1In those days the Philistines gathered their forces to fight against Israel. Achish said to David, ‘You must understand that you and your men will accompany me in the army.’
2David said, ‘Then you will see for yourself what your servant can do.’
Achish replied, ‘Very well, I will make you my bodyguard for life.’
Saul and the medium at Endor
3Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had mourned for him and buried him in his own town of Ramah. Saul had expelled the mediums and spiritists from the land.
4The Philistines assembled and came and set up camp at Shunem, while Saul gathered all Israel and set up camp at Gilboa. 5When Saul saw the Philistine army, he was afraid; terror filled his heart. 6He enquired of the Lord, but the Lord did not answer him by dreams or Urim or prophets. 7Saul then said to his attendants, ‘Find me a woman who is a medium, so that I may go and enquire of her.’
‘There is one in Endor,’ they said.
8So Saul disguised himself, putting on other clothes, and at night he and two men went to the woman. ‘Consult a spirit for me,’ he said, ‘and bring up for me the one I name.’
9But the woman said to him, ‘Surely you know what Saul has done. He has cut off the mediums and spiritists from the land. Why have you set a trap for my life to bring about my death?’
10Saul swore to her by the Lord, ‘As surely as the Lord lives, you will not be punished for this.’
11Then the woman asked, ‘Whom shall I bring up for you?’
‘Bring up Samuel,’ he said.
12When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out at the top of her voice and said to Saul, ‘Why have you deceived me? You are Saul!’
13The king said to her, ‘Don’t be afraid. What do you see?’
The woman said, ‘I see a ghostly figure28:13 Or see spirits; or see gods coming up out of the earth.’
14‘What does he look like?’ he asked.
‘An old man wearing a robe is coming up,’ she said.
Then Saul knew it was Samuel, and he bowed down and prostrated himself with his face to the ground.
15Samuel said to Saul, ‘Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?’
‘I am in great distress,’ Saul said. ‘The Philistines are fighting against me, and God has departed from me. He no longer answers me, either by prophets or by dreams. So I have called on you to tell me what to do.’
16Samuel said, ‘Why do you consult me, now that the Lord has departed from you and become your enemy? 17The Lord has done what he predicted through me. The Lord has torn the kingdom out of your hands and given it to one of your neighbours – to David. 18Because you did not obey the Lord or carry out his fierce wrath against the Amalekites, the Lord has done this to you today. 19The Lord will deliver both Israel and you into the hands of the Philistines, and tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. The Lord will also give the army of Israel into the hands of the Philistines.’
20Immediately Saul fell full length on the ground, filled with fear because of Samuel’s words. His strength was gone, for he had eaten nothing all that day and all that night.
21When the woman came to Saul and saw that he was greatly shaken, she said, ‘Look, your servant has obeyed you. I took my life in my hands and did what you told me to do. 22Now please listen to your servant and let me give you some food so that you may eat and have the strength to go on your way.’
23He refused and said, ‘I will not eat.’
But his men joined the woman in urging him, and he listened to them. He got up from the ground and sat on the couch.
24The woman had a fattened calf at the house, which she slaughtered at once. She took some flour, kneaded it and baked bread without yeast. 25Then she set it before Saul and his men, and they ate. That same night they got up and left.
Sauli ndi Mfiti ya ku Endori
1Mʼmasiku amenewo Afilisti anasonkhanitsa ankhondo awo kuti akamenyane ndi Aisraeli. Akisi anawuza Davide kuti, “Udziwe kuti iwe pamodzi ndi anthu ako mudzapita nane ku nkhondo.”
2Davide anayankha kuti, “Tsono inu mudzaona zimene mtumiki wanune ndingachite.”
Akisi anayankha kuti, “Chabwino ine ndidzakuyika iwe kukhala mlonda wanga moyo wako wonse.”
3Nthawi imeneyi nʼkuti Samueli atamwalira, ndipo Aisraeli onse anamulira namuyika mʼmanda ku mzinda wake wa Rama. Sauli anali atachotsa mʼdzikomo anthu owombeza mawula ndi woyankhula ndi mizimu ya anthu akufa.
4Tsono Afilisti anasonkhana nabwera kudzamanga misasa yawo ku Sunemu. Nayenso Sauli anasonkhanitsa Aisraeli onse ndi kumanga misasa yawo ku Gilibowa. 5Sauli ataona gulu lankhondo la Afilisti anaopa ndipo ananjenjemera kwambiri. 6Choncho Sauli anafunsa nzeru kwa Yehova koma Yehova sanamuyankhe ngakhale kudzera mʼmaloto, kapena mwa Urimu ngakhalenso kudzera mwa aneneri. 7Kenaka Sauli anawuza nduna zake kuti, “Mundipezere mkazi amene amawombeza mawula kuti ndipite ndikafunse kwa iye.”
Nduna zakezo zinamuyankha kuti, “Alipo mkazi woyankhula ndi mizimu ya anthu akufa ku Endori.”
8Kotero Sauli anadzizimbayitsa navala zovala zachilendo. Tsono iye pamodzi ndi anthu awiri anapita nakafika kwa mkazi uja usiku, ndipo anamupempha kuti, “Chonde ndifunsireni nzeru kwa mizimu ya anthu akufa. Koma makamaka munditulutsire mzimu wa amene ndimutchule.”
9Koma mkaziyo anayankha kuti, “Ndithu inu mukudziwa chimene Sauli anachita. Paja iye anachotsa mʼdziko muno anthu onse owombeza ndi woyankhula ndi mizimu ya anthu akufa. Chifukwa chiyani mukutchera moyo wanga msampha kuti ndiphedwe?”
10Koma Sauli analonjeza mkaziyo molumbira nati, “Pali Yehova wamoyo, iweyo sudzalangidwa chifukwa cha zimenezi.”
11Kenaka mkaziyo anafunsa, “Ndikuyitanireni yani?”
Iye anati, “Undiyitanire Samueli.”
12Pamene mkaziyo anaona Samueli anakuwa kwambiri, nawuza Sauli kuti, “Nʼchifukwa chiyani inu mwandipusitsa? Inu ndinu Sauli!”
13Mfumuyo inamuwuza kuti, “Usaope. Kodi ukuona chiyani?”
Mkaziyo anayankha kuti, “Ndikuona mzimu ukutuluka pansi.”
14Sauli anafunsa, “Kodi mzimuwo ukuoneka motani?”
Mkaziyo anayankha kuti, “Amene akutuluka ndi munthu wokalamba ndipo wavala mkanjo.”
Apo Sauli anadziwa kuti anali Samueli ndipo anawerama nagunditsa nkhope yake pansi.
15Samueli anafunsa Sauli kuti, “Nʼchifukwa chiyani wandivutitsa pondiyitana kuti ndibwere kuno?”
Sauli anayankha kuti, “Ine ndavutika kwambiri mʼmaloto. Afilisti akumenyana nane, ndipo Mulungu wandifulatira. Iye sakundiyankhulanso, ngakhale kudzera mwa aneneri kapena maloto. Choncho ndakuyitanani kuti mundiwuze zoti ndichite.”
16Samueli anati, “Nʼchifukwa chiyani ukundifunsa ine, pakuti tsopano Yehova wakufulatira ndipo wasanduka mdani wako? 17Yehova wakuchita zimene ananeneratu kudzera mwa ine. Yehova wachotsa ufumu mʼmanja mwako ndipo waupereka kwa mnansi wako, kwa Davide. 18Yehova wachita zimenezi lero chifukwa sunamvere mawu ake ndipo sunawawonongeretu Aamaleki. 19Yehova adzapereka ndithu iweyo pamodzi ndi Aisraeli kwa Afilisti. Ndipo mmawa iweyo ndi ana ako mudzakhala ndi ine kuno. Ndithu Yehova adzapereka gulu lankhondo la Aisraeli kwa Afilisti.”
20Nthawi yomweyo Sauli anagwa pansi atadzazidwa ndi mantha chifukwa cha mawu a Samueli. Analibenso mphamvu, pakuti sanadye tsiku lonse.
21Mkazi uja tsono anasendera kufupi ndi Sauli, ndipo ataona kuti Sauli akuchita mantha, anamuwuza kuti, “Taonani, mdzakazi wanune ndakumverani. Ndayika moyo wanga pa chiswe ndipo ndamvera zimene munandiwuza. 22Tsono inunso mumvere mawu a mdzakazi wanune. Mundilole kuti ndikupatseni ka buledi pangʼono kuti mukhale ndi mphamvu zoyendera pa ulendo wanu.”
23Iye anakana ndipo anati, “Ayi, ine sindidya.”
Koma nduna zake pamodzi ndi mkaziyo anamuwumiriza, ndipo anawamvera. Choncho anadzuka pansi nakhala pa bedi.
24Mkaziyo anali ndi mwana wangʼombe wonenepa ndipo anamupha mwachangu. Anatenga ufa nawukanyanga ndipo anaphika buledi wopanda yisiti. 25Tsono anapereka bulediyo kwa Sauli ndi nduna zake ndipo anadya. Pambuyo pake ananyamuka kupita kwawo usiku womwewo.
