Saul and the Medium of En-dor

1 Samuel 28

1 Now a it happened in those days that the Philistines gathered their armies together for war, to fight with Israel. And Achish said to David, "You assuredly know that you will go out with me to battle, you and your men." 2 So David said to Achish, "Surely you know what your servant can do." And Achish said to David, "Therefore I will make you one of my chief guardians forever."

3 Now b Samuel had died, and all Israel had lamented for him and buried him in c Ramah, in his own city. And Saul had put d the mediums and the spiritists out of the land. 4 Then the Philistines gathered together, and came and encamped at e Shunem. So Saul gathered all Israel together, and they encamped at f Gilboa. 5 When Saul saw the army of the Philistines, he was g afraid, and his heart trembled greatly. 6 And when Saul inquired of the LORD, h the LORD did not answer him, either by i dreams or j by Urim or by the prophets. 7 Then Saul said to his servants, "Find me a woman who is a medium, k that I may go to her and inquire of her." And his servants said to him, "In fact, there is a woman who is a medium at En Dor."

8 So Saul disguised himself and put on other clothes, and he went, and two men with him; and they came to the woman by night. And l he said, "Please conduct a seance for me, and bring up for me the one I shall name to you." 9 Then the woman said to him, "Look, you know what Saul has done, how he has m cut off the mediums and the spiritists from the land. Why then do you lay a snare for my life, to cause me to die?" 10 And Saul swore to her by the LORD, saying, "As the LORD lives, no punishment shall come upon you for this thing." 11 Then the woman said, "Whom shall I bring up for you?" And he said, "Bring up Samuel for me." 12 When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out with a loud voice. And the woman spoke to Saul, saying, "Why have you deceived me? For you are Saul!" 13 And the king said to her, "Do not be afraid. What did you see?" And the woman said to Saul, "I saw n a 1 spirit ascending out of the earth." 14 So he said to her, "What is his form?" And she said, "An old man is coming up, and he is covered with o a mantle." And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he stooped with his face to the ground and bowed down.

15 Now Samuel said to Saul, "Why have you p disturbed me by bringing me up?" And Saul answered, "I am deeply distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and q God has departed from me and r does not answer me anymore, neither by prophets nor by dreams. Therefore I have called you, that you may reveal to me what I should do." 16 Then Samuel said: "So why do you ask me, seeing the LORD has departed from you and has become your enemy? 17 "And the LORD has done for 2 Himself 3 s as He spoke by me. For the LORD has torn the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbor, David. 18 t "Because you did not obey the voice of the LORD nor execute His fierce wrath upon u Amalek, therefore the LORD has done this thing to you this day. 19 "Moreover the LORD will also deliver Israel with you into the hand of the Philistines. And tomorrow you and your sons will be with v me. The LORD will also deliver the army of Israel into the hand of the Philistines."

20 Immediately Saul fell full length on the ground, and was dreadfully afraid because of the words of Samuel. And there was no strength in him, for he had eaten no food all day or all night. 21 And the woman came to Saul and saw that he was severely troubled, and said to him, "Look, your maidservant has obeyed your voice, and I have w put my life in my hands and heeded the words which you spoke to me. 22 "Now therefore, please, heed also the voice of your maidservant, and let me set a piece of bread before you; and eat, that you may have strength when you go on your way." 23 But he refused and said, "I will not eat." So his servants, together with the woman, urged him; and he heeded their voice. Then he arose from the ground and sat on the bed. 24 Now the woman had a fatted calf in the house, and she hastened to kill it. And she took flour and kneaded it, and baked unleavened bread from it. 25 So she brought it before Saul and his servants, and they ate. Then they rose and went away that night.

  1. Cross References
    Judges 1:16
    Now the children of the Kenite, Moses' father-in-law, went up from the City of Palms with the children of Judah into the Wilderness of Judah, which lies in the South near Arad; and they went and dwelt among the people.
  2. Cross References
    1 Samuel 29:1
    Then the Philistines gathered together all their armies at Aphek, and the Israelites encamped by a fountain which is in Jezreel.
    1 Samuel 29:2
    And the lords of the Philistines passed in review by hundreds and by thousands, but David and his men passed in review at the rear with Achish.
  3. Cross References
    1 Samuel 25:1
    Then Samuel died; and the Israelites gathered together and lamented for him, and buried him at his home in Ramah. And David arose and went down to the Wilderness of Paran.
  4. Cross References
    1 Samuel 1:19
    Then they rose early in the morning and worshiped before the LORD, and returned and came to their house at Ramah. And Elkanah knew Hannah his wife, and the LORD remembered her.
  5. Cross References
    Exodus 22:18
    You shall not permit a sorceress to live.
    Leviticus 19:31
    Give no regard to mediums and familiar spirits;...
    Leviticus 20:27
    'A man or a woman who is a medium, or who has f...
    Deuteronomy 18:10
    There shall not be found among you anyone who m...
    Deuteronomy 18:11
    Or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a s...
    1 Samuel 15:23
    For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, And ...
    1 Samuel 28:9
    Then the woman said to him, "Look, you know wha...
  6. Cross References
    Joshua 19:18
    And their territory went to Jezreel, and included Chesulloth, Shunem.
    1 Samuel 28:4
    Then the Philistines gathered together, and came and encamped at Shunem. So Saul gathered all Israel together, and they encamped at Gilboa.
    1 Kings 1:3
    So they sought for a lovely young woman throughout all the territory of Israel, and found Abishag the Shunammite, and brought her to the king.
    2 Kings 4:8
    Now it happened one day that Elisha went to Shunem, where there was a notable woman, and she persuaded him to eat some food. So it was, as often as he passed by, he would turn in there to eat some food.
  7. Cross References
    1 Samuel 31:1
    Now the Philistines fought against Israel; and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell slain on Mount Gilboa.
  8. Cross References
    Job 18:11
    Terrors frighten him on every side, And drive him to his feet.
    Isaiah 57:20
    But the wicked are like the troubled sea, When it cannot rest, Whose waters cast up mire and dirt.
  9. Cross References
    1 Samuel 14:37
    So Saul asked counsel of God, "Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will You deliver them into the hand of Israel?" But He did not answer him that day.
    Proverbs 1:28
    Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me.
    Lamentations 2:9
    Her gates have sunk into the ground; He has destroyed and broken her bars. Her king and her princes are among the nations; The Law is no more, And her prophets find no vision from the LORD.
  10. Cross References
    Numbers 12:6
    Then He said, "Hear now My words: If there is a prophet among you, I, the LORD, make Myself known to him in a vision; I speak to him in a dream.
    Joel 2:28
    And it shall come to pass afterward That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions.
  11. Cross References
    Exodus 28:30
    And you shall put in the breastplate of judgment the Urim and the Thummim, and they shall be over Aaron's heart when he goes in before the LORD. So Aaron shall bear the judgment of the children of Israel over his heart before the LORD continually.
    Numbers 27:21
    "He shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall inquire before the LORD for him by the judgment of the Urim. At his word they shall go out, and at his word they shall come in, he and all the children of Israel with him - all the congregation."
    Deuteronomy 33:8
    And of Levi he said: " Let Your Thummim and Your Urim be with Your holy one, Whom You tested at Massah, And with whom You contended at the waters of Meribah.
  12. Cross References
    1 Chronicles 10:13
    So Saul died for his unfaithfulness which he had committed against the LORD, because he did not keep the word of the LORD, and also because he consulted a medium for guidance.
  13. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 18:10
    There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer.
    Deuteronomy 18:11
    Or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead.
    1 Chronicles 10:13
    So Saul died for his unfaithfulness which he had committed against the LORD, because he did not keep the word of the LORD, and also because he consulted a medium for guidance.
    Isaiah 8:19
    And when they say to you, "Seek those who are mediums and wizards, who whisper and mutter," should not a people seek their God? Should they seek the dead on behalf of the living?
  14. Cross References
    1 Samuel 28:3
    Now Samuel had died, and all Israel had lamented for him and buried him in Ramah, in his own city. And Saul had put the mediums and the spiritists out of the land.
  15. Cross References
    Exodus 22:28
    You shall not revile God, nor curse a ruler of your people.
    Psalms 138:1
    I WILL praise You with my whole heart; Before the gods I will sing praises to You.
  16. Cross References
    1 Samuel 15:27
    And as Samuel turned around to go away, Saul seized the edge of his robe, and it tore.
    2 Kings 2:8
    Now Elijah took his mantle, rolled it up, and struck the water; and it was divided this way and that, so that the two of them crossed over on dry ground.
    2 Kings 2:13
    He also took up the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and went back and stood by the bank of the Jordan.
  17. Cross References
    Isaiah 14:9
    Hell from beneath is excited about you, To meet you at your coming; It stirs up the dead for you, All the chief ones of the earth; It has raised up from their thrones All the kings of the nations.
  18. Cross References
    1 Samuel 16:14
    But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and a distressing spirit from the LORD troubled him.
    1 Samuel 18:12
    Now Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with him, but had departed from Saul.
  19. Cross References
    1 Samuel 28:6
    And when Saul inquired of the LORD, the LORD did not answer him, either by dreams or by Urim or by the prophets.
  20. Cross References
    1 Samuel 15:28
    So Samuel said to him, "The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today, and has given it to a neighbor of yours, who is better than you.
  21. Cross References
    1 Samuel 13:9 - 13
    So Saul said, "Bring a burnt offering and peace offerings here to me." And he offered the burnt offering.
    1 Samuel 15:1 - 26
    Samuel also said to Saul, "The LORD sent me to anoint you king over His people, over Israel. Now therefore, heed the voice of the words of the LORD.
    1 Kings 20:42
    Then he said to him, "Thus says the LORD: 'Because you have let slip out of your hand a man whom I appointed to utter destruction, therefore your life shall go for his life, and your people for his people.'
    1 Chronicles 10:13
    So Saul died for his unfaithfulness which he had committed against the LORD, because he did not keep the word of the LORD, and also because he consulted a medium for guidance.
    Jeremiah 48:10
    Cursed is he who does the work of the LORD deceitfully, And cursed is he who keeps back his sword from blood.
  22. Cross References
    1 Samuel 15:3 - 9
    'Now go and attack Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and do not spare them. But kill both man and woman, infant and nursing child, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.'"
  23. Cross References
    1 Samuel 31:1 - 6
    Now the Philistines fought against Israel; and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell slain on Mount Gilboa.
    Job 3:17 - 19
    There the wicked cease from troubling, And there the weary are at rest.
New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
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