1 Samuel 28 in plain modern English. New Ground English Translation.
Time Period
Around 1010 BC, the night before Saul's last battle
Location
Endor, a village on the northern side of the Jezreel Valley, with the armies gathered at Shunem and Gilboa in northern Israel
Audience
Israelites of the monarchy era, reading the account of how Saul's reign ended in despair
Situation
Facing a massive Philistine army and getting no answer from God, Saul disguises himself and travels by night to a woman at Endor who consults the dead, a practice he himself had outlawed. Samuel appears and tells Saul that the kingdom is torn from him and that he and his sons will die the next day.
Key Background
Consulting the dead was widespread across the ancient Near East and expressly forbidden in Israelite law, so Saul is breaking his own decree and the covenant at once. Reaching Endor meant slipping around or through Philistine lines in the dark, showing how desperate the king had become. The Philistines had moved off the coastal plain into the broad Jezreel Valley, chariot country that favored their forces and threatened to cut Israel's northern tribes off from the south.
Around that time, the gathered their armies for war against Israel. said to David, "You understand, of course, that you and your men will be going out to battle with me."
David replied to Achish, "Then you'll see for yourself what can do." Achish said to David, "Good -- I'll make you my permanent
Now had died, and all Israel had mourned for him and buried him in his hometown. And Saul had expelled the and from the land.
The Philistines assembled and came and set up camp at Saul gathered all of Israel and they set up camp at
When Saul saw the Philistine army, he was -- was with
Saul tried to ask what to do, but didn't answer him -- not through not through the not through
So Saul said to his officers, "Find me a woman who is a so I can go to her and ask her what to do." His officers told him, "There's a woman who is a at
Saul by putting on different clothes, and he went with two men at night. They came to the woman and he said, "Use your skills to the for me. Bring up the person I name for you."
But the woman said to him, "Look, you know what Saul has done -- how he the mediums and spiritists from the land. Why are you a for me, to get me killed?"
Saul to by "As surely as lives, you won't be punished for this."
The woman asked, "Who should I up for you?" He said, up Samuel for me."
When the woman saw Samuel, she and said to Saul, "Why did you lie to me? You're Saul!"
The king said to her, "Don't be afraid. What do you see?" The woman said to Saul, "I see a being up out of the
He asked her, "What does he look like?" She said, "An old man is coming up, wearing a Then Saul knew it was Samuel, and he to the in respect.
Samuel said to Saul, "Why have you me by bringing me up?" Saul answered, "I'm in deep trouble. The Philistines are attacking me and has from me. He won't answer me anymore -- not through prophets, not through dreams. So I called on you to tell me what to do."
Samuel replied, "Then why are you asking me, since Yahweh has turned away from you and become
Yahweh has done exactly what he told you through me: Yahweh has the out of and given it to -- to David.
Because you Yahweh and carry out his against that is why Yahweh has done this to you today.
And Yahweh will also Israel to the Philistines along with you. Tomorrow you and will be with me. Yahweh will also Israel's army to the Philistines.
Immediately Saul on the completely terrified by Samuel's words. He had no strength left because he hadn't eaten anything all day and all night.
The woman came over to Saul and saw that he was completely shaken. She said to him, "Look, your servant has listened to you. I my in my and did what you told me to do.
Now please, you to too. Let me set some food in front of you. Eat, so you'll have the strength to get back on way."
He refused and said, "I won't eat." But his officers and the woman and he finally listened to them. He got up from the ground and sat on the
The woman had a at the house. She quickly slaughtered it, took flour, kneaded it, and baked
She served it to Saul and his officers, and they ate. Then they up and that same