1 Samuel 28

During the time when David was living near Gath, the people of Philistia gathered their army to attack the Israelites. King Achish told David, “You must understand that you and your men have to join my men to attack the Israelites.”

David replied, “We will go with you, and then you will see for yourself how well we will fight for you!” Achish told him, “Very well, I will make you my personal bodyguard from now on.” \*

By this time, Samuel had died, and the Israelite people had mourned for him. Then they had buried him in Ramah, his hometown. Also, before this, Saul had forbidden anyone in Israel to try to contact people who had died or to try to talk to spirits that could tell them things that people otherwise could not know.

The Philistines assembled their troops and marched into Israel and set up their tents near the city of Shunem. Saul gathered the Israelite army, and they set up their tents at Gilboa. \*

When Saul saw how many Philistine soldiers had come to attack the Israelites, he became so afraid that his heart pounded.

Saul asked God to help him know how he should fight against the Philistines, but God did not answer him. He did not give Saul any special dream. The priest got no answer for him by drawing a stone from his sacred pouch. God did not give any prophet a message for Saul.

Then Saul told his officials, “Find for me a woman who owns a pit that she uses to contact people who have died. That way I can go to her and ask her to contact a dead person who can give me advice.” One of his officials replied, “There is a woman in the town of Endor who owns that kind of pit.” \*

So that the woman would not know he was the king, Saul took off his royal robes and put on ordinary clothes. Then he and two of his men went during the night to speak with that woman. Saul told her, “I will tell you the name of a dead person. I want you to use your pit to cause that person’s spirit to appear so that I can speak with him.”

But the woman replied, “Certainly you know what Saul has done. He has forbidden anyone in Israel to try to contact people who have died or to try to talk to spirits that can tell them things that people otherwise cannot know. You should not be putting me in danger by asking me to do this. People would execute me if they found out that I had done it.”

In response, Saul made her a sacred promise. He said, “I swear by God, if you do what I ask, no one will punish you.” \*

So the woman asked, “Whom do you want me to make appear?” Saul replied, “Make Samuel appear.”

{So she did that. But} when the woman saw Samuel, she screamed. She said, “You have tricked me! You are Saul! {You will execute me for doing this!}” \*

Saul said to her, “Do not be afraid{, I am not going to execute you}. But tell me what you see.” The woman said, “I see a spirit being coming up out of the ground.”

Saul said, “What does he look like?” The woman replied, “An old man wearing a robe is appearing.” Then Saul knew that it was Samuel. To honor him, Saul humbly bowed down with his face touching the ground. \*

Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you bothered me by bringing me back to earth from the place where dead people go?” Saul said, “I am in great danger. The Philistine army is about to attack my army, but God is no longer helping me. He no longer tells me what I should do by giving a message for me to any prophet or by giving me a dream. That is why wanted to speak with you. I want you tell me what I should do!” \*

Samuel said, “Since God himself is no longer helping you and has become your enemy, you should not ask me what you should do!

He had me prophesy earlier about what he would do, and now God is doing just what I said. He has decided that you will no longer be the king of Israel. Another Israelite will be the king instead of you—David. \*

The Amalekites made God very angry. He told you to punish them for him by destroying them completely. But you did not obey him. That is why he is now not telling you how to fight against the Philistines.

God will also enable the Philistine army to defeat you and all the other Israelite soldiers. By tomorrow you and your sons will be with me in the place where dead people go. Yes, God will enable the Philistine army to defeat the entire Israelite army.” \*

{After Samuel said that, he disappeared.} Saul had been standing up, but he immediately fell flat on the ground. He was very afraid because of what Samuel had told him. He was also very weak because he had not eaten anything all that day and night.

The woman came over to Saul and saw how very scared he was. She said to him, “Listen to me! I have done what you asked me to do. Because I did that, you could tell someone to execute me. \*

Since I did what you asked, please now do what I ask. Please let me serve you some food to eat. That way you will get enough strength back to return to your army.”

But Saul refused. He said, “No, I will not eat anything.” But the men who had come with Saul urged him to eat something, and the woman did too, and finally he agreed. He got up from the ground and sat on a couch against the wall. \*

The woman kept a calf in a stall near her house. She quickly slaughtered it and cooked it. She also took some flour and mixed it with olive oil and baked it, without adding any leaven, to make a flat loaf of bread.

She served the food to Saul and his men, and they ate it. Then, that same night, they got up and left. \*