This scripture was cited in a previous article entitled:
“So if there’s no devil and demonic spirits,
explain the occult.”
At the end of that article, the reader was encouraged to read this text; so this is the sequel to that article; please read through the three translations; a series of articles explaining this text will be posted later.
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Translations:
[AST] ArtScroll Tanach –
[NASB] New American Standard Bible
1 Samuel 28:3-25 Saul and the Spirit Medium
[AST/ArtScroll Tanakh]
3 Samuel had died and all Israel eulogized him and buried him in Ramah,
in his hometown. Saul had banished the necromancers and the Yidoni-diviners
from the Land.
4 The Philistines mobilized, they came and encamped at Shunem, and Saul mobilized
all Israel and they encamped at Gilboa.
5 When Saul saw the Philistine camp he was afraid and his heart trembled greatly.
6 Saul inquired of HASHEM, but HASHEM did not answer him; neither in a dream,
nor through the Urim [VeTumim], nor through the prophets.
7 So Saul said to his servants, “Seek out a woman who practices necromancy, and
I will go to her and inquire through her.” His servants said to him, “Behold there is
a woman who practices necromancy in Endor.”
8 So Saul disguised himself; he donned different clothing, and he went [taking] two
men with him. They came to the woman at night, and he said to her, “Please divine
for me through necromancy, and raise up whomever I shall tell you.”
9 But the woman said to him, “Behold, you surely know what Saul has done – that he
has eliminated the necromancers and Yidoni diviner from the land – so why
do you seek to entrap me, to have me killed?”
10 Saul then swore to her by HASHEM, saying, “As HASHEM lives, this thing
will not be held against you as an iniquity.”
11 The woman asked, “Whom shall I raise up for you?” And he said, “Raise up Samuel
for me.”
12 The woman then saw Samuel, and she screamed in a loud voice. The woman said
to Saul, “Why did you deceive me? You are Saul!”
13 The king then said to her, “Fear not. What did you see?” The woman said to Saul,
“I saw a great man ascending from the earth.”
14 He then said to her, “What does he look like?” She said, “An elderly man is
ascending, and he is garbed in a cloak.” Saul realized that it was Samuel, and he bowed down upon
his face to the ground and prostrated himself.
15 Samuel said to Saul, “Why did you disturb me, to raise me up?” Saul replied,
“I am in great distress, and the Philistines are at war against me; God has turned away
from me and does not answer me anymore, neither through the hand of the prophets
nor in dreams – so I called upon you to inform me what should I do.”
16 Samuel then said, “But why do you ask me, since HASHEM has turned away
from you and has become your adversary,
17 and HASHEM has done for Himself that which He spoke through me, for HASHEM
has torn the kingship from your hand and given it to your fellow, to David?
18 Because you did not obey the word of HASHEM and did not carry out His wrath
against Amalek, therefore HASHEM has done this thing to you this day.
19 And HASHEM will deliver Israel with you into the hand of the Philistines; tomorrow
you and your sons will be with me, and also the Israelite camp will HASHEM deliver
into the hand of the Philistines.”
20 Saul quickly fell his full height to the ground and he was exceedingly frightened
by Samuel’s words; also he had no strength for he had not eaten any food all the day
and all the night.
21 The woman came over to Saul and saw that he was greatly terrified, and she said
to him, “Behold, your maidservant heeded your voice and I put my life in my hand,
and I listened to your words that you spoke to me.
22 Now you, too, listen to the voice of your maidservant. I will place before you a piece
of bread so that you may eat, so that you may have strength when you go on your way.”
23 But he refused, and said, “I shall not eat.” His servants, and also the woman,
urged him strongly, and he listened to their voice. He arose from the ground and sat on
the bed.
24 The woman had a fattened calf in her house, she hurried and slaughtered it; and
she took flour and kneaded it and baked it into matzos.
25 She set it before Saul and before his servants and they ate; and they arose and
left that night.
[NASB/New American Standard Bible]
3 Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him and buried him in Ramah,
his own city. And Saul had removed from the land those who were mediums and spiritists.
4 So the Philistines gathered together and came and camped in Shunem;
and Saul gathered all Israel together and they camped in Gilboa.
5 When Saul saw the camp of the Philistines, he was afraid and his heart trembled greatly.
6 When Saul inquired of the LORD, the LORD did not answer him, either by dreams
or by Urim or by prophets.
7 Then Saul said to his servants, “Seek for me a woman who is a medium,
that I may go to her and inquire of her.” And his servants said to him, “Behold, there is a
woman who is a medium at En-dor.”
8 Then Saul disguised himself by putting on other clothes, and went,
he and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night; and he said,
“Conjure up for me, please, and bring up for me whom I shall name to you.”
9 But the woman said to him, “Behold, you know what Saul has done, how
he has cut off those who are mediums and spiritists from the land.
Why are you then laying a snare for my life to bring about my death?”
10 Saul vowed to her by the LORD, saying, “As the LORD lives, no
punishment shall come upon you for this thing.”
11 Then the woman said, “Whom shall I bring up for you?” And he said,
“Bring up Samuel for me.”
12 When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out with a loud voice; and
the woman spoke to Saul, saying, “Why have you deceived me?
For you are Saul.”
13 The king said to her, “Do not be afraid; but what do you see?”
And the woman said to Saul, “I see a divine being coming up out of the earth.”
14 He said to her, “What is his form?” And she said, “An old man is coming up,
and he is wrapped with a robe.” And Saul knew that it was Samuel, and he
bowed with his face to the ground and did homage.
15 Then Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?”
And Saul answered, “I am greatly distressed; for the Philistines are waging war
against me, and God has departed from me and no longer answers me,
either through prophets or by dreams; therefore I have called you,
that you may make known to me what I should do.”
16 Samuel said, “Why then do you ask me, since the LORD has departed from
you and has become your adversary?
17 “The LORD has done accordingly as He spoke through me; for the LORD
has torn the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbor, to David.
18 “As you did not obey the LORD and did not execute His fierce wrath on Amalek,
so the LORD has done this thing to you this day.
19 “Moreover the LORD will also give over Israel along with you into the hands
of the Philistines, therefore tomorrow you and your sons will be with me.
Indeed the LORD will give over the army of Israel into the hands of the Philistines!”
20 Then Saul immediately fell full length upon the ground and was very afraid
because of the words of Samuel; also there was no strength in him, for he had
eaten no food all day and all night.
21 The woman came to Saul and saw that he was terrified, and said to him,
“Behold, your maidservant has obeyed you, and I have taken my life in my
hand and have listened to your words which you spoke to me.
22 “So now also, please listen to the voice of your maidservant, and let me set a
piece of bread before you that you may eat and have strength when you go on your way.”
23 But he refused and said, “I will not eat.” However, his servants together with
the woman urged him, and he listened to them. So he arose from the ground and
sat on the bed.
24 The woman had a fattened calf in the house, and she quickly slaughtered it;
and she took flour, kneaded it and baked unleavened bread from it.
25 She brought it before Saul and his servants, and they ate. Then they arose
and went away that night.