1 Samuel 28

1 Now in those days [a period of time, a season] the Philistines [immigrants from other places, a non-Israelite people] gathered [assembled, collected] their forces [armies, military strength] for warfare [battle, fighting] against Israel [the descendants of Jacob, God’s chosen people]. So Achish [a Philistine king] said to David [the youngest son of Jesse, a king of Israel], “You must understand [know, be aware] that you and your men [soldiers, warriors] are to go out [march, proceed] to battle [war, combat] with me [together, as allies].” word study 2 David replied, “Then you will come to know [discover, learn] what your servant [one who serves, a bondservant] can do [is able to accomplish, will perform].” “Very well [so, thus],” said Achish. “I will make [appoint, set] you my bodyguard [keeper of my head, personal protector] for life [all the days, forever].” word study 3 Now by this time Samuel [Shemuel, a judge and prophet of Israel] had died [passed away, ceased to live], and all [every single one] Israel had mourned [lamented, expressed deep sadness] for him and buried [interred, laid to rest] him in Ramah [a city in Palestine], his own [personal, native] city. And Saul [Shaul, a Benjamite king] had removed [turned aside, put away] the mediums [those who contact the dead, spiritists] and spiritists [those who claim to have a familiar spirit, wizards] from the land [the territory, country]. word study 4 The Philistines [a non-Israelite people, immigrants from other places] came together [assembled, gathered themselves] and camped [pitched their tents, encamped] at Shunem [a city in the region of Issachar, meaning double resting place], while Saul [Shaul, meaning desired] gathered [assembled, collected] all [every single one, the entire nation] Israel [the descendants of Jacob, God’s chosen people] and camped [pitched their tents, set up their positions] at Gilboa [a mountain in Palestine, meaning swollen heap]. word study 5 When Saul [Shaul, the desired one] saw [perceived, looked upon] the Philistine [from the region of Philistia] army [camp, host], he was afraid [feared, stood in awe] and trembled [shook, quaked] violently [greatly, exceedingly, with a pounding heart]. word study 6 He inquired [asked for guidance, sought counsel] of the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God], but the LORD [the supreme God, Creator] did not answer him by dreams [visions of the night, prophetic revelations] or Urim [sacred stones, divine decision-makers] or prophets [messengers of God, spokesmen]. word study 7 Then Saul [the king of Israel] said to his servants [attendants, those who served him], “Find me a woman [a female, a mistress] who is a medium [a sorceress, one who consults the dead] [with a familiar spirit], so I can go [walk, travel] and consult [seek, inquire of] her.” “There is a medium [a woman with a familiar spirit, a spiritist] at Endor [En-dor, the fountain of Dor],” his servants [those who served him] replied. word study 8 So Saul [put on a disguise] disguised himself by putting on different [other, alternate] clothes, and he set out with two [a pair, a couple] of his men. They came to the woman [a female medium, a spiritist] at night [in the darkness, under cover of darkness], and Saul said, “Consult [divine, use magic to predict] a spirit [a medium, a familiar spirit] for me. Bring up [cause to appear, summon] for me the one [the person, the individual] I name [shall mention, call out].” word study 9 But the woman [a medium, a spiritist] replied, “Surely you know [are aware of, have knowledge of] what Saul [the king of Israel] has done, how he has killed [cut off, destroyed] the mediums [those who have familiar spirits] and spiritists [wizards, soothsayers] in the land [the earth, the territory of Israel]. Why have you set [laid, placed] a trap [a snare, a deceit] to get me killed [to cause me to die, to bring about my death]?” word study 10 Then Saul [Shaul, the desired one] swore to her by the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God]: “As surely as the LORD [the living God] lives [is alive, has life], no punishment [iniquity, moral evil] shall come upon you for this [thing, matter, affair].” word study 11 “Whom [who or what person] shall I bring up [cause to appear, summon] for you?” the woman [female person, wife] asked. “Bring up [cause to ascend, make appear] Samuel [Shemuel, the prophet and judge],” he replied. word study 12 But when the woman [a female person, wife, or prophetess] saw Samuel [Shemuel, a judge and prophet of Israel], she cried out [with a loud voice, shouted loudly] in a loud voice [a sound, a cry for help] and said to Saul [Shaul, a Benjamite king], “Why have you deceived me [betrayed, misled, or caused to fall] [to shoot, or cause to stumble]? You are Saul [the desired one, a leader]!” word study 13 “Do not be afraid [have no fear, do not tremble],” the king [Shaul, the ruler] replied. “What do you see [perceive, look upon]?” “I see [behold, have a vision of] a god [Elohim, a divine being] coming up [ascending, rising] out of the earth [the land, the ground],” the woman answered. word study 14 “What does he look like [what form is he of, what is his appearance]?” asked Saul. “An old [elderly, aged] man is coming up [ascending, rising],” she replied. “And he is wearing [covered with, wrapped in] a robe [mantle, outer garment].” So Saul knew [perceived, understood] that it was Samuel [Shemuel, the prophet], and he bowed [stooped, inclined] facedown [with his face to the ground] in reverence [respect, worship]. word study 15 Then Samuel [Shemuel, a prophet and judge] said to Saul [Shaul, a Benjamite king], “Why have you disturbed [troubled, disquieted] me by bringing me up [to ascend, to rise from the dead]?” “I am deeply distressed [sorely troubled, in great anguish],” replied Saul. “The Philistines [a neighboring nation, enemies of Israel] are fighting [waging war, battling] against me, and God [Elohim, the supreme Creator] has turned away [departed, removed His presence] from me. He no longer answers [responds, gives an oracle] me, either by prophets [spokesmen for God, messengers] or by dreams [visions, revelations]. So I have called [invoked, summoned] on you to tell me what to do [to know, to understand His will].” word study 16 “Why do you consult me,” asked Samuel [Shemuel, a judge and prophet of Israel], “since the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] has turned away [removed, departed] from you and become [to be, come into being] your enemy [adversary, one who is against you]? word study 17 He has done exactly what He spoke through [as He promised] me: The LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] has torn [rent, ripped away] the kingship [kingdom, dominion] out of your hand [power, authority] and given [put, set] it to your neighbor [companion, fellow citizen] David. word study 18 Because you did not obey [listen to and follow] the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] or carry out [execute, fulfill] His burning anger [fierce wrath, intense indignation] against Amalek [the Amalekites, a tribe of enemies], the LORD [Yehovah, the sovereign Judge] has done [brought about, caused] this [thing, event] to you today [at this time, in this day]. word study 19 Moreover, the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] will deliver Israel [the symbolic name of Jacob, referring to his descendants] with you [as a companion, together] into the hand [an open hand; strength, a side or share] of the Philistines [inhabitants of Philistia], and tomorrow [a future time, the next day] you and your sons [descendants, offspring] will be with me [in my presence, together]. And the LORD [the supreme God] will deliver the army [camp, group of people] of Israel [the chosen people] into the hand [power, control] of the Philistines [enemies of Israel].” word study 20 Immediately [at once, without delay] Saul [Shaul, the desired one] fell [to prostrate oneself, to be overthrown] flat [his full length, completely] on the ground [the earth, the land], terrified [sore afraid, exceedingly fearful] by the words [the message, the prophecy] of Samuel [Shemuel, the name of a prophet]. And his strength [power, might] was gone [no longer present, had departed], because he had not eaten [consumed, partaken of] anything [no bread, no food] all that day [the entire day, from morning to evening] and night [the period of darkness, the time of rest]. word study 21 When the woman [a female servant, handmaid] came to Saul and saw how [extremely, greatly] distraught [troubled, sorely distressed] he was, she said to him, “Look [behold], your maidservant [female servant] has obeyed [listened to, hearkened unto] your voice [command, word]. I took my life [soul] in my hands [palm] and did as you told [commanded, spoke] me [to me, towards me]. word study 22 Now [at this time, in this moment] please [I pray, if you will] listen [hear and obey, give attention] to your servant and let me set [put, place] a morsel [small piece, bite] of bread [food, nourishment] before you so you may eat [consume, devour] and have [possess, experience] the strength [power, might] to go [walk, journey] on your way [path, journey, road].” word study 23 Saul refused [to give in, saying no], saying, “I will not eat [take food, devour].” But his servants [attendants, slaves] joined the woman [female, wife] in urging him [to eat, to take food], and he heeded [listened to, obeyed] their voice [sound, words]. He got up [rose, stood] from the ground [earth, land] and sat [dwelled, remained] on the bed [couch, place of rest]. word study 24 The woman [female person, wife] had a fattened [young male, nearly grown] calf [a young male calf] at her house [dwelling place, family home], and she quickly [hastened, was in a rush] slaughtered [killed, sacrificed] it. She also took [got, obtained] flour [finely ground grain], kneaded [worked, mixed] it, and baked [cooked, prepared] unleavened bread [sweet bread without yeast]. word study 25 She served [presented, brought near] it to Saul [Shaul, the desired one] and his servants [attendants, slaves], and they ate [devoured, consumed]. And that night [period of darkness, time of rest] they got up [rose, stood] and left [departed, went away] [in the same night, during the darkness]. word study