| New Living Translation | Christian Standard Bible |
| 1About that time the Philistines mustered their armies for another war with Israel. King Achish told David, “You and your men will be expected to join me in battle.” | 1At that time, the Philistines gathered their military units into one army to fight against Israel. So Achish said to David, "You know, of course, that you and your men must march out in the army with me." |
| 2“Very well!” David agreed. “Now you will see for yourself what we can do.” Then Achish told David, “I will make you my personal bodyguard for life.” | 2David replied to Achish, "Good, you will find out what your servant can do." So Achish said to David, "Very well, I will appoint you as my permanent bodyguard." |
| 3Meanwhile, Samuel had died, and all Israel had mourned for him. He was buried in Ramah, his hometown. And Saul had banned from the land of Israel all mediums and those who consult the spirits of the dead. | 3By this time Samuel had died, all Israel had mourned for him and buried him in Ramah, his city, and Saul had removed the mediums and spiritists from the land. |
| 4The Philistines set up their camp at Shunem, and Saul gathered all the army of Israel and camped at Gilboa. | 4The Philistines gathered and camped at Shunem. So Saul gathered all Israel, and they camped at Gilboa. |
| 5When Saul saw the vast Philistine army, he became frantic with fear. | 5When Saul saw the Philistine camp, he was afraid and his heart pounded. |
| 6He asked the LORD what he should do, but the LORD refused to answer him, either by dreams or by sacred lots or by the prophets. | 6He inquired of the LORD, but the LORD did not answer him in dreams or by the Urim or by the prophets. |
| 7Saul then said to his advisers, “Find a woman who is a medium, so I can go and ask her what to do.” His advisers replied, “There is a medium at Endor.” | 7Saul then said to his servants, "Find me a woman who is a medium, so I can go and consult her." His servants replied, "There is a woman at En-dor who is a medium." |
| 8So Saul disguised himself by wearing ordinary clothing instead of his royal robes. Then he went to the woman’s home at night, accompanied by two of his men. “I have to talk to a man who has died,” he said. “Will you call up his spirit for me?” | 8Saul disguised himself by putting on different clothes and set out with two of his men. They came to the woman at night, and Saul said, "Consult a spirit for me. Bring up for me the one I tell you." |
| 9“Are you trying to get me killed?” the woman demanded. “You know that Saul has outlawed all the mediums and all who consult the spirits of the dead. Why are you setting a trap for me?” | 9But the woman said to him, "You surely know what Saul has done, how he has cut off the mediums and spiritists from the land. Why are you setting a trap for me to get me killed?" |
| 10But Saul took an oath in the name of the LORD and promised, “As surely as the LORD lives, nothing bad will happen to you for doing this.” | 10Then Saul swore to her by the LORD: "As surely as the LORD lives, no punishment will come to you from this." |
| 11Finally, the woman said, “Well, whose spirit do you want me to call up?” “Call up Samuel,” Saul replied. | 11"Who is it that you want me to bring up for you?" the woman asked. "Bring up Samuel for me," he answered. |
| 12When the woman saw Samuel, she screamed, “You’ve deceived me! You are Saul!” | 12When the woman saw Samuel, she screamed, and then she asked Saul, "Why did you deceive me? You are Saul!" |
| 13“Don’t be afraid!” the king told her. “What do you see?” “I see a god coming up out of the earth,” she said. | 13But the king said to her, "Don't be afraid. What do you see?" "I see a spirit form coming up out of the earth," the woman answered. |
| 14“What does he look like?” Saul asked. “He is an old man wrapped in a robe,” she replied. Saul realized it was Samuel, and he fell to the ground before him. | 14Then Saul asked her, "What does he look like?" "An old man is coming up," she replied. "He's wearing a robe." Then Saul knew that it was Samuel, and he knelt low with his face to the ground and paid homage. |
| 15“Why have you disturbed me by calling me back?” Samuel asked Saul. “Because I am in deep trouble,” Saul replied. “The Philistines are at war with me, and God has left me and won’t reply by prophets or dreams. So I have called for you to tell me what to do.” | 15"Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?" Samuel asked Saul. "I'm in serious trouble," replied Saul. "The Philistines are fighting against me and God has turned away from me. He doesn't answer me anymore, either through the prophets or in dreams. So I've called on you to tell me what I should do." |
| 16But Samuel replied, “Why ask me, since the LORD has left you and has become your enemy? | 16Samuel answered, "Since the LORD has turned away from you and has become your enemy, why are you asking me? |
| 17The LORD has done just as he said he would. He has torn the kingdom from you and given it to your rival, David. | 17The LORD has done exactly what he said through me: The LORD has torn the kingship out of your hand and given it to your neighbor David. |
| 18The LORD has done this to you today because you refused to carry out his fierce anger against the Amalekites. | 18You did not obey the LORD and did not carry out his burning anger against Amalek; therefore the LORD has done this to you today. |
| 19What’s more, the LORD will hand you and the army of Israel over to the Philistines tomorrow, and you and your sons will be here with me. The LORD will bring down the entire army of Israel in defeat.” | 19The LORD will also hand Israel over to the Philistines along with you. Tomorrow you and your sons will be with me, and the LORD will hand Israel's army over to the Philistines." |
| 20Saul fell full length on the ground, paralyzed with fright because of Samuel’s words. He was also faint with hunger, for he had eaten nothing all day and all night. | 20Immediately, Saul fell flat on the ground. He was terrified by Samuel's words and was also weak because he had not eaten anything all day and all night. |
| 21When the woman saw how distraught he was, she said, “Sir, I obeyed your command at the risk of my life. | 21The woman came over to Saul, and she saw that he was terrified and said to him, "Look, your servant has obeyed you. I took my life in my hands and did what you told me to do. |
| 22Now do what I say, and let me give you a little something to eat so you can regain your strength for the trip back.” | 22Now please listen to your servant. Let me set some food in front of you. Eat and it will give you strength so you can go on your way." |
| 23But Saul refused to eat anything. Then his advisers joined the woman in urging him to eat, so he finally yielded and got up from the ground and sat on the couch. | 23He refused, saying, "I won't eat," but when his servants and the woman urged him, he listened to them. He got up off the ground and sat on the bed. |
| 24The woman had been fattening a calf, so she hurried out and killed it. She took some flour, kneaded it into dough and baked unleavened bread. | 24The woman had a fattened calf at her house, and she quickly slaughtered it. She also took flour, kneaded it, and baked unleavened bread. |
| 25She brought the meal to Saul and his advisers, and they ate it. Then they went out into the night. | 25She served it to Saul and his servants, and they ate. Afterward, they got up and left that night. |
| Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. | The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. |
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