The Philistines Gather against Israel 1 UST During the time when David was living near Gath, the people of Philistia gathered their army to attack the Israelites. King Achish told David,“You must understand that you and your men have to join my men to attack the Israelites.” 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 UST David replied,“We will go with you, and then you will see for yourself how well we will fight for you!” Achish told him,“Very well, I will make you my personal bodyguard from now on.” 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 UST By this time, Samuel had died, and the Israelite people had mourned for him. Then they had buried him in Ramah, his hometown. Also, before this, Saul had forbidden anyone in Israel to try to contact people who had died or to try to talk to spirits that could tell them things that people otherwise could not know. 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 UST The Philistines assembled their troops and marched into Israel and set up their tents near the city of Shunem. Saul gathered the Israelite army, and they set up their tents at Gilboa. BSB BSB: The Philistines gathered together and camped at Shunem, while Saul gathered all Israel and camped at Gilboa.
5 UST When Saul saw how many Philistine soldiers had come to attack the Israelites, he became so afraid that his heart pounded. BSB BSB: When Saul saw the Philistine army, he was afraid and trembled violently.
6 UST Saul asked Yahweh to help him know how he should fight against the Philistines, but Yahweh did not answer him. He did not give Saul any special dream. The priest got no answer for him by drawing a stone from his sacred pouch. Yahweh did not give any prophet a message for Saul. 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 UST Then Saul told his officials,“Find for me a woman who owns a pit that she uses to contact people who have died. That way I can go to her and ask her to contact a dead person who can give me advice.” One of his officials replied,“There is a woman in the town of Endor who owns that kind of pit.” 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 UST So that the woman would not know he was the king, Saul took off his royal robes and put on ordinary clothes. Then he and two of his men went during the night to speak with that woman. Saul told her,“I will tell you the name of a dead person. I want you to use your pit to cause that person’ s spirit to appear so that I can speak with him.” 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 UST But the woman replied,“Certainly you know what Saul has done. He has forbidden anyone in Israel to try to contact people who have died or to try to talk to spirits that can tell them things that people otherwise cannot know. You should not be putting me in danger by asking me to do this. People would execute me if they found out that I had done it.” 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 UST In response, Saul made her a sacred promise. He said,“I swear by Yahweh, if you do what I ask, no one will punish you.” 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 UST So the woman asked,“Whom do you want me to make appear?” Saul replied,“Make Samuel appear.” BSB BSB: “Whom shall I bring up for you?” the woman asked. “Bring up Samuel,” he replied.
12 UST { So she did that. But} when the woman saw Samuel, she screamed. She said,“You have tricked me! You are Saul!{ You will execute me for doing this!}” 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 UST Saul said to her,“Do not be afraid{, I am not going to execute you}. But tell me what you see.” The woman said,“I see a spirit being coming up out of the ground.” 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 UST Saul said,“What does he look like?” The woman replied,“An old man wearing a robe is appearing.” Then Saul knew that it was Samuel. To honor him, Saul humbly bowed down with his face touching the ground. 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 UST Samuel said to Saul,“Why have you bothered me by bringing me back to earth from the place where dead people go?” Saul said,“I am in great danger. The Philistine army is about to attack my army, but God is no longer helping me. He no longer tells me what I should do by giving a message for me to any prophet or by giving me a dream. That is why wanted to speak with you. I want you tell me what I should 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 UST Samuel said,“Since Yahweh himself is no longer helping you and has become your enemy, you should not ask me what you should do! BSB BSB: “Why do you consult me,” asked Samuel, “since the LORD has turned away from you and become your enemy?
17 UST He had me prophesy earlier about what he would do, and now Yahweh is doing just what I said. He has decided that you will no longer be the king of Israel. Another Israelite will be the king instead of you— 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 UST The Amalekites made Yahweh very angry. He told you to punish them for him by destroying them completely. But you did not obey him. That is why he is now not telling you how to fight against the Philistines. 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 UST Yahweh will also enable the Philistine army to defeat you and all the other Israelite soldiers. By tomorrow you and your sons will be with me in the place where dead people go. Yes, Yahweh will enable the Philistine army to defeat the entire Israelite army.” 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 UST { After Samuel said that, he disappeared.} Saul had been standing up, but he immediately fell flat on the ground. He was very afraid because of what Samuel had told him. He was also very weak because he had not eaten anything all that day and night. 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 UST The woman came over to Saul and saw how very scared he was. She said to him,“Listen to me! I have done what you asked me to do. Because I did that, you could tell someone to execute 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 UST Since I did what you asked, please now do what I ask. Please let me serve you some food to eat. That way you will get enough strength back to return to your army.” 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 UST But Saul refused. He said,“No, I will not eat anything.” But the men who had come with Saul urged him to eat something, and the woman did too, and finally he agreed. He got up from the ground and sat on a couch against the wall. 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 UST The woman kept a calf in a stall near her house. She quickly slaughtered it and cooked it. She also took some flour and mixed it with olive oil and baked it, without adding any leaven, to make a flat loaf of 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 UST She served the food to Saul and his men, and they ate it. Then, that same night, they got up and left. BSB BSB: She served it to Saul and his servants, and they ate. And that night they got up and left.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.