1 Samuel 28 - The Scriptures 1998

¹ And it came to be in those days that the Philistines gathered their armies for battle, to fight with Yisra’ĕ

² And Dawiḏ

³ And Shemu’ĕ

⁴ And the Philistines were gathered, and came and encamped at Shunĕ

⁵ And when Sha’ul saw the army of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart trembled greatly.

⁶ And Sha’ul inquired of יהוה, but יהוה  did not answer him, either by dreams or by Urim or by the prophets.

⁷ Sha’ul then said to his servants, “Find me a woman who is a medium, to go to her and inquire of her.” And his servants said to him, “Look, there is a woman who is a medium at Ě

⁸ And Sha’ul disguised himself and put on other garments, and went, he and two men with him. And they came to the woman by night. And he said, “Please divine for me, and bring up for me the one I shall name.”

⁹ But the woman said to him, “Look, you know what Sha’ul has done, how he has cut off the mediums and the spiritists from the land. Why then do you lay a snare for my life, to put me to death?”

¹⁰ And Sha’ul swore to her by יהוה, saying, “As יהוה  lives, no punishment comes upon you for this matter.”

¹¹ And the woman said, “Whom do I bring up for you?” So he said, “Bring up Shemu’ĕ

¹² And when the woman saw Shemu’ĕ

¹³ And the sovereign said to her, “Do not be afraid. What did you see?” And the woman said to Sha’ul, “I saw a spirit coming up out of the earth.”

¹⁴ And he said to her, “What is his form?” And she said, “An old man is coming up, and he is covered with a mantle.” And Sha’ul knew that it was Shemu’ĕ

¹⁵ And Shemu’ĕ

¹⁶ Then Shemu’ĕ

¹⁷ “And יהוה  has done for Himself as He spoke by me. For יהוה  has torn the reign out of your hand and given it to your neighbour, to Dawiḏ

¹⁸ “Because you did not obey the voice of יהוה  nor execute His burning wrath upon Amalĕ

¹⁹ “Further, יהוה  also gives Yisra’ĕ

²⁰ And immediately Sha’ul fell on the ground, his complete length, and greatly feared because of the words of Shemu’ĕ

²¹ And the woman came to Sha’ul and saw that he had been greatly disturbed, and said to him, “See, your female servant has obeyed your voice, and I have put my life in my hands and has listened to the words which you spoke to me.

²² “And now, please listen to the voice of your female servant too, and let me set a piece of bread before you. And eat, so that you have strength when you go on your way.”

²³ But he refused and said, “I am not going to eat.” But his servants, together with the woman, urged him. And he listened to their voice. So he rose from the ground and sat on the bed.

²⁴ And the woman had a fatted calf in the house, and she quickly slaughtered it. And she took flour and kneaded it, and baked unleavened bread from it.

²⁵ And she brought it before Sha’ul and his servants. And they ate, and rose up and went away that night.