Scriptures

New Living Translation (NLT)

1 Samuel 27
¹¹ No one was left alive to come to Gath and tell where he had really been. This happened again and again while he was living among the Philistines.
¹² Achish believed David and thought to himself, “By now the people of Israel must hate him bitterly. Now he will have to stay here and serve me forever!”
1 Samuel 28
¹ About that time the Philistines mustered their armies for another war with Israel. King Achish told David, “You and your men will be expected to join me in battle.”
² “Very well!” David agreed. “Now you will see for yourself what we can do.” Then Achish told David, “I will make you my personal bodyguard for life.”
³ Meanwhile, Samuel had died, and all Israel had mourned for him. He was buried in Ramah, his hometown. And Saul had banned from the land of Israel all mediums and those who consult the spirits of the dead.
⁴ The Philistines set up their camp at Shunem, and Saul gathered all the army of Israel and camped at Gilboa.
⁵ When Saul saw the vast Philistine army, he became frantic with fear.
⁶ He asked the LORD what he should do, but the LORD refused to answer him, either by dreams or by sacred lots or by the prophets.
⁷ Saul then said to his advisers, “Find a woman who is a medium, so I can go and ask her what to do.” His advisers replied, “There is a medium at Endor.”
⁸ So Saul disguised himself by wearing ordinary clothing instead of his royal robes. Then he went to the woman’s home at night, accompanied by two of his men. “I have to talk to a man who has died,” he said. “Will you call up his spirit for me?”
⁹ “Are you trying to get me killed?” the woman demanded. “You know that Saul has outlawed all the mediums and all who consult the spirits of the dead. Why are you setting a trap for me?”