1 Samuel 28

¹In those days the Philistines brought their forces together for war, to fight against Israel. Achish told David, “Understand this clearly: you and your men are going out to battle with me, in my army.” ²David answered Achish, “Very well, you will see for yourself what your servant will do.” Achish said to David, “Very well, I will make you my bodyguard for life.”

Saul and the medium at Endor

³Now Samuel was dead. All Israel had mourned for him, and they had buried him in Ramah, his own town. And Saul had removed the mediums and the spiritists from the land. ⁴The Philistines assembled and came and camped at Shunem, and Saul gathered all Israel, and they camped at Gilboa. ⁵When Saul saw the Philistine army, he was afraid, and his heart shook violently. ⁶Saul inquired of the LORD, but the LORD did not answer him, whether by dreams or by the Urim or by prophets. ⁷Saul told his servants, “Look for a woman who is a medium, so that I may go and inquire through her.” His servants answered him, “There is a woman at Endor who is a medium.” ⁸So Saul disguised himself by putting on other clothes, and he set out with two men. They came to the woman at night, and he said, “Please consult the spirit for me, and bring up for me the one I name to you.” ⁹But the woman said to him, “Surely you know what Saul has done, how he has cut off the mediums and the spiritists from the land. Why then are you setting a trap for my life, to get me killed?” ¹⁰Saul gave her his oath by the LORD: “As surely as the LORD lives, no punishment will come on you for this.” ¹¹Then the woman asked, “Whom should I bring up for you?” He said, “Bring up Samuel for me.” ¹²When the woman saw Samuel, she screamed, and she said to Saul, “Why have you deceived me? You are Saul!”^{a 13}The king told her, “Do not be afraid. What are you seeing?” The woman answered Saul, “I see a divine being coming up out of the ground.”^{b 14}He asked her, “What does he look like?” She said, “An old man is coming up, and he is wrapped in a robe.” Then Saul knew that it was Samuel. He bowed low, face to the ground, and lay down before him.

Samuel’s word to Saul

¹⁵Samuel asked Saul, “Why have you disturbed me and brought me up?” Saul answered, “I am in deep trouble. The Philistines are making war on me, and God has turned away from me and answers me no longer, whether through the prophets or in dreams. That is why I have called on you, so that you can tell me what I ought to do.”

¹⁶Samuel said, “Why do you ask me, then, when the LORD has turned away from you and become your enemy?^{c 17}The LORD has done for himself exactly what he said through me. The LORD has torn the kingdom from your hand and given it to your neighbor, to David.^{d 18}Because you did not obey the LORD and did not carry out his fierce anger against Amalek, the LORD has done this to you today. ¹⁹The LORD will also hand Israel over to the Philistines along with you. Tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. The LORD will hand the army of Israel over to the Philistines as well.” ²⁰At once Saul fell full length on the ground, terrified by Samuel’s words. There was no strength left in him, because he had eaten nothing all that day and all that night. ²¹The woman came to Saul and saw that he was badly shaken, and she said to him, “Look, your servant has done what you asked. I took my life in my hands and did what you told me. ²²So now, please, listen to your servant in turn. Let me set a little food in front of you. Eat it, so that you will have strength when you go on your way.” ²³He refused and said, “I will not eat.” But his servants joined the woman in pressing him, and he listened to them. He got up from the ground and sat on the couch. ²⁴The woman had a fattened calf in the house, and she quickly slaughtered it. She took flour, kneaded it, and baked bread without yeast. ²⁵She set it before Saul and his servants, and they ate. Then they got up and left that same night.