The Witch of Endor
1st Samuel 28
(BC 1053) Saul expels the Soothsayers.
- When Samuel died, and all Israel had mourned
for him, they buried him near Ramah, in his own village, and Saul
drove away the Spiritraisers, and the Soothsayers from the country.
The Philistines prepare to assail Israel,
and Saul is terrified at their fine Army, and seeks a Spirit-rapper
to raise a Spirit to advise him - Goes to the Witch of Endor.
- But the Philishum collected, and advanced,
and encamped at Shunam - Saul also assembled the forces of Israel,
and encamped at Gilboa.
- When Saul saw the camp of the Philishtim,
he feared and his heart trembled extremely.
- Saul consequently inquired of the EVER-LIVING,
but the EVER-LIVING
did not answer him, neither by dreams, nor by visions, nor by
prophets.
- Consequently Saul said to his officers,
"Seek me a woman who possesses a divining spirit, and I will
go and inquire of her." And his officers replied to him,
"There is a woman at En-dor who possesses a spirit."
- Then Saul stripped, and clothed himself in different clothes,
and went, he and two officers with him, and came to the woman
at night, and said to her, "Will you call to a spirit for
me now, and bring to me whoever I tell you?"
- But the woman replied to him, "What!! When you know what
Saul has done? …who has driven the Spiritraisers and the
Scientists from the country? So why do you seek for my life, to
get me killed?"
- Then Saul swore to her by the EVER-LIVING,
saying, "By the EVER-LIVING LIFE
nothing hurtful shall happen to you for the affair."
- So the woman asked him, "Whom shall I bring to you?"
And he replied, "Bring up Samuel to me!"
- And when the woman saw Samuel she shrieked with a loud voice,
and said to Saul, "Why have you deceived me? You are Saul!"
- But the King answered her, "Fear not for me! -Who? -What
have you seen!" And the woman said, "I saw Divine Messengers
coming out of the earth!"
The Spirit of Samuel appears.
- He then asked her, "What is he like?" She replied,
"An old man is now coming up! And he is covered with a cloak!"
And Saul recognized that it was Samuel and fell face forward to
the ground, and he was terrified.
- Then Samuel said to Saul, "For what have you disturbed
me to bring me up?"
And Saul replied, "I
am in great distress for the Philistim are at war with me, and
GOD has turned from me, and answers
me no more, neither by means of Instructors, nor by dreams - so
I called to you to tell me what to do!"
- Samuel then asked, "And for what do you inquire of me,
when GOD has turned away, and is far
from you?
- The EVER-LIVING will
do to you, as He said through me! For the EVER-LIVING
has taken the Commandership from your hand, and will give it to
your neighbor, to David.
- Because you did not listen to the voice
of the EVER-LIVING, and
did not execute His deep wrath upon the Amalekites, therefore
the EVER-LIVING has brought
this trouble to you today!
- The EVER-LIVING also will give
Israel, with you, into the hands of the Philishtim. And tomorrow
you shall be with me!
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