The Philistines Gather against Israel

1Nowe at that time the Philistims assembled their bandes and armie to fight with Israel: therfore Achish said to Dauid, Be sure, thou shalt go out with me to the battel, thou, and thy men. 2And Dauid said to Achish, Surely thou shalt knowe, what thy seruant can doe; Achish sayde to Dauid, Surely I will make thee keeper of mine head for euer.

3( Samuel was then dead, and all Israel had lamented him, and buried him in Ramah his owne citie: and Saul had put away the sorcerers, and the soothsayers out of the land) 4Then the Philistims assembled themselues, and came, and pitched in Shunem: and Saul assembled all Israel, and they pitched in Gilboa. 5And when Saul saw the hoste of the Philistims, he was afraid, & his heart was sore astonied. 6Therefore Saul asked counsel of the Lord, and the Lorde answered him not, neither by dreames, nor by Vrim, nor yet by Prophets.

Saul and the Medium of Endor

7Then saide Saul vnto his seruants, Seeke me a woman that hath a familiar spirite, that I may goe to her, and aske of her; his seruants said to him, Beholde, there is a woman at En-dor that hath a familiar spirit.

8Then Saul changed him selfe, and put on other raiment, and he went, and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night: and he saide, I pray thee, coniecture vnto me by the familiar spirite, and bring me him vp whome I shall name vnto thee. 9And the woman saide vnto him, Beholde, thou knowest what Saul hath done, how he hath destroyed the sorcerers, and the southsayers out of the land: wherefore then seekest thou to take me in a snare to cause me to die? 10And Saul sware to her by the Lorde, saying, As the Lord liueth, no harme shall come to thee for this thing. 11Then said the woman, Whom shal I bring vp vnto thee? And he answered, Bring me vp Samuel. 12And when the woman sawe Samuel, she cryed with a loude voyce, and the woman spake to Saul, saying, Why hast thou deceiued me? for thou art Saul. 13And the King said vnto her, Be not afraid: for what sawest thou? And the woman said vnto Saul, I saw gods ascending vp out of the earth. 14Then he said vnto her, What facion is hee of? And she answered, An olde man commeth vp lapped in a mantel: and Saul knewe that it was Samuel, and he enclined his face to the grounde, and bowed him selfe.

15And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me vp? Then Saul answered, I am in great distresse: for the Philistims make warre against me, and God is departed from me, and answereth me no more, neither by Prophetes, neither by dreames: therefore I haue called thee, that thou mayest tell me, what I shall doe. 16Then said Samuel, Wherefore then doest thou aske of me, seeing the Lord is gone from thee, and is thine enemie? 17Euen the Lord hath done to him, as hee spake by mine hande: for the Lord will rent the kingdome out of thine hande, and giue it thy neighbour Dauid. 18Because thou obeyedst not the voyce of the Lorde, nor executedst his fierce wrath vpon the Amalekites, therefore hath the Lorde done this vnto thee this day. 19Moreouer the Lord wil deliuer Israel with thee into the handes of the Philistims: and to morowe shalt thou and thy sonnes be with me, and the Lorde shall giue the hoste of Israel into the handes of the Philistims.

20Then Saul fell streight way all along on the earth, and was sore afraide because of the wordes of Samuel, so that there was no strength in him: for he had eaten no bread all the day nor all the night. 21Then the woman came vnto Saul, & sawe that he was sore troubled, and said vnto him, See, thine handmaide hath obeyed thy voyce, and I haue put my soule in mine hande, and haue obeyed thy wordes which thou saydest vnto me. 22Now therefore, I pray thee, hearke thou also vnto ye voyce of thine handmaid, & let me set a morsell of bread before thee, that thou mayest eat and get thee strength, and go on thy iourney. 23But he refused, and said, I will not eate: but his seruants and the woman together compelled him, and he obeyed their voyce: so he arose from the earth, and sate on the bed. 24Nowe the woman had a fat calfe in the house, and she hasted, and killed it, and tooke floure and kneaded it, and baked of it vnleauened bread. 25Then she brought them before Saul, and before his seruants: and when they had eaten, they stoode, and went away the same night.