtim gathered themselves together, and came and encamped in Shunem; and Sha’ul gathered kol Yisroel together, and they encamped in Gilboa.

And when Sha’ul saw the machaneh of the Pelishtim, he was afraid, and his lev greatly trembled.

And when Sha’ul inquired of Hashem, Hashem answered him not, neither by chalomot (dreams), nor by Urim, nor by nevi’im.

Then said Sha’ul unto his avadim, Seek me an isha that is a ba’alat ov (medium, a person with a familiar spirit), that I may go to her, and inquire of her. And his avadim said to him, Hinei, there is an eshet ba’alat ov at Ein-Dor.

And Sha’ul disguised himself, and put on begadim acherim, and he went, and two anashim with him, and they came to the isha by lailah; and he said, divine for me by the ov (familiar spirit), and bring him up for me, whom I shall name unto thee.

And the isha said unto him, Hinei, thou knowest what Sha’ul hath done, how he hath cut off the ovot (mediums, those with familiar spirits), and the yidoni (spiritist) from HaAretz; why then layest thou a snare for my nefesh, to cause me to die?

10 And Sha’ul vowed to her by Hashem, saying, As Hashem liveth, there shall no avon (punishment) happen to thee for this thing.

11 Then said the isha, Whom shall I bring up for thee? And he said, Bring up Shmuel for me.

12 And when the isha saw Shmuel, she cried with a kol gadol (loud voice); and the isha spoke to Sha’ul, saying, Why hast thou deceived me? For thou art Sha’ul.

13 And HaMelech said unto her, Be not afraid: for what sawest thou? And the isha said unto Sha’ul, I see elohim olim (spirits, ones ascending, a spirit ascending) from HaAretz.

14 And he said unto her, Of what form is he? And she said, An ish zaken cometh up; and he is wearing a me’il (robe). And Sha’ul had da’as that it was Shmuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground, and prostrated himself.

15 And Shmuel said to Sha’ul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up? And Sha’ul answered, I am greatly distressed; for the Pelishtim make war against me, and Elohim has turned away from me, and answereth me no more, neither by nevi’im, nor by chalomot (dreams): therefore I have called on thee, that thou mayest make known unto me what I should do.

16 Then said Shmuel, Why then dost thou ask of me, seeing Hashem is turned away from thee, and is become thine adversary?

17 And Hashem hath done for Himself just as He spoke by me; for Hashem hath torn the Mamlachah out of thine yad, and given it to thy re’a (neighbor), even to Dovid:

18 Because thou obeyedst not the kol (voice) of Hashem, nor executedst His charon af upon Amalek, therefore hath Hashem done this thing unto thee this day.

19 Moreover Hashem will also deliver Yisroel with thee into the yad (hand, power) of the Pelishtim; and makhar (tomorrow) shalt thou and thy banim be with me; Hashem also shall deliver the machaneh Yisroel into the yad Pelishtim.

20 Then at once Sha’ul fell his full length on the ground, and was greatly afraid, because of the divrei Shmuel; and there was no ko’ach in him; for he had eaten no lechem all the yom, nor all the lailah.

21 And the isha came unto Sha’ul, and saw that he was greatly terrified, and said unto him, Hinei, thine shifcha hath obeyed thy voice, and I have put my nefesh in my palm, and have paid heed unto thy devarim which thou spoke unto me.

22 Now therefore, shema (pay heed) thou now also unto the voice of thine shifcha, and let me set some lechem before thee; and eat, that thou mayest have ko’ach, when thou goest on thy derech.

23 But he refused, and said, I will not eat. But his avadim, together with the isha, urged him; and he paid heed unto their voice. So he arose from ha’aretz, and sat upon the mittah (bed).

24 And the isha had a fattened egel in the bais; and she hasted, and slaughtered it, and took kemakh (flour), and kneaded it, and did bake matzot thereof;

25 And she brought it before Sha’ul, and before his avadim; and they did eat. Then they rose up, and went away that lailah.

Saul Consults a Medium

28 Now (A)it happened in those days that the Philistines gathered their armies together for war, to fight with Israel. And Achish said to David, “You assuredly know that you will go out with me to battle, you and your men.”

So David said to Achish, “Surely you know what your servant can do.”

And Achish said to David, “Therefore I will make you one of my chief guardians forever.”

Saul Consults a Medium(B)

Now (C)Samuel had died, and all Israel had lamented for him and buried him in (D)Ramah, in his own city. And Saul had put (E)the mediums and the spiritists out of the land.

Then the Philistines gathered together, and came and encamped at (F)Shunem. So Saul gathered all Israel together, and they encamped at (G)Gilboa. When Saul saw the army of the Philistines, he was (H)afraid, and his heart trembled greatly. And when Saul inquired of the Lord, (I)the Lord did not answer him, either by (J)dreams or (K)by Urim or by the prophets.

Then Saul said to his servants, “Find me a woman who is a medium, (L)that I may go to her and inquire of her.”

And his servants said to him, “In fact, there is a woman who is a medium at En Dor.”

So Saul disguised himself and put on other clothes, and he went, and two men with him; and they came to the woman by night. And (M)he said, “Please conduct a séance for me, and bring up for me the one I shall name to you.”

Then the woman said to him, “Look, you know what Saul has done, how he has (N)cut off the mediums and the spiritists from the land. Why then do you lay a snare for my life, to cause me to die?”

10 And Saul swore to her by the Lord, saying, “As the Lord lives, no punishment shall come upon you for this thing.”

11 Then the woman said, “Whom shall I bring up for you?”

And he said, “Bring up Samuel for me.”

12 When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out with a loud voice. And the woman spoke to Saul, saying, “Why have you deceived me? For you are Saul!”

13 And the king said to her, “Do not be afraid. What did you see?”

And the woman said to Saul, “I saw (O)a[a] spirit ascending out of the earth.”

14 So he said to her, “What is his form?”

And she said, “An old man is coming up, and he is covered with (P)a mantle.” And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he stooped with his face to the ground and bowed down.

15 Now Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you (Q)disturbed me by bringing me up?”

And Saul answered, “I am deeply distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and (R)God has departed from me and (S)does not answer me anymore, neither by prophets nor by dreams. Therefore I have called you, that you may reveal to me what I should do.”

16 Then Samuel said: “So why do you ask me, seeing the Lord has departed from you and has become your enemy? 17 And the Lord has done for [b]Himself (T)as He spoke by me. For the Lord has torn the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbor, David. 18 (U)Because you did not obey the voice of the Lord nor execute His fierce wrath upon (V)Amalek, therefore the Lord has done this thing to you this day. 19 Moreover the Lord will also deliver Israel with you into the hand of the Philistines. And tomorrow you and your sons will be with (W)me. The Lord will also deliver the army of Israel into the hand of the Philistines.”

20 Immediately Saul fell full length on the ground, and was dreadfully afraid because of the words of Samuel. And there was no strength in him, for he had eaten no food all day or all night.

21 And the woman came to Saul and saw that he was severely troubled, and said to him, “Look, your maidservant has obeyed your voice, and I have (X)put my life in my hands and heeded the words which you spoke to me. 22 Now therefore, please, heed also the voice of your maidservant, and let me set a piece of bread before you; and eat, that you may have strength when you go on your way.”

23 But he refused and said, “I will not eat.”

So his servants, together with the woman, urged him; and he heeded their voice. Then he arose from the ground and sat on the bed. 24 Now the woman had a fatted calf in the house, and she hastened to kill it. And she took flour and kneaded it, and baked unleavened bread from it. 25 So she brought it before Saul and his servants, and they ate. Then they rose and went away that night.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 28:13 Heb. elohim
  2. 1 Samuel 28:17 Or him, i.e., David