1Samuel:28

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* One day the Philistines brought their soldiers together to attack Israel . Achish told David : »You and your men must fight as part of our Philistine army .« * David answered : »That will give you a chance to see for yourself just how well we can fight !« Achish said : »You and your men will always be my bodyguards .« * After Samuel died all the Israelites mourned for him . They buried him in his hometown of Ramah . Saul forced all the fortunetellers and mediums to leave Israel . * The Philistine troops assembled and camped near the town of Shunem . Saul gathered the Israelites and camped at Mount Gilboa . * Saul was terrified when he saw the Philistine army . * So he asked Jehovah what to do . But Jehovah did not answer him . He did not answer by dreams or by the use of Urim and Thummim or by prophets . * Saul ordered his officials : »Find me a woman who is a medium . I will go and consult her .« »There is one in Endor ,« they answered . * Saul disguised himself . He put on different clothes . After dark he went with two of his men to see the woman . »Consult the spirits for me and tell me what is going to happen ,« he said to her : »Call up the spirit of the man I name .« * The woman answered : »You know what King Saul has done ? He forced the fortunetellers and mediums to leave Israel . Are you trying to trap me and get me killed ?« * Saul made a sacred vow . »By the living God Jehovah I promise that you will not be punished for doing this ,« he told her . * »Whom shall I call up for you ?« The woman asked . »Samuel ,« he answered . * The woman saw Samuel . She screamed and said to Saul , »Why have you tricked me ? You are King Saul !« * »Do not be afraid !« The king said to her . »What do you see ?« She answered : »I see a spirit coming up from the earth .« * »The spirit , what does it look like ?« He asked . »It is an old man ,« she answered . »He wears a cloak .« Saul knew it was Samuel . So he bowed to the ground in respect . * Samuel said to Saul : »Why have you disturbed me ? Why did you make me come back ?« Saul answered : »I am in great trouble ! The Philistines are at war with me . God has abandoned me . He does not answer me any more by prophets or by dreams . Please tell me what to do .« * Samuel said : »Why do you call me when Jehovah has abandoned you and become your enemy ? * »Jehovah did to you what he told you through me . He took the kingdom away from you and gave it to David instead . * »You disobeyed Jehovah ’s command and did not completely destroy the Amalekites . That is why Jehovah is doing this to you . * »He will give you and Israel over to the Philistines . Tomorrow you and your sons will join me . Jehovah will also give the army of Israel over to the Philistines .« * At once Saul fell down and lay stretched out on the ground . He was terrified by what Samuel said . He was weak because he had not eaten anything all day and all night . * The woman went to him . She saw that he was terrified . So she said to him : »I risked my life by doing what you asked . * »Now please do what I ask . Let me fix you some food . You must eat so that you will be strong enough to travel .« * Saul refused . He said he would not eat . But his officers also urged him to eat . He finally gave in , got up from the ground , and sat on the bed . * The woman quickly butchered a calf she had fattened . Then she took some flour and prepared it . She baked some bread without yeast . * She set the food before Saul and his officers and they ate . They left that same night .

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