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1 Samuel 28
New English Translation

The Witch of Endor

28 In those days the Philistines gathered their troops[a] for war in order to fight Israel. Achish said to David, “You should fully understand that you and your men must go with me into the battle.”[b] 2 David replied to Achish, “That being the case, you will come to know what your servant can do!” Achish said to David, “Then I will make you my bodyguard[c] from now on.”[d]

3 Now Samuel had died, and all Israel had lamented over him and had buried him in Ramah, his hometown.[e] In the meantime Saul had removed the mediums[f] and magicians[g] from the land. 4 The Philistines assembled; they came and camped at Shunem. Saul mustered all Israel and camped at Gilboa. 5 When Saul saw the camp of the Philistines, he was absolutely terrified.[h] 6 So Saul inquired of the Lord, but the Lord did not answer him—not by dreams nor by Urim[i] nor by the prophets. 7 So Saul instructed his servants, “Find me a woman who is a medium,[j] so that I may go to her and inquire of her.” His servants replied to him, “There is a woman who is a medium in Endor.”

8 So Saul disguised himself and put on other clothing and left, accompanied by two of his men. They came to the woman at night and said, “Use your ritual pit to conjure up for me the one I tell you.”[k]

9 But the woman said to him, “Look, you are aware of what Saul has done; he has removed[l] the mediums and magicians[m] from the land! Why are you trapping me[n] so you can put me to death?” 10 But Saul swore an oath to her by the Lord, “As surely as the Lord lives, you will not incur guilt in this matter!” 11 The woman replied, “Who is it that I should bring up for you?” He said, “Bring up for me Samuel.”

12 When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out loudly.[o] The woman said to Saul, “Why have you deceived me? You are Saul!” 13 The king said to her, “Don’t be afraid! But what have you seen?” The woman replied to Saul, “I have seen a divine being[p] coming up from the ground!” 14 He said to her, “What about his appearance?” She said, “An old man is coming up! He is wrapped in a robe!”

Then Saul realized it was Samuel, and he bowed his face toward the ground and kneeled down. 15 Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?” Saul replied, “I am terribly troubled! The Philistines are fighting against me and God has turned away from me. He does not answer me anymore—not by the prophets nor by dreams. So I have called on you to tell me what I should do.”

16 Samuel said, “Why are you asking me, now that the Lord has turned away from you and has become your enemy? 17 The Lord has done exactly as I prophesied![q] The Lord has torn the kingdom from your hand and has given it to your neighbor David! 18 Since you did not obey the Lord[r] and did not carry out his fierce anger against the Amalekites, the Lord has done this thing to you today. 19 The Lord will hand you and Israel over to the Philistines![s] Tomorrow both you and your sons will be with me.[t] The Lord will also hand the army[u] of Israel over to the Philistines!”

20 Saul quickly fell full length on the ground and was very afraid because of Samuel’s words. He was completely drained of energy,[v] having not eaten anything[w] all that day and night. 21 When the woman came to Saul and saw how terrified he was, she said to him, “Your servant has done what you asked.[x] I took my life into my own hands and did what you told me.[y] 22 Now it’s your turn to listen to your servant! Let me set before you a bit of bread so that you can eat. When you regain your strength, you can go on your way.”

23 But he refused, saying, “I won’t eat!” Both his servants and the woman urged[z] him to eat, so he gave in.[aa] He got up from the ground and sat down on the bed. 24 Now the woman[ab] had a well-fed calf[ac] at her home that she quickly slaughtered. Taking some flour, she kneaded it and baked bread without leaven. 25 She brought it to Saul and his servants, and they ate. Then they arose and left that same night.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 28:1 tn Heb “their camps.”
  2. 1 Samuel 28:1 tc The translation follows the LXX (εἰς πόλεμον, eis polemon) and a Qumran ms למלחמה (lammilkhamah, “for battle”) rather than the MT’s בַמַּחֲנֶה (bammakhaneh, “in the camp”; cf. NASB). While the MT reading is not impossible here, and although admittedly it is the harder reading, the variant fits the context better. The MT can be explained as a scribal error caused in part by the earlier occurrence of “camp” in this verse.
  3. 1 Samuel 28:2 tn Heb “the guardian for my head.”
  4. 1 Samuel 28:2 tn Heb “all the days.”
  5. 1 Samuel 28:3 tn Heb “in Ramah, even in his city.”
  6. 1 Samuel 28:3 tn The Hebrew term translated “mediums” actually refers to a pit used by a magician to conjure up underworld spirits (see 2 Kgs 21:6). In v. 7 the witch of Endor is called the owner of a ritual pit. See H. Hoffner, “Second Millennium Antecedents to the Hebrew ʾÔḆ,” JBL 86 (1967): 385-401. Here the term refers by metonymy to the owner of such a pit (see H. A. Hoffner, TDOT 1:133).
  7. 1 Samuel 28:3 sn See Isa 8:19 for another reference to magicians who attempted to conjure up underworld spirits.
  8. 1 Samuel 28:5 tn Heb “he was afraid, and his heart was very terrified.”
  9. 1 Samuel 28:6 sn See the note at 1 Sam 14:41.
  10. 1 Samuel 28:7 tn Heb “an owner of a ritual pit.” See the note at v. 3.
  11. 1 Samuel 28:8 tn Heb “Use divination for me with the ritual pit and bring up for me the one whom I say to you.”
  12. 1 Samuel 28:9 tn Heb “how he has cut off.”
  13. 1 Samuel 28:9 tn See the note at v. 3.
  14. 1 Samuel 28:9 tn Heb “my life.”
  15. 1 Samuel 28:12 tn Heb “in a great voice.”
  16. 1 Samuel 28:13 tn Heb “gods.” The modifying participle (translated “coming up”) is plural, suggesting that underworld spirits are the referent. But in the following verse Saul understands the plural word to refer to a singular being. The reference is to the spirit of Samuel.
  17. 1 Samuel 28:17 tn Heb “just as he said by my hand.”
  18. 1 Samuel 28:18 tn Heb “listen to the voice of the Lord.”
  19. 1 Samuel 28:19 tn Heb “And the Lord will give also Israel along with you into the hand of the Philistines.”
  20. 1 Samuel 28:19 tc With the exception of the Lucianic recension, the LXX has here “and tomorrow you and your sons with you will fall.”
  21. 1 Samuel 28:19 tn Heb “camp.”
  22. 1 Samuel 28:20 tn Heb “also there was no strength in him.”
  23. 1 Samuel 28:20 tn Heb “food.”
  24. 1 Samuel 28:21 tn Heb “listened to your voice.”
  25. 1 Samuel 28:21 tn Heb “listened to your words that you spoke to me.”
  26. 1 Samuel 28:23 tc The translation follows many medieval Hebrew mss in reading וַיִּפְצְרוּ (vayyiftseru, “and they pressed”; from the root פָּצַר, patsar) rather than the MT’s וַיִּפְרְצוּ (vayyifretsu, “and they broke forth”; from the root פָּרַץ, parats).
  27. 1 Samuel 28:23 tn Heb “he listened to their voice.”
  28. 1 Samuel 28:24 sn Masoretic mss of the Hebrew Bible mark this word as the half-way point in the book of Samuel, treating 1 and 2 Samuel as a single book. Similar notations are found at the midway point for all of the books of the Hebrew Bible.
  29. 1 Samuel 28:24 tn Heb “a calf of the stall.”
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1 Samuel 28
New International Version

28 In those days the Philistines gathered(A) their forces to fight against Israel. Achish said to David, “You must understand that you and your men will accompany me in the army.”

2 David said, “Then you will see for yourself what your servant can do.”

Achish replied, “Very well, I will make you my bodyguard(B) for life.”

Saul and the Medium at Endor

3 Now Samuel was dead,(C) and all Israel had mourned for him and buried him in his own town of Ramah.(D) Saul had expelled(E) the mediums and spiritists(F) from the land.

4 The Philistines assembled and came and set up camp at Shunem,(G) while Saul gathered all Israel and set up camp at Gilboa.(H) 5 When Saul saw the Philistine army, he was afraid; terror(I) filled his heart. 6 He inquired(J) of the Lord, but the Lord did not answer him by dreams(K) or Urim(L) or prophets.(M) 7 Saul then said to his attendants, “Find me a woman who is a medium,(N) so I may go and inquire of her.”

“There is one in Endor,(O)” they said.

8 So Saul disguised(P) himself, putting on other clothes, and at night he and two men went to the woman. “Consult(Q) a spirit for me,” he said, “and bring up for me the one I name.”

9 But the woman said to him, “Surely you know what Saul has done. He has cut off(R) the mediums and spiritists from the land. Why have you set a trap(S) for my life to bring about my death?”

10 Saul swore to her by the Lord, “As surely as the Lord lives, you will not be punished for this.”

11 Then the woman asked, “Whom shall I bring up for you?”

“Bring up Samuel,” he said.

12 When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out at the top of her voice and said to Saul, “Why have you deceived me?(T) You are Saul!”

13 The king said to her, “Don’t be afraid. What do you see?”

The woman said, “I see a ghostly figure[a] coming up out of the earth.”(U)

14 “What does he look like?” he asked.

“An old man wearing a robe(V) is coming up,” she said.

Then Saul knew it was Samuel, and he bowed down and prostrated himself with his face to the ground.

15 Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?”

“I am in great distress,” Saul said. “The Philistines are fighting against me, and God has departed(W) from me. He no longer answers(X) me, either by prophets or by dreams.(Y) So I have called on you to tell me what to do.”

16 Samuel said, “Why do you consult me, now that the Lord has departed from you and become your enemy? 17 The Lord has done what he predicted through me. The Lord has torn(Z) the kingdom out of your hands and given it to one of your neighbors—to David. 18 Because you did not obey(AA) the Lord or carry out his fierce wrath(AB) against the Amalekites,(AC) the Lord has done this to you today. 19 The Lord will deliver both Israel and you into the hands of the Philistines, and tomorrow you and your sons(AD) will be with me. The Lord will also give the army of Israel into the hands of the Philistines.”

20 Immediately Saul fell full length on the ground, filled with fear because of Samuel’s words. His strength was gone, for he had eaten nothing all that day and all that night.

21 When the woman came to Saul and saw that he was greatly shaken, she said, “Look, your servant has obeyed you. I took my life(AE) in my hands and did what you told me to do. 22 Now please listen to your servant and let me give you some food so you may eat and have the strength to go on your way.”

23 He refused(AF) and said, “I will not eat.”

But his men joined the woman in urging him, and he listened to them. He got up from the ground and sat on the couch.

24 The woman had a fattened calf(AG) at the house, which she butchered at once. She took some flour, kneaded it and baked bread without yeast. 25 Then she set it before Saul and his men, and they ate. That same night they got up and left.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 28:13 Or see spirits; or see gods
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1 Samuel 28
English Standard Version

Saul and the Medium of En-dor

28 In those days (A)the Philistines gathered their forces for war, to fight against Israel. And Achish said to David, “Understand that you and your men are to go out with me in the army.” 2 David said to Achish, “Very well, you shall know what your servant can do.” And Achish said to David, “Very well, I will make you my bodyguard for life.”

3 Now (B)Samuel had died, and all Israel had mourned for him and buried him (C)in Ramah, his own city. And Saul had put (D)the mediums and the necromancers out of the land. 4 The Philistines assembled and came and encamped (E)at Shunem. And Saul gathered all Israel, and they encamped (F)at Gilboa. 5 When Saul saw the army of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart trembled greatly. 6 And when Saul inquired of the Lord, (G)the Lord did not answer him, either (H)by dreams, or (I)by Urim, or by prophets. 7 Then Saul said to his servants, (J)“Seek out 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 medium at (K)En-dor.”

8 So Saul (L)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, (M)“Divine for me by a spirit and bring up for me whomever I shall name to you.” 9 The woman said to him, “Surely you know what Saul has done, (N)how he has cut off the mediums and the necromancers from the land. Why then are you laying a trap for my life to bring about my death?” 10 But Saul swore to her by the Lord, (O)“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?” He said, “Bring up Samuel for me.” 12 When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out with a loud voice. And the woman said to Saul, “Why have you deceived me? You are Saul.” 13 The king said to her, “Do not be afraid. What do you see?” And the woman said to Saul, “I see a god coming up out of the earth.” 14 He said to her, “What is his appearance?” And she said, “An old man is coming up, and he is wrapped (P)in a robe.” And Saul knew that it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground and paid homage.

15 Then Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?” Saul answered, “I am in great distress, for the Philistines are warring against me, and (Q)God has turned away from me and (R)answers me no more, either by prophets or by dreams. Therefore I have summoned you to tell me what I shall do.” 16 And Samuel said, “Why then do you ask me, since the Lord has turned from you and become your enemy? 17 The Lord has done to you as he spoke by me, for (S)the Lord has torn the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbor, David. 18 (T)Because you did not obey the voice of the Lord and did not carry out his fierce wrath against Amalek, therefore the Lord has done this thing to you this day. 19 Moreover, the Lord will give Israel also with you into the hand of the Philistines, and tomorrow you (U)and your sons shall be with me. The Lord will give the army of Israel also into the hand of the Philistines.”

20 Then Saul fell at once full length on the ground, filled with fear because of the words of Samuel. And there was no strength in him, for he had eaten nothing all day and all night. 21 And the woman came to Saul, and when she saw that he was terrified, she said to him, “Behold, your servant has obeyed you. (V)I have taken my life in my hand and have listened to what you have said to me. 22 Now therefore, you also obey your servant. Let me set a morsel of bread before you; and eat, that you may have strength when you go on your way.” 23 He refused and said, “I will not eat.” But his servants, together with the woman, urged him, and he listened to their words. So he arose from the earth and sat on the bed. 24 Now the woman had a fattened calf in the house, and she quickly killed it, and she took flour and kneaded it and baked unleavened bread of it, 25 and she put it before Saul and his servants, and they ate. Then they rose and went away that night.

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