1Samuel 28

Saul Consults a Medium

28About that time the Philistines mustered their armies for another war with Israel. King Achish told David, "You and your men will be expected to join me in battle."H3117H6430H6908H4264H6908H6635H3898H3478H397H559H1732H3045H3045H3318H4264H5822"Very well!" David agreed. "Now you will see for yourself what we can do." Then Achish told David, "I will make you my personal bodyguard for life."H1732H559H397H3651H3045H5650H6213H397H559H1732H7760H8104H7218H31173Meanwhile, Samuel had died, and all Israel had mourned for him. He was buried in Ramah, his hometown. And Saul had banned from the land of Israel all mediums and those who consult the spirits of the dead.H8050H4191H3478H5594H6912H7414H5892H7586H5493H178H3049H7764The Philistines set up their camp at Shunem, and Saul gathered all the army of Israel and camped at Gilboa.H6430H6908H935H2583H7766H7586H6908H3478H6908H2583H15335When Saul saw the vast Philistine army, he became frantic with fear.H7586H7200H4264H6430H3372H3820H3966H27296He asked the LORD what he should do, but the LORD refused to answer him, either by dreams or by sacred lots

or by the prophets.H7586H7592H3068H3068H6030H2472H224H50307Saul then said to his advisers, "Find a woman who is a medium, so I can go and ask her what to do." His advisers replied, "There is a medium at Endor."H559H7586H5650H1245H802H1172H178H3212H1875H5650H559H802H1172H178H58748So Saul disguised himself by wearing ordinary clothing instead of his royal robes. Then he went to the woman's home at night, accompanied by two of his men. "I have to talk to a man who has died," he said. "Will you call up his spirit for me?"H7586H2664H3847H312H899H3212H8147H582H935H802H3915H559H7080H178H5927H5599"Are you trying to get me killed?" the woman demanded. "You know that Saul has outlawed all the mediums and all who consult the spirits of the dead. Why are you setting a trap for me?"H802H559H3045H7586H6213H3772H178H3049H776H5367H5315H419110But Saul took an oath in the name of the LORD and promised, "As surely as the LORD lives, nothing bad will happen to you for doing this."H7586H7650H3068H559H3068H2416H518H5771H7136H169711Finally, the woman said, "Well, whose spirit do you want me to call up?" "Call up Samuel," Saul replied.H559H802H5927H559H5927H805012When the woman saw Samuel, she screamed, "You've deceived me! You are Saul!"H802H7200H8050H2199H1419H6963H802H559H7586H559H7411H758613"Don't be afraid!" the king told her. "What do you see?" "I see a god

coming up out of the earth," she said.H4428H559H3372H7200H802H559H7586H7200H430H5927H77614"What does he look like?" Saul asked. "He is an old man wrapped in a robe," she replied. Saul realized it was Samuel, and he fell to the ground before him.H559H8389H559H2205H376H5927H5844H4598H7586H3045H8050H6915H639H776H781215"Why have you disturbed me by calling me back?" Samuel asked Saul. "Because I am in deep trouble," Saul replied. "The Philistines are at war with me, and God has left me and won't reply by prophets or dreams. So I have called for you to tell me what to do."H8050H559H7586H7264H5927H7586H559H3966H6887H6430H3898H430H5493H6030H3027H5030H2472H7121H3045H621316But Samuel replied, "Why ask me, since the LORD has left you and has become your enemy?H559H8050H7592H3068H5493H614517The LORD has done just as he said he would. He has torn the kingdom from you and given it to your rival, David.H3068H6213H1696H3027H3068H7167H4467H3027H5414H7453H173218The LORD has done this to you today because you refused to carry out his fierce anger against the Amalekites.H834H8085H6963H3068H6213H2740H639H6002H3068H6213H1697H311719What's more, the LORD will hand you and the army of Israel over to the Philistines tomorrow, and you and your sons will be here with me. The LORD will bring down the entire army of Israel in defeat."H3068H5414H3478H3027H6430H4279H1121H3068H5414H4264H3478H3027H643020Saul fell full length on the ground, paralyzed with fright because of Samuel's words. He was also faint with hunger, for he had eaten nothing all day and all night.H7586H5307H4116H4393H6967H776H3966H3372H1697H8050H3581H398H3899H3117H391521When the woman saw how distraught he was, she said, "Sir, I obeyed your command at the risk of my life.H802H935H7586H7200H3966H926H559H8198H8085H6963H7760H5315H3709H8085H1697H169622Now do what I say, and let me give you a little something to eat so you can regain your strength for the trip back."H8085H6963H8198H7760H6595H3899H6440H398H3581H3212H187023But Saul refused to eat anything. Then his advisers joined the woman in urging him to eat, so he finally yielded and got up from the ground and sat on the couch.H3985H559H398H5650H802H6555H8085H6963H6965H776H3427H429624The woman had been fattening a calf, so she hurried out and killed it. She took some flour, kneaded it into dough and baked unleavened bread.H802H4770H5695H1004H4116H2076H3947H7058H3888H644H468225She brought the meal to Saul and his advisers, and they ate it. Then they went out into the night.H5066H6440H7586H6440H5650H398H6965H3212H3915