David Returns to Achish

27 Then David ⌊thought to himself⌋,a “Now I will perish one day by the hand of Saul! There is nothing better for me but that I must certainly escape to the land of the Philistines. Then Saul will desist from searching for me further in all of the territories of Israel, and so I will escape from his hand.” 2 So David got up and crossed over, he and the six hundred men who were with him, to Achish the son of Maoch, the king of Gath. 3 David settled with Achish in Gath, he and his men, each with his household.b David took along his two wives Ahinoam ⌊from Jezreel⌋c and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite. 4 And it was reported to Saul that David had fled to Gath, so ⌊he no longer searched for him⌋.d

5 Then David said to Achish, “Please, if I have found favor in your eyes, then let them give me a place in one of the ⌊country towns⌋e that I can live there. Why should your servant live in ⌊the royal city⌋f with you?” 6 So Achish gave him Ziklag on that day. (Therefore, Ziklag has belonged to the kings of Judah until this day.) 7 The number of days that David lived in the countryside of the Philistines was one year and four months.

8 Now David and his men went up and raided the Geshurites and the Girzites and the Amalekites, for they had been living in the land for a long time ⌊in the direction of⌋g Shur and ⌊as far as⌋h the land of Egypt. 9 So David struck the land and did not leave a man or a woman alive; he took the sheep,i the cattle, the donkeys, the camels, and the clothing. Then he returned and came to Achish. 10 And Achish said, “Against whom have you raided today?” David said, “Against the Negev of Judah and against the Negev of the Jerahmeelites and against the Negev of the Kenites.” 11 And David did not leave alive a man or a woman to bring them back to Gath, thinking,j “So that they will not report about us, saying, ‘David did thus and so.’ ” Thus was his practice all the days that he lived in the countryside of the Philistines. 12 And Achish trusted David, saying, “⌊He has made himself utterly hated⌋k among his people in Israel, and he will be my servant forever.”

28 ⌊Now⌋a in those days the Philistines gathered their forces for war to fight against Israel. So Achish said to David, “Certainly you realize that you must go out with me in the army, you and your men.” 2 David said to Achish, “Very well, you will know what your servant can do.” Achish said to David, “Very well, I will make you ⌊my bodyguard⌋b for life.”

Saul Inquires of the Medium at Endor

3 (Now Samuel had died, and all Israel had mourned for him, and they had buried him in Ramah, his own city. And Saul had expelled the mediumsc and the soothsayers from the land.) 4 Then the Philistines assembled and came and encamped at Shunem, so Saul assembled all Israel, and they encamped at Gilboa. 5 When Saul saw the army of the Philistines, he was afraid and his heart trembled greatly. 6 And Saul inquired of Yahweh, but Yahweh did not answer him, not by dreams or by the Urimd or by the prophets. 7 So Saul said to his servants, “Search for me ⌊a woman who is a medium⌋e so that I may go to her and inquire of her.” His servants said to him, “Look there is a woman who is a medium in Endor.” 8 So Saul disguised himself and put on other clothes, and he went ⌊with two of his men⌋.f And they came to the woman by night and he said, “Please consult a spirit for me through ⌊the ritual pit⌋,g and bring up for me the one whom I tell you.” 9 But the woman said to him, “Look, you know what Saul did, how he exterminated the mediumsh and the soothsayers from the land! Why are you setting a trap for my life to kill me?” 10 Then Saul swore to her by Yahweh, “⌊As Yahweh lives⌋,i ⌊you will not be punished⌋j for this thing.” 11 So the woman asked, “Whom shall I bring up for you?” He said, “Bring up Samuel for me.” 12 When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out with a loud voice, and the woman said to Saul, “Why did you deceive me? You are Saul!” 13 The king said to her, “Do not be afraid! What do you see?” And the woman said to Saul, “I see a godk coming up from the ground!” 14 Then he said to her, “What is his appearance?” She said, “An old man is coming up, and ⌊he is wrapped in a robe⌋.”l Then Saul realized that it was Samuel, and he knelt with his face to the ground and bowed down.

15 Then Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?” And Saul said, “⌊I am in distress⌋!m For the Philistines are about to make war against me, but God has turned away from me, and he does not answer me any more, not ⌊by the prophets⌋n or by the dreams. So I called to you to let me know what I should do.” 16 Then Samuel said, “Why do you ask me, since Yahweh has turned away from you and has become your enemy? 17 Yahweh has done to you just as he spoke by my hand! Yahweh has torn the kingdom from your hand and has given it to your neighbor, to David. 18 Because you ⌊did not obey⌋o Yahweh and did not carry out the fierce anger of his ⌊wrath⌋p against Amalek, therefore Yahweh has done this thing to you today. 19 And Yahweh will also give Israel with you into the hands of the Philistines, and tomorrow you and your sons will be with me, and Yahweh will also give the army of Israel into the hand of the Philistines.” 20 ⌊Then Saul immediately fell prostrate⌋q to the ground, and he was very afraid because of the words of Samuel; there was no more strength in him, for he had not eaten food all day and all night. 21 Then the woman came to Saul and realized that he was absolutelyr terrified, so she said to him, “Look, your female servant ⌊has obeyed you⌋,s and I have ⌊risked my life⌋.t I have listened to your words that you have spoken to me. 22 So then, you also please listen to the voice of your female servant, and let me set before you a morsel of bread, and you eat so that ⌊you will have strength⌋u in you when you go on yourv way.” 23 But he refused and said, “I will not eat!” However, his servants urged him, and the woman also. So he listened ⌊to what they said⌋,w and he got up from the ground and sat on the bed. 24 Now the woman had a fattened bull calf in the house, ⌊so she quickly slaughtered it⌋x and took flour, kneaded dough, and baked him some unleavened bread. 25 She brought it before Saul and his servants, and they ate. Then they got up and went away that very night.