The Philistines Gather against Israel 1 DRA And it came to pass in those days, that the Philistines gathered together their armies to be prepared for war against Israel: and Achis said to David: Know thou now assuredly, that thou shalt go out with me to the war, thou, and thy men. BSB BSB: Now in those days the Philistines gathered their forces for warfare against Israel. So Achish said to David, “You must understand that you and your men are to go out to battle with me.”
2 DRA And David said to Achis: Now thou shalt know what thy servant will do. And Achis said to David: And I will appoint thee to guard my life for ever. BSB BSB: David replied, “Then you will come to know what your servant can do.” “Very well,” said Achish. “I will make you my bodyguard for life.”
3 DRA Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel mourned for him, and buried him in Ramatha his city. And Saul had put away all the magicians and soothsayers out of the land. BSB BSB: Now by this time Samuel had died, and all Israel had mourned for him and buried him in Ramah, his own city. And Saul had removed the mediums and spiritists from the land.
4 DRA And the Philistines were gathered together, and came and camped in Sunam: and Saul also gathered together all Israel, and came to Gelboe. BSB BSB: The Philistines gathered together and camped at Shunem, while Saul gathered all Israel and camped at Gilboa.
5 DRA And Saul saw the army of the Plilistines, and was afraid, and his heart was very much dismayed. BSB BSB: When Saul saw the Philistine army, he was afraid and trembled violently.
6 DRA And he consulted the Lord, and he answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by priests, nor by prophets. BSB BSB: He inquired of the LORD, but the LORD did not answer him by dreams or Urim or prophets.
Saul and the Medium of Endor 7 DRA And Saul said to his servants: Seek me a woman that hath a divining spirit, and I will go to her, and inquire by her. And his servants said to him: There is a woman that hath a divining spirit at Endor. BSB BSB: Then Saul said to his servants, “Find me a woman who is a medium, so I can go and consult her.” “There is a medium at Endor,” his servants replied.
8 DRA Then he disguised himself: and put on other clothes, and he went, and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night, and he said to her: Divine to me by thy divining spirit, and bring me up him whom I shall tell thee. BSB BSB: So Saul disguised himself by putting on different clothes, and he set out with two of his men. They came to the woman at night, and Saul said, “Consult a spirit for me. Bring up for me the one I name.”
9 DRA And the woman said to him: Behold thou knowest all that Saul hath done, and how he hath rooted out the magicians and soothsayers from the land: why then dost thou lay a snare for my life, to cause me to be put to death? BSB BSB: But the woman replied, “Surely you know what Saul has done, how he has killed the mediums and spiritists in the land. Why have you set a trap to get me killed?”
10 DRA And Saul swore unto her by the Lord, saying: As the Lord liveth there shall no evil happen to thee for this thing. BSB BSB: Then Saul swore to her by the LORD: “As surely as the LORD lives, no punishment shall come upon you for this.”
11 DRA And the woman said to him: Whom shall I bring up to thee? And he said, Bring me up Samuel. BSB BSB: “Whom shall I bring up for you?” the woman asked. “Bring up Samuel,” he replied.
12 DRA And when the woman saw Samuel, she cried out with a loud voice, and said to Saul: Why hast thou deceived me? for thou art Saul. BSB BSB: But when the woman saw Samuel, she cried out in a loud voice and said to Saul, “Why have you deceived me? You are Saul!”
13 DRA And the king said to her: Fear not: what hast thou seen? And the woman said to Saul: I saw gods ascending out of the earth. BSB BSB: “Do not be afraid,” the king replied. “What do you see?” “I see a god coming up out of the earth,” the woman answered.
14 DRA And he said to her: What form is he of? And she said: An old man cometh up, and he is covered with a mantle. And Saul understood that it was Samuel, and he bowed himself with his face to the ground, and adored. BSB BSB: “What does he look like?” asked Saul. “An old man is coming up,” she replied. “And he is wearing a robe.” So Saul knew that it was Samuel, and he bowed facedown in reverence.
15 DRA And Samuel said to Saul: Why hast thou disturbed my rest, that I should be brought up? And Saul said, I am in great distress: for the Philistines fight against me, and God is departed from me, and would not hear me, neither by the hand of prophets, nor by dreams: therefore I have called thee, that thou mayest shew me what I shall do. BSB BSB: Then Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?” “I am deeply distressed,” replied Saul. “The Philistines are fighting against me, and God has turned away 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 DRA And Samuel said: Why askest thou me, seeing the Lord has departed from thee, and is gone over to thy rival: BSB BSB: “Why do you consult me,” asked Samuel, “since the LORD has turned away from you and become your enemy?
17 DRA For the Lord will do to thee as he spoke by me, and he will rend thy kingdom out of thy hand, and will give it to thy neighbour David: BSB BSB: He has done exactly what He spoke through me: The LORD has torn the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbor David.
18 DRA Because thou didst not obey the voice of the Lord, neither didst thou execute the wrath of his indignation upon Amalec. Therefore hath the Lord done to thee what thou sufferest this day. BSB BSB: Because you did not obey the LORD or carry out His burning anger against Amalek, the LORD has done this to you today.
19 DRA And the Lord also will deliver Israel with thee into the hands of the Philistines: and tomorrow thou and thy sons shall be with me: and the Lord will also deliver the army of Israel into the hands of the Philistines. BSB BSB: Moreover, the LORD will deliver Israel with you into the hand of the Philistines, and tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. And the LORD will deliver the army of Israel into the hand of the Philistines.”
20 DRA And forthwith Saul fell all along on the ground, for he was frightened with the words of Samuel, and there was no strength in him, for he had eaten no bread all that day. BSB BSB: Immediately Saul fell flat on the ground, terrified by the words of Samuel. And his strength was gone, because he had not eaten anything all that day and night.
21 DRA And the woman came to Saul (for he was very much troubled) and said to him: Behold thy handmaid hath obeyed thy voice, and I have put my life in my hand: and I hearkened unto the words which thou spokest to me. BSB BSB: When the woman came to Saul and saw how distraught he was, she said to him, “Look, your maidservant has obeyed your voice. I took my life in my hands and did as you told me.
22 DRA Now therefore hear thou also the voice of thy handmaid, and let me set before thee a morsel of bread, that thou mayest eat and recover strength, and be able to go on thy journey. BSB BSB: Now please listen to your servant and let me set a morsel of bread before you so you may eat and have the strength to go on your way.”
23 DRA But he refused, and said: I will not eat. But his servants and the woman forced him, and at length hearkening to their voice, he arose from the ground and sat upon the bed. BSB BSB: Saul refused, saying, “I will not eat.” But his servants joined the woman in urging him, and he heeded their voice. He got up from the ground and sat on the bed.
24 DRA Now the woman had a fatted calf in the house, and she made haste and killed it: and taking meal kneaded it, and baked some unleavened bread, BSB BSB: The woman had a fattened calf at her house, and she quickly slaughtered it. She also took flour, kneaded it, and baked unleavened bread.
25 DRA And set it before Saul, and before his servants. And when they had eaten they rose up, and walked all that night. BSB BSB: She served it to Saul and his servants, and they ate. And that night they got up and left.
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