1While David was living in Ziklag, the Philistines gathered their army together. They planned to fight against Israel. Achish said to David, “Here is what you must understand. You and your men must march out with me and my army.”
2David said, “I understand. You will see for yourself what I can do.”
Achish replied, “All right. I’ll make you my own personal guard for life.”
Saul and the Woman at Endor
3Samuel had died. The whole nation of Israel was filled with sorrow because he was dead. They had buried him in his own town of Ramah. Saul had thrown out of the land people who get messages from those who have died. He had also thrown out people who talk to the spirits of the dead.
4The Philistines gathered together and set up camp at Shunem. At the same time, Saul gathered together all the Israelites. They set up camp at Gilboa. 5When Saul saw the Philistine army, he was afraid. Terror filled his heart. 6He asked the Lord for advice. But the Lord didn’t answer him through dreams or prophets. He didn’t answer him when Saul had the priest cast lots by using the Urim. 7Saul spoke to his attendants. He said, “Find me a woman who gets messages from those who have died. Then I can go and ask her some questions.”
“There’s a woman like that in Endor,” they said.
8Saul put on different clothes so people wouldn’t know who he was. At night he and two of his men went to see the woman. “I want you to talk to a spirit for me,” he said. “Bring up the spirit of the dead person I choose.”
9But the woman said to him, “By now you must know what Saul has done. He has removed everyone who gets messages from those who have died. He has also removed everyone who talks to the spirits of the dead. He has thrown all of them out of the land. Why are you trying to trap me? Why do you want to have me put to death?”
10Saul made a promise in the name of the Lord. He said to the woman, “You can be sure that the Lord lives. And you can be just as sure that you won’t be punished for helping me.”
11Then the woman asked, “Whose spirit should I bring up for you?”
“Bring Samuel up,” he said.
12When the woman saw Samuel, she let out a loud scream. She said to Saul, “Why have you tricked me? You are King Saul!”
13He said to her, “Don’t be afraid. Tell me what you see.”
The woman said, “I see a ghostly figure. He’s coming up out of the earth.”
14“What does he look like?” Saul asked.
“An old man wearing a robe is coming up,” she said.
Then Saul knew it was Samuel. He bowed down. He lay down flat with his face toward the ground.
15Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you troubled me by bringing me up from the dead?”
“I’m having big problems,” Saul said. “The Philistines are fighting against me. God has left me. He doesn’t answer me anymore. He doesn’t speak to me through prophets or dreams. So I’ve called on you to tell me what to do.”
16Samuel said, “The Lord has left you. He has become your enemy. So why are you asking me what you should do? 17The Lord has spoken through me and has done what he said he would do. The Lord has torn the kingdom out of your hands. He has given it to one of your neighbors. He has given it to David. 18You didn’t obey the Lord. You didn’t show his great anger against the Amalekites by destroying them. So he’s punishing you today. 19He will hand both Israel and you over to the Philistines. Tomorrow you and your sons will be down here with me. The Lord will also hand Israel’s army over to the Philistines.”
20Immediately Saul fell flat on the ground. What Samuel had said filled Saul with fear. His strength was gone. He hadn’t eaten anything all that day and all that night.
21The woman went over to Saul because she saw that he was very upset. She said, “Look, I’ve obeyed you. I put my own life in danger by doing what you told me to do. 22So please listen to me. Let me give you some food. Eat it. Then you will have the strength to go on your way.”
23But he refused. He said, “I don’t want anything to eat.”
Then his men joined the woman in begging him to eat. Finally, he paid attention to them. He got up from the ground and sat on a couch.
24The woman had a fat calf at her house. She killed it at once. She got some flour. She mixed it and baked some bread that didn’t have any yeast in it. 25Then she set the food in front of Saul and his men. They ate it. That same night they got up and left.
Saulo Kɔ Abisa
1Saa bere no, Filistifo no boaboaa wɔn asraafo ano sɛ wɔrebɛko atia Israel. Akis ka kyerɛɛ Dawid se, “Merehwɛ kwan sɛ, wo ne wo mmarima bɛka me ho akɔ ɔko no.”
2Dawid penee so se, “Eye pa ara, wʼankasa wubehu nea wʼakoa betumi ayɛ.”
Akis kae se, “Eye, mɛyɛ wo me bammɔfo afebɔɔ.”
3Saa bere yi na Samuel awu, ama Israel nyinaa atwa agyaadwo. Wosiee no wɔ ɔno ara ne kurom Rama. Saa bere no, na Saulo apam atutu ahoni ne ahonhom afi asase no so.
4Filistifo no boaa wɔn ho ano, kyeree nsraban wɔ Sunem, na Saulo nso boaboaa Israelfo no nyinaa ano, kyeree nsraban wɔ Gilboa. 5Bere a Saulo huu Filistifo asraafo no dodow no, osuroe; ehu hyɛɛ ne koma ma. 6Obisaa Awurade nea ɔnyɛ nanso Awurade amfa adaeso anaa ntontobɔ kronkron anaa adiyifo so ammua no. 7Saulo ka kyerɛɛ nʼafotufo se, “Monhwehwɛ ɔbea samanfrɛfo bi mma me, na menkɔ ne hɔ abisa.”
Nʼafotufo no buae se, “Ɔbea samanfrɛfo bi wɔ En-Dor.”
8Enti Saulo hyɛɛ ntade afoforo a ɛnyɛ ɔhene afade, sakraa ne ho, na ɔne mmarima no mu baanu kɔɔ ɔbea no nkyɛn anadwo. Saulo kae se, “Ɛsɛ sɛ me ne obi a wawu kasa. Wubetumi afrɛ ne honhom ama me ana?”
9Ɔbea no bisae se, “Wopɛ sɛ wokum me ana? Wunim sɛ Saulo apam asamanfrɛfo ne ahohomfrɛfo nyinaa afi asase yi so. Adɛn nti na wusum me afiri?”
10Saulo de Awurade din kaa no ntam se, “Mmere dodow a Awurade te ase yi, wɔrentwe wʼaso wɔ eyi ho da.”
11Afei, ɔbea no bisae se, “Hena na memfrɛ no mma wo?”
Obuae se, “Frɛ Samuel ma me.”
12Na ɔbea no huu Samuel no, ɔde nne kɛse teɛɛ mu ka kyerɛɛ Saulo se, “woadaadaa me! Wone Saulo!”
13Ɔhene no ka kyerɛɛ no se, “Nsuro. Dɛn na wuhu?” Ɔbea no buae se, “Mihu honhom bi sɛ apue afi fam reba.”
14Saulo bisae se, “Ɔte dɛn?”
Obuae se, “Akwakoraa bi a ɔhyɛ batakari, na ɔreba.”
Ɛhɔ na Saulo huu sɛ ɛyɛ Samuel, enti ɔbɔɔ ne mu ase de nʼanim butuw fam.
15Samuel bisae se, “Adɛn nti na wofrɛ me de haw me saa?”
Saulo buae se, “Efisɛ ɔhaw ne abɛbrɛsɛ amene me. Filistifo de ɔko atentam yɛn. Na Onyankopɔn nso agyaw me. Mente ne nka wɔ adiyifo nkyɛn anaa daeso mu. Enti mafrɛ wo sɛ kyerɛ me nea menyɛ.”
16Na Samuel buae se, “Sɛ Awurade agyaw wo, abɛyɛ wo tamfo a, adɛn nti na worebisa me? 17Awurade ayɛ nea ɔnam me so hyɛɛ ho nkɔm no. Wagye ahenni no afi wo nsam de ama Dawid, wo nkurɔfo no mu baako. 18Awurade ayɛ saa, efisɛ woanni ne mmara a ɛfa Amalekfo ho no so. 19Nea ɛka ho ne se, ɔkyena, Awurade de wo ne Israel asraafo nyinaa bɛma Filistifo, na wo ne wo mma abɛka me ho wɔ ha. Awurade bɛma Israel asraafo no nyinaa adi nkogu.”
20Samuel nsɛm a Saulo tee no nti, ehu kyekyeree no ma ɔhwee fam. Na onni ahoɔden biara, efisɛ na onnidii da mu no ne anadwo mu no nyinaa.
21Ɔbea no huu adwene mu haw a ɔwɔ mu no, ɔka kyerɛɛ no se, “Owura, mede me nkwa too hɔ, yɛɛ wʼabisade. 22Enti yɛ nea mɛkyerɛ wo sɛ yɛ no, na mama wo biribi adi sɛnea ɛbɛma woanya ahoɔden asan akɔ wʼakyi.”
23Nanso Saulo antie. Mmarima a wɔka ne ho no hyɛɛ no sɛ onnidi. Enti akyiri no, ɔpenee so sɔre fii fam hɔ, tenaa akongua so.
24Na ɔbea no ayɛn nantwi ba ama wadɔ srade nti, ɔyɛɛ ntɛm kokum no, na ɔfɔw asikresiam, fɔtɔw de too apiti. 25Ɔde aduan no besii Saulo ne ne mmarima no anim ma wodii. Na wofii hɔ kɔɔ anadwo no.
