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1 Samuel 27-28
New American Standard Bible
1 Samuel 27-28
New American Standard Bible
David Flees to the Philistines
27 Then David said to [a]himself, “Now I will [b]perish one day by the hand of Saul. (A)There is nothing better for me than to safely escape into the land of the Philistines. Then Saul will despair of searching for me anymore in all the territory of Israel, and I will escape from his hand.” 2 So David set out and went over, he and (B)the six hundred men who were with him, to (C)Achish the son of Maoch, king of Gath. 3 And David lived with Achish in Gath, he and his men, (D)each with his own household—David with (E)his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the Carmelitess, Nabal’s [c]widow. 4 Now it was reported to Saul that David had fled to Gath, so he no longer searched for him.
5 Then David said to Achish, “If now I have found favor in your sight, have them give me a place in one of the cities in the country, so that I may live there; for why should your servant live in the royal city with you?” 6 So Achish gave him Ziklag that day; therefore (F)Ziklag has belonged to the kings of Judah to this day. 7 The number of days that David lived in the country of the Philistines was (G)a year and four months.
8 Now David and his men went up and attacked (H)the Geshurites, the Girzites, and (I)the Amalekites; for they were the inhabitants of the land from ancient times, as you come to (J)Shur even as far as the land of Egypt. 9 David [d]attacked the land and did not leave a man or a woman alive, and he (K)took the sheep, the cattle, the donkeys, the camels, and the clothing. Then he returned and came to Achish. 10 Now Achish said, “[e]Where did you (L)carry out an attack today?” And David said, “Against the [f]Negev of Judah, against the [g]Negev of (M)the Jerahmeelites, and against the [h]Negev of (N)the Kenites.” 11 And David did not leave a man or a woman alive to bring to Gath, saying, “Otherwise they will tell about us, saying, ‘This is what David has done, and this has been his practice all the time that he has lived in the country of the Philistines.’” 12 So Achish believed David, saying, “He has undoubtedly made himself repulsive among his people Israel; therefore he will become my servant forever.”
Saul and the Spirit Medium
28 Now it came about in those days that (O)the Philistines gathered their armed camps for war, to fight against Israel. And Achish said to David, “Know for certain that you will go out with me in the camp, you and your men.” 2 David said to Achish, “Very well, you will learn what your servant can do.” So Achish said to David, “Then I will assuredly make you [i]my bodyguard (P)for [j]life!”
3 Now (Q)Samuel was dead, and all Israel had mourned him and buried him (R)in Ramah, his own city. And Saul had removed the (S)mediums and spiritists from the land. 4 So the Philistines assembled and came and camped (T)in Shunem; and Saul gathered all Israel together, and they camped in (U)Gilboa. 5 When Saul saw the camp of the Philistines, he was afraid and his heart trembled greatly. 6 (V)So Saul inquired of the Lord, but (W)the Lord did not answer him, either in (X)dreams, or by the (Y)Urim, or by the prophets. 7 Then Saul said to his servants, “Find for me a woman who is a medium, so that I may go to her and inquire of her.” And his servants said to him, “Behold, (Z)there is a woman who is a medium at (AA)En-dor.”
8 Then Saul (AB)disguised himself by putting on different clothes, and went, he and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night; and he said, “(AC)Consult the spirit for me, please, and (AD)bring up for me the one whom I shall [k]name for you.” 9 But the woman said to him, “Behold, you know (AE)what Saul has done, that he has eliminated the mediums and spiritists from the land. Why are you then setting a trap for my life, to bring about my death?” 10 So Saul swore an oath 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 But the king said to her, “Do not be afraid; but what do you see?” And the woman said to Saul, “I see a [l]divine being coming up from the earth.” 14 He said to her, “[m]How does he appear?” And she said, “An old man is coming up, and (AF)he is wrapped in a robe.” Then Saul knew that it was Samuel, and (AG)he bowed with his face to the ground and paid [n]homage.
15 And Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?” Saul replied, “I am very distressed, for the Philistines are waging war against me, and (AH)God has abandoned me and (AI)no longer answers me, either through prophets or in dreams; therefore I have called you, so that you may let me know what I should do.” 16 Samuel said, “But why ask me, since the Lord has abandoned you and has become your enemy? 17 And the Lord has done [o]just (AJ)as He spoke through me; for the Lord has torn the kingdom from your hand and given it to your neighbor, to David. 18 Just as (AK)you did not [p]obey the Lord and did not execute His fierce wrath on Amalek, so the Lord has done this thing to you this day. 19 Furthermore, the Lord will also hand Israel along with you over to the Philistines; so tomorrow (AL)you and your sons will be with me. Indeed, the Lord will hand the army of Israel over to the Philistines!”
20 Then Saul immediately fell full length to the ground and was very afraid because of Samuel’s words; there was no strength in him either, because he had eaten no [q]food all day and all night. 21 The woman came to Saul and saw that he was utterly horrified, and she said to him, “Behold, your servant has [r]obeyed you, and (AM)I have [s]taken my life in my hand and have listened to your words which you spoke to me. 22 So now you too, please listen to the voice of your servant, and let me serve you a piece of bread, and eat it, so that you will have strength when you go on your way.” 23 But he refused and said, “(AN)I will not eat.” (AO)However, his servants together with the woman urged him, and he listened to [t]them. So he got up from the ground and sat on (AP)the bed. 24 Now the woman had a (AQ)fattened calf in the house, and she quickly slaughtered it; then she (AR)took flour, kneaded it and baked unleavened bread from it. 25 She then served it to Saul and his servants, and they ate. Then they got up and left that night.
Footnotes
- 1 Samuel 27:1 Lit his heart
- 1 Samuel 27:1 Lit be carried away
- 1 Samuel 27:3 Lit wife
- 1 Samuel 27:9 Lit struck
- 1 Samuel 27:10 DSS indicate Against whom
- 1 Samuel 27:10 I.e., South country
- 1 Samuel 27:10 I.e., South country
- 1 Samuel 27:10 I.e., South country
- 1 Samuel 28:2 Lit guardian of my head
- 1 Samuel 28:2 Lit all the days
- 1 Samuel 28:8 Lit say
- 1 Samuel 28:13 Or god
- 1 Samuel 28:14 Lit What is his form
- 1 Samuel 28:14 I.e., great respect and honor to a superior
- 1 Samuel 28:17 Lit for Himself just; another reading is to you just
- 1 Samuel 28:18 Lit listen to the voice of
- 1 Samuel 28:20 Lit bread
- 1 Samuel 28:21 Lit listened to your voice
- 1 Samuel 28:21 Lit put
- 1 Samuel 28:23 Lit their voice
1 Samuel 27-28
New International Version
1 Samuel 27-28
New International Version
David Among the Philistines
27 But David thought to himself, “One of these days I will be destroyed by the hand of Saul. The best thing I can do is to escape to the land of the Philistines. Then Saul will give up searching for me anywhere in Israel, and I will slip out of his hand.”
2 So David and the six hundred men(A) with him left and went(B) over to Achish(C) son of Maok king of Gath. 3 David and his men settled in Gath with Achish. Each man had his family with him, and David had his two wives:(D) Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail of Carmel, the widow of Nabal. 4 When Saul was told that David had fled to Gath, he no longer searched for him.
5 Then David said to Achish, “If I have found favor in your eyes, let a place be assigned to me in one of the country towns, that I may live there. Why should your servant live in the royal city with you?”
6 So on that day Achish gave him Ziklag,(E) and it has belonged to the kings of Judah ever since. 7 David lived(F) in Philistine territory a year and four months.
8 Now David and his men went up and raided the Geshurites,(G) the Girzites and the Amalekites.(H) (From ancient times these peoples had lived in the land extending to Shur(I) and Egypt.) 9 Whenever David attacked an area, he did not leave a man or woman alive,(J) but took sheep and cattle, donkeys and camels, and clothes. Then he returned to Achish.
10 When Achish asked, “Where did you go raiding today?” David would say, “Against the Negev of Judah” or “Against the Negev of Jerahmeel(K)” or “Against the Negev of the Kenites.(L)” 11 He did not leave a man or woman alive to be brought to Gath, for he thought, “They might inform on us and say, ‘This is what David did.’” And such was his practice as long as he lived in Philistine territory. 12 Achish trusted David and said to himself, “He has become so obnoxious(M) to his people, the Israelites, that he will be my servant for life.(N)”
28 In those days the Philistines gathered(O) 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(P) for life.”
Saul and the Medium at Endor
3 Now Samuel was dead,(Q) and all Israel had mourned for him and buried him in his own town of Ramah.(R) Saul had expelled(S) the mediums and spiritists(T) from the land.
4 The Philistines assembled and came and set up camp at Shunem,(U) while Saul gathered all Israel and set up camp at Gilboa.(V) 5 When Saul saw the Philistine army, he was afraid; terror(W) filled his heart. 6 He inquired(X) of the Lord, but the Lord did not answer him by dreams(Y) or Urim(Z) or prophets.(AA) 7 Saul then said to his attendants, “Find me a woman who is a medium,(AB) so I may go and inquire of her.”
“There is one in Endor,(AC)” they said.
8 So Saul disguised(AD) himself, putting on other clothes, and at night he and two men went to the woman. “Consult(AE) 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(AF) the mediums and spiritists from the land. Why have you set a trap(AG) 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?(AH) 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.”(AI)
14 “What does he look like?” he asked.
“An old man wearing a robe(AJ) 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(AK) from me. He no longer answers(AL) me, either by prophets or by dreams.(AM) 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(AN) the kingdom out of your hands and given it to one of your neighbors—to David. 18 Because you did not obey(AO) the Lord or carry out his fierce wrath(AP) against the Amalekites,(AQ) 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(AR) 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(AS) 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(AT) 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(AU) 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 Samuel 28:13 Or see spirits; or see gods
New American Standard Bible (NASB) 
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