1 Samuel 28
A King Who Asked the Dead Because God Was Silent
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The Foreigners Gather for War
28:1In those days the foreigners gathered in their camps to go out and fight with Israel. Achish said to David, “Know for certain that you will go out with me to war, you and your men.”
28:2David said to Achish, “So now you will know what your servant will do.” Achish said to David, “So I will make you chief bodyguard all the days.”
Saul Seeks a Woman with a Familiar Spirit
28:3Samuel had died, and all Israel had mourned him and buried him at Armathaim, in his city. Saul had removed the ventriloquists and the knowers from the land.
28:4The foreigners gathered, came, and camped at Soman. Saul gathered every man of Israel, and they camped at Gilboa.
28:5Saul saw the foreigners’ camp and was afraid, and his heart was greatly astounded.
28:6Saul inquired through the Lord, but the Lord did not answer him by dreams, by clear signs, or by prophets.
28:7Saul said to his servants, “Find me a woman who is a ventriloquist, so that I may go to her and inquire through her.” His servants said to him, “There is a woman who is a ventriloquist at Endor.”
28:8Saul concealed himself, put on other garments, and went, with two men beside him. They came to the woman by night. He said to her, “Please divine for me through the ventriloquist and bring up for me the one I name to you.”
28:9The woman said to him, “Look, you know what Saul has done, how he destroyed the ventriloquists and the knowers from the land. Why are you laying a snare for my soul, to put it to death?”
28:10Saul swore to her, saying, “As the Lord lives, no wrong shall come upon you in this matter.”
Samuel Brought Up
28:11The woman said, “Whom shall I bring up for you?” He said, “Bring up Samuel for me.”
28:12The woman saw Samuel and cried out with a loud voice. The woman said to Saul, “Why have you deceived me? You are Saul!”
28:13The king said to her, “Do not fear. Tell me whom you have seen.” She said to him, “I have seen gods coming up from the earth.”
28:14He said to her, “What did you perceive?” She said to him, “A man standing upright is coming up from the earth, wrapped in a double cloak.” Saul knew that this was Samuel, and he bent with his face to the ground and bowed to him.
28:15Samuel said, “Why have you troubled me, that I should come up?” Saul said, “I am greatly afflicted. The foreigners are fighting against me, and God has departed from me and no longer listens to me, either through the prophets or by dreams. Now I have called you to make known to me what I should do.”
28:16Samuel said, “Why do you inquire of me, when the Lord has departed from you and has come to be with your neighbor?
28:17The Lord has done to you as He spoke by my hand. The Lord will tear your kingdom from your hand and give it to your neighbor David.
28:18Because you did not listen to the Lord’s voice and did not carry out His furious anger against Amalek, the Lord has done this thing to you this day.
28:19The Lord will hand Israel with you into the foreigners’ hands. Tomorrow you and your sons with you will fall. The Lord will give Israel’s camp into the foreigners’ hands.”
Saul Is Given Food
28:20Saul hurried and fell from his standing position to the ground. He was greatly afraid because of Samuel’s words. No strength remained in him, for he had eaten no bread all the day and all that night.
28:21The woman came in to Saul and saw that he had hurried greatly. She said to him, “Look, your female servant listened to your voice. I put my soul in my hand and listened to the words you spoke to me.
28:22Now please listen to your female servant’s voice. I will set a morsel of bread before you. Eat, and you will have strength, for you will go on your way.”
28:23He was unwilling to eat. His servants and the woman urged him, and he listened to their voice. He rose from the ground and sat on the seat.
28:24The woman had a grazing heifer in the house. She hurried and slaughtered it, took flour, kneaded it, and baked unleavened cakes.
28:25She brought the food before Saul and his servants, and they ate. They rose and went away that night.
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Saints Translation · Liturgical reading edition · V1 · working draft awaiting specialist review.