The Philistines Prepare for War
Study note
The Philistines gathered their armies for a major attack against Israel. Achish told David that he and his men would be expected to fight alongside the Philistines. David gave a vague reply, and Achish appointed David as his permanent bodyguard. David was in a difficult situation: if he fought, he would be fighting against his own people.
1 Around this time, the Philistines pulled their armies together to wage war against Israel. Achish told David, "You understand that you and your men will be marching out to battle with me." And it came to pass in those days, that the Philistines gathered their armies together for warfare, to fight with Israel. And Achish said unto David, Know thou assuredly, that thou shalt go out with me to battle, thou and thy men.
2 David answered, "Then you will get to see firsthand what I can do." Achish responded, "Good. I am making you my permanent personal bodyguard." And David said to Achish, Surely thou shalt know what thy servant can do. And Achish said to David, Therefore will I make thee keeper of mine head for ever.
Saul's Desperate Search for Guidance
Study note
Samuel was dead, and the Philistine army was camped at Shunem while Saul gathered Israel at Gilboa. When Saul saw the massive Philistine force, he was filled with terror. He tried to ask God for guidance through dreams, through the Urim (a priestly tool for knowing God's will), and through prophets, but God did not answer him. In desperation, Saul asked his servants to find a medium, even though he himself had previously banned all mediums and spiritists from Israel. His servants told him about a woman at Endor.
3 By this point, Samuel had died. All of Israel had mourned for him, and he had been buried in his hometown of Ramah. Saul had also kicked every medium and fortune-teller out of the country. Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him, and buried him in Ramah, even in his own city. And Saul had put away those that had familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land.
4 The Philistines assembled their forces and camped at Shunem. Saul gathered all the Israelite troops and camped at Gilboa. And the Philistines gathered themselves together, and came and pitched in Shunem: and Saul gathered all Israel together, and they pitched in Gilboa.
5 When Saul saw the massive Philistine army, fear gripped him. His heart was pounding out of control. And when Saul saw the host of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart greatly trembled.
6 Saul tried to get direction from the Lord, but the Lord would not answer him. There was no response through dreams, no answer through the sacred lots, and no word through any prophet. And when Saul inquired of the LORD, the LORD answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets.
7 Saul told his servants, "Find me a woman who is a medium, someone who can contact the dead. I want to go consult with her." His servants said, "There is a woman like that in the town of Endor." Then said Saul unto his servants, Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and inquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman that hath a familiar spirit at En-dor.
Saul Visits the Medium
Study note
Saul disguised himself and went to the medium at night with two men. He asked her to call up a spirit for him. The woman was suspicious at first, afraid it was a trap to get her killed for practicing sorcery. Saul swore by the Lord that she would not be punished. When the woman called up Samuel, she cried out in shock and realized her visitor was King Saul. She described seeing a spirit coming up out of the ground, an old man wearing a robe. Saul knew it was Samuel and bowed to the ground.
8 Saul put on a disguise by changing his clothes. He took two men with him and traveled to the woman at night. He said to her, "Use your abilities to bring up a spirit for me. Bring up the person I name." And Saul disguised himself, and put on other raiment, and he went, and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night: and he said, I pray thee, divine unto me by the familiar spirit, and bring me him up, whom I shall name unto thee.
9 The woman was suspicious. She said, "You must know what King Saul did. He removed every medium and fortune-teller in the land. Are you trying to set me up to get killed?" And the woman said unto him, Behold, thou knowest what Saul hath done, how he hath cut off those that have familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land: wherefore then layest thou a snare for my life, to cause me to die?
10 Saul swore to her by the Lord's name, "As surely as the Lord lives, no punishment will come to you for this." And Saul sware to her by the LORD, saying, As the LORD liveth, there shall no punishment happen to thee for this thing.
11 The woman asked, "Who do you want me to bring up?" Saul said, "Bring up Samuel." Then said the woman, Whom shall I bring up unto thee? And he said, Bring me up Samuel.
12 When the woman saw Samuel, she let out a piercing scream. She turned to Saul and said, "You tricked me! You are Saul!" And when the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice: and the woman spake to Saul, saying, Why hast thou deceived me? for thou art Saul.
13 The king said, "Calm down. Don't be afraid. Tell me what you see." The woman said, "I see a spirit rising up out of the ground." And the king said unto her, Be not afraid: for what sawest thou? And the woman said unto Saul, I saw gods ascending out of the earth.
14 Saul asked, "What does he look like?" She described, "It is an old man wrapped in a robe." Saul immediately knew it was Samuel. He dropped to his knees and pressed his face to the floor. And he said unto her, What form is he of? And she said, An old man cometh up; and he is covered with a mantle. And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he stooped with his face to the ground, and bowed himself.
Samuel's Final Message to Saul
Study note
Samuel's spirit asked why Saul had disturbed him. Saul explained his desperate situation. Samuel's response was devastating: God had already turned away from Saul and become his enemy. God had torn the kingdom from Saul and given it to David because Saul had not obeyed the Lord's command regarding the Amalekites. Samuel delivered the final blow: the next day, Israel would be defeated by the Philistines, and Saul and his sons would be dead.
15 Samuel said to Saul, "Why have you disturbed me and called me up?" Saul said, "I am in desperate trouble. The Philistines are about to attack, and God has completely stopped speaking to me. No prophets, no dreams, nothing. I called on you because I do not know what else to do." And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up? And Saul answered, I am sore distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God is departed from me, and answereth me no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams: therefore I have called thee, that thou mayest make known unto me what I shall do.
16 Samuel replied, "Why are you asking me for help? The Lord has left you and has turned against you." Then said Samuel, Wherefore then dost thou ask of me, seeing the LORD is departed from thee, and is become thine enemy?
17 "The Lord has done exactly what he told you through me he would do. He has ripped the kingdom out of your grip and handed it to your neighbor, David." And the LORD hath done to him, as he spake by me: for the LORD hath rent the kingdom out of thine hand, and given it to thy neighbour, even to David:
18 "This is happening because you refused to obey the Lord. You did not carry out his fierce judgment against the Amalekites. Therefore the Lord has done this to you today." Because thou obeyedst not the voice of the LORD, nor executedst his fierce wrath upon Amalek, therefore hath the LORD done this thing unto thee this day.
19 "The Lord is going to hand Israel and you over to the Philistines. By tomorrow, you and your sons will be here with me. The Lord is also handing the Israelite army over to the Philistines." Moreover the LORD will also deliver Israel with thee into the hand of the Philistines: and to morrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me: the LORD also shall deliver the host of Israel into the hand of the Philistines.
Saul Collapses in Fear
Study note
When Saul heard Samuel's words, he collapsed full length on the ground, terrified and weak from not eating all day and night. The woman and Saul's servants urged him to eat. At first he refused, but they convinced him. The woman quickly prepared a meal of a fattened calf and unleavened bread. After eating, Saul and his men left that night. This was the lowest moment of Saul's life, knowing he faced death with no hope of God's help.
20 Saul collapsed to the ground, flat on his face. Samuel's words terrified him completely. On top of the fear, he had zero strength because he had not eaten anything all day and all night. Then Saul fell straightway all along on the earth, and was sore afraid, because of the words of Samuel: and there was no strength in him; for he had eaten no bread all the day, nor all the night.
21 The woman came over and could see that Saul was in terrible shape. She said, "Look, I risked my life to do what you asked of me." And the woman came unto Saul, and saw that he was sore troubled, and said unto him, Behold, thine handmaid hath obeyed thy voice, and I have put my life in my hand, and have hearkened unto thy words which thou spakest unto me.
22 "Now please, listen to me. Let me fix you something to eat so you will have enough strength to travel." Now therefore, I pray thee, hearken thou also unto the voice of thine handmaid, and let me set a morsel of bread before thee; and eat, that thou mayest have strength, when thou goest on thy way.
23 Saul refused, saying, "I am not going to eat." But his two servants and the woman kept urging him until he finally gave in. He pulled himself up from the floor and sat on the bed. But he refused, and said, I will not eat. But his servants, together with the woman, compelled him; and he hearkened unto their voice. So he arose from the earth, and sat upon the bed.
24 The woman had a fattened calf at her home. She quickly butchered it, took flour, kneaded the dough, and baked flatbread without yeast. And the woman had a fat calf in the house; and she hasted, and killed it, and took flour, and kneaded it, and did bake unleavened bread thereof:
25 She set the meal in front of Saul and his servants. After they ate, they got up and headed out into the darkness of the night. And she brought it before Saul, and before his servants; and they did eat. Then they rose up, and went away that night.