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1 Samuel 28
1599 Geneva Bible
1 Samuel 28
1599 Geneva Bible
28 1 David hath the chief charge promised about Achish. 8 Saul consulteth with a witch, and she causeth him to speak with Samuel, 18 Who declareth his ruin.
1 Now at that time the Philistines assembled their bands and army to fight with Israel: therefore Achish said to David, [a]Be sure, thou shalt go out with me to the battle, thou, and thy men.
2 And David said to Achish, Surely thou shalt know what thy servant can do. And Achish said to David, Surely I will make thee keeper of mine head forever.
3 ((A)Samuel was then dead, and all Israel had lamented him, and buried him in Ramah his own city: and Saul had [b]put away the sorcerers, and the Soothsayers out of the land.)
4 Then the Philistines assembled themselves, and came and pitched in Shunem: and Saul assembled all Israel, and they pitched in Gilboa.
5 And when Saul saw the host of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart was sore astonied.
6 Therefore Saul asked counsel of the Lord, and the Lord answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by [c]Urim, nor yet by Prophets.
7 ¶ Then said Saul unto his servants, Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and ask of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman at En Dor that hath a familiar spirit.
8 Then Saul [d]changed himself, and put on other raiment, and he went, and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night: and he said, I pray thee, conjecture unto me by the familiar spirit, and bring me him up whom I shall name unto thee.
9 And the woman said unto him, Behold, thou knowest what Saul hath done, how he hath destroyed the sorcerers, and the soothsayers out of the land: wherefore then seekest thou to take me in a snare to cause me to die?
10 And Saul swore to her by the Lord, saying, As the Lord liveth, no [e]harm shall come to thee for this thing.
11 Then said the woman, Whom shall I bring up unto thee? And he answered, Bring me up [f]Samuel.
12 And when the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice, and the woman spake to Saul, saying, Why hast thou deceived me? for thou art Saul.
13 And the king said unto her, Be not afraid: for what sawest thou? And the woman said unto Saul, I saw [g]gods ascending up out of the earth.
14 Then he said unto her, What fashion is he of? And she answered, An old man cometh up lapped in a mantel: and Saul knew that it was [h]Samuel, and he inclined his face to the ground, and bowed himself.
15 ¶ And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up? Then Saul answered, I am in great distress: for the Philistines make war against me, and God is departed from me, and answereth me no more, neither [i]by Prophets, neither by dreams: therefore I have called thee, that thou mayest tell me, what I shall do.
16 Then said Samuel, Wherefore then dost thou ask of me, seeing, the Lord is gone from thee, and is thine enemy?
17 Even the Lord hath done to [j]him, as he spake (B)by mine [k]hand: for the Lord will rent the kingdom out of thine hand, and give it thy neighbor David.
18 Because thou obeyedst not the voice of the Lord, nor executedst his fierce wrath upon the Amalekites, therefore hath the Lord done this unto thee this day.
19 Moreover the Lord will deliver Israel with thee into the hands of the Philistines: [l]and tomorrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me, and the Lord shall give the host of Israel into the hands of the Philistines.
20 Then Saul fell straightway all along on the earth, and was sore [m]afraid because of the words of Samuel, so that there was no strength in him: for he had eaten no bread all the day nor all the night.
21 Then the woman came unto Saul, and saw that he was sore troubled, and said unto him, See, thine handmaid hath obeyed thy voice, and I [n]have put my soul in mine hand, and have obeyed thy words which thou saidest unto me.
22 Now therefore, I pray thee, hearken thou also unto the voice of thine handmaid, and let me set a morsel of bread before thee, that thou mayest eat and get thee strength, and go on thy journey.
23 But he refused and said, I will not eat: but his servants and the woman together compelled him, and he obeyed their voice: so he arose from the earth, and sat on the bed.
24 Now the woman had a fat calf in the house, and she hasted, and killed it, and took flour, and kneaded it, and baked of it [o]unleavened bread.
25 Then she brought them before Saul, and before his servants: and when they had eaten, they stood up, and went away the same night.
Footnotes
- 1 Samuel 28:1 Albeit it was a great grief to David to fight against the people of God, yet such was his infirmity, he durst not deny him.
- 1 Samuel 28:3 According to the commandment of God, Exod. 22:18 and Deut. 18:10, 11.
- 1 Samuel 28:6 Meaning, the high Priest, Exod. 28:30.
- 1 Samuel 28:8 He seeketh not to God in his misery, but is let by Satan to unlawful means, which in his conscience he condemneth.
- 1 Samuel 28:10 Or, punishment.
- 1 Samuel 28:11 He speaketh according to his gross ignorance, not considering the state of the Saints after this life, and how Satan hath no power over them.
- 1 Samuel 28:13 Or, an excellent person.
- 1 Samuel 28:14 To his imagination, albeit it was Satan, who to blind his eyes took upon him the form of Samuel, as he can do of an Angel of light.
- 1 Samuel 28:15 Hebrew, by the hand of Prophets.
- 1 Samuel 28:17 That is, to David.
- 1 Samuel 28:17 Or, ministry.
- 1 Samuel 28:19 Ye shall be dead, 1 Sam. 31:6.
- 1 Samuel 28:20 The wicked when they hear God’s judgments, tremble and despair, but cannot seek for mercy by repentance.
- 1 Samuel 28:21 I have ventured my life.
- 1 Samuel 28:24 Because it required haste.
1 Samuel 28
New International Version
1 Samuel 28
New International Version
28 In those days the Philistines gathered(A) 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(B) for life.”
Saul and the Medium at Endor
3 Now Samuel was dead,(C) and all Israel had mourned for him and buried him in his own town of Ramah.(D) Saul had expelled(E) the mediums and spiritists(F) from the land.
4 The Philistines assembled and came and set up camp at Shunem,(G) while Saul gathered all Israel and set up camp at Gilboa.(H) 5 When Saul saw the Philistine army, he was afraid; terror(I) filled his heart. 6 He inquired(J) of the Lord, but the Lord did not answer him by dreams(K) or Urim(L) or prophets.(M) 7 Saul then said to his attendants, “Find me a woman who is a medium,(N) so I may go and inquire of her.”
“There is one in Endor,(O)” they said.
8 So Saul disguised(P) himself, putting on other clothes, and at night he and two men went to the woman. “Consult(Q) 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(R) the mediums and spiritists from the land. Why have you set a trap(S) 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?(T) 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[a] coming up out of the earth.”(U)
14 “What does he look like?” he asked.
“An old man wearing a robe(V) 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(W) from me. He no longer answers(X) me, either by prophets or by dreams.(Y) 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(Z) the kingdom out of your hands and given it to one of your neighbors—to David. 18 Because you did not obey(AA) the Lord or carry out his fierce wrath(AB) against the Amalekites,(AC) 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(AD) 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(AE) 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(AF) 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(AG) 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.
Footnotes
- 1 Samuel 28:13 Or see spirits; or see gods
1599 Geneva Bible (GNV) 
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New International Version (NIV) 
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