1 Samuel 28:1-25
Saul and the Medium
1 In those days the Philistines gathered their forces to fight against Israel. Achish said to David, “You must understand that you and your men will accompany me in the army.”
2 David said, “Then you will see for yourself what your servant can do.”
Achish replied, “Very well, I will make you my bodyguard for life.”
3 Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had mourned for him and buried him in his own town of Ramah. Saul had expelled the mediums and spiritists from the land.
4 The Philistines assembled and came and set up camp at Shunem, while Saul gathered all Israel and set up camp at Gilboa. 5 When Saul saw the Philistine army, he was afraid; terror filled his heart. 6 He inquired of the Lord, but the Lord did not answer him by dreams or Urim or prophets. 7 Saul then said to his attendants, “Find me a woman who is a medium, so I may go and inquire of her.”
“There is one in Endor,” they said.
8 So Saul disguised himself, putting on other clothes, and at night he and two men went to the woman. “Consult 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 the mediums and spiritists from the land. Why have you set a trap 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? 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 coming up out of the earth.”
14 “What does he look like?” he asked.
“An old man wearing a robe 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 from me. He no longer answers me, either by prophets or by dreams. 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 the kingdom out of your hands and given it to one of your neighbors—to David. 18 Because you did not obey the Lord or carry out his fierce wrath against the Amalekites, 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 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 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 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 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.
Later, the Philistines gathered their armies to fight against Israel...Achish said to David, “Do you understand that you and your men must go with me to fight against Israel?”...David answered, “Certainly, then you can see for yourself what I can do.”...Achish said, “Fine, I will make you my permanent bodyguard.”...
After Samuel died, all the Israelites mourned for him and buried him in Ramah, his hometown...Saul had removed the mediums and fortunetellers from Israel...The Philistines prepared for war...They came to Shunem and made their camp at that place...Saul gathered all the Israelites together and made his camp at Gilboa...Saul saw the Philistine army, and he was afraid...His heart pounded with fear...He prayed to the LORD, but the LORD did not answer him...God did not talk to Saul in dreams...God did not use the Urim to give him an answer, and God did not use prophets to speak to Saul...Finally, Saul said to his officers, “Find me a woman who is a medium...Then I can go ask her what will happen.”...His officers answered, “There is a medium at Endor.”...That night, Saul put on different clothes so that no one would know who he was...Then Saul and two of his men went to see the woman...Saul said to her, “I want you to bring up a ghost who can tell me what will happen in the future...You must call for the ghost of the person I name.”...But the woman said to him, “You know that Saul forced all the mediums and fortunetellers to leave the land of Israel...You are trying to trap me and kill me.”...Saul used the LORD’s name to make a promise to the woman...He said, “As surely as the LORD lives, you won’t be punished for doing this.”...The woman asked, “Who do you want me to bring up for you?”...Saul answered, “Bring up Samuel.”...And it happened—the woman saw Samuel and screamed...She said to Saul, “You tricked me!...You are Saul.”...The king said to the woman, “Don’t be afraid!...What do you see?”...The woman said, “I see a spirit coming up out of the ground.”...Saul asked, “What does he look like?”...The woman answered, “He looks like an old man wearing a special robe.”...Then Saul knew it was Samuel, and he bowed down...His face touched the ground...Samuel said to Saul, “Why did you bother me?...Why did you bring me up?”...Saul answered, “I am in trouble!...The Philistines have come to fight me, and God has left me...God won’t answer me anymore...He won’t use prophets or dreams to answer me, so I called you...I want you to tell me what to do.”...Samuel said, “The LORD left you and is now your enemy, so why are you asking me for advice?...The LORD used me to tell you what He would do, and now he is doing what he said He would do...He is tearing the kingdom out of your hands and giving it to your neighbor, David...The LORD was angry with the Amalekites and told you to destroy them...But you did not obey Him...That’s why the LORD is doing this to you today...The LORD will let the Philistines defeat you and the army of Israel today...Tomorrow, you and your sons will be here with me.”...
Saul quickly fell to the ground and lay stretched out there...Saul was afraid because of what Samuel said...Saul was also very weak because he had not eaten any food all that day and night...The woman came over to Saul and saw how afraid he was...She said, “Look, I am your servant...I have obeyed you...I risked my life and did what you told me to do...Please, listen to me...You need to eat...Let me get you some food...Then you will have enough strength to go on your way.”...But Saul refused. He said, “I won’t eat.”...Saul’s officers joined the woman and begged him to eat...Finally, Saul listened to them...He got up from the ground and sat on the bed...The woman had a calf that she had been fattening...She quickly killed the calf...She took some flour and pressed it with her hands...Then she baked some bread without yeast...The woman put the food before Saul and his officers and they ate...Then they got up and left during the night...