1Now at that time the Philistines assembled their bands and army to fight with Israel: therefore Achish said to David, Be sure, thou shalt go out with me to the battle, thou, and thy men.
2And David said to Achish, Surely thou shalt know what thy servant can do. And Achish said to David, Surely I will make thee keeper of mine head forever.
3(Samuel was then dead, and all Israel had lamented him, and buried him in Ramah his own city: and Saul had put away the sorcerers, and the Soothsayers out of the land.)
4Then the Philistines assembled themselves, and came and pitched in Shunem: and Saul assembled all Israel, and they pitched in Gilboa.
5And when Saul saw the host of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart was sore astonied.
6Therefore Saul asked counsel of the Lord, and the Lord answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor yet by Prophets.
7Then said Saul unto his servants, Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and ask of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman at En Dor that hath a familiar spirit.
8Then Saul changed 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, conjecture unto me by the familiar spirit, and bring me him up whom I shall name unto thee.
9And the woman said unto him, Behold, thou knowest what Saul hath done, how he hath destroyed the sorcerers, and the soothsayers out of the land: wherefore then seekest thou to take me in a snare to cause me to die?
10And Saul swore to her by the Lord, saying, As the Lord liveth, no harm shall come to thee for this thing.
11Then said the woman, Whom shall I bring up unto thee? And he answered, Bring me up Samuel.
12And 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.
13And the king said unto her, Be not afraid: for what sawest thou? And the woman said unto Saul, I saw gods ascending up out of the earth.
14Then he said unto her, What fashion is he of? And she answered, An old man cometh up lapped in a mantel: and Saul knew that it was Samuel, and he inclined his face to the ground, and bowed himself.
15And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up? Then Saul answered, I am in great distress: for the Philistines make war against me, and God is departed from me, and answereth me no more, neither by Prophets, neither by dreams: therefore I have called thee, that thou mayest tell me, what I shall do.
16Then said Samuel, Wherefore then dost thou ask of me, seeing, the Lord is gone from thee, and is thine enemy?
17Even the Lord hath done to him, as he spake by mine hand: for the Lord will rent the kingdom out of thine hand, and give it thy neighbor David.
18Because thou obeyedst not the voice of the Lord, nor executedst his fierce wrath upon the Amalekites, therefore hath the Lord done this unto thee this day.
19Moreover the Lord will deliver Israel with thee into the hands of the Philistines: and tomorrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me, and the Lord shall give the host of Israel into the hands of the Philistines.
20Then Saul fell straightway all along on the earth, and was sore afraid because of the words of Samuel, so that there was no strength in him: for he had eaten no bread all the day nor all the night.
21Then the woman came unto Saul, and saw that he was sore troubled, and said unto him, See, thine handmaid hath obeyed thy voice, and I have put my soul in mine hand, and have obeyed thy words which thou saidest unto me.
22Now therefore, I pray thee, hearken thou also unto the voice of thine handmaid, and let me set a morsel of bread before thee, that thou mayest eat and get thee strength, and go on thy journey.
23But he refused and said, I will not eat: but his servants and the woman together compelled him, and he obeyed their voice: so he arose from the earth, and sat on the bed.
24Now the woman had a fat calf in the house, and she hasted, and killed it, and took flour, and kneaded it, and baked of it unleavened bread.
25Then she brought them before Saul, and before his servants: and when they had eaten, they stood up, and went away the same night.