1 Samuel 28:7–20

⁷So Saul said to his servants, “Seek for me a woman who is a medium, that I may go to her and inquire of her.” And his servants said to him, “Behold, ^athere is a woman who is a medium at ^bEn-dor.”

⁸Then Saul ^adisguised himself and put on other clothes, and he went, he and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night; and he said, “^bDivine for me, please, and ^cbring up for me whom I shall say to you.”

⁹But the woman said to him, “Behold, you know ^awhat Saul has done, how he has cut off those who are mediums and spiritists from the land. Why are you then laying a snare for my life to bring about my death?”

¹⁰Then Saul swore to her by Yahweh, saying, “As Yahweh lives, no punishment shall come upon you for this thing.”

¹¹Then the woman said, “Whom shall I bring up for you?” And he said, “Bring up Samuel for me.”

¹²And the woman saw Samuel and cried out with a loud voice; and the woman spoke to Saul, saying, “Why have you deceived me? For you are Saul.”

¹³And the king said to her, “Do not be afraid; but what do you see?” And the woman said to Saul, “I see a ¹divine being coming up out of the earth.”

¹⁴And he said to her, “What is his form?” And she said, “An old man is coming up, and ^ahe is wrapped with a robe.” And Saul knew that it was Samuel, and ^bhe bowed with his ¹face to the ground and prostrated himself.

¹⁵Then Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?” And Saul answered, “I am greatly distressed, for the Philistines are waging war against me, and ^aGod has turned away from me and ^bno longer answers me, either by the hand of the prophets or by dreams; therefore I have called you, that you may make known to me what I should do.”

¹⁶And Samuel said, “Why then do you ask me, since Yahweh has turned away from you and has become your adversary?

¹⁷“So Yahweh has done ¹accordingly ^aas He spoke by my hand, for Yahweh has torn the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbor, to David.

¹⁸“As ^ayou did not listen to the voice of Yahweh and did not execute His burning anger on Amalek, so Yahweh has done this thing to you this day.

¹⁹“Moreover Yahweh will also give over Israel along with you into the hands of the Philistines, therefore tomorrow ^ayou and your sons will be with me. Indeed Yahweh will give over the camp of Israel into the hands of the Philistines!”

²⁰Then Saul quickly fell full length upon the ground and was very afraid because of the words of Samuel; also there was no strength in him, for he had eaten no ¹food all day and all night.