Samuel & King Saul

Then Dauid and his men went vp, and inuaded the Geshurites, and the Girzites, and the Amalekites: for they inhabited the lande from the beginning, from the way, as thou goest to Shur, euen vnto the lande of Egypt.

And Dauid smote the lande, and left neither man nor woman aliue, and tooke sheepe, and oxen, and asses, and camels, and apparell, and returned and came to Achish.

And Achish said, Where haue ye bene a rouing this day? And Dauid answered, Against the South of Iudah, and against the South of the Ierahmeelites, and against the South of ye Kenites.

And Dauid saued neither man nor woman aliue, to bring them to Gath, saying, Lest they should tel on vs, and say, So did Dauid, and so will be his maner all the while that he dwelleth in the countrey of the Philistims.

And Achish beleeued Dauid, saying, He hath made his people of Israel vtterly to abhorre him: therefore he shalbe my seruant for euer.

Nowe at that time the Philistims assembled their bandes and armie to fight with Israel: therfore Achish said to Dauid, Be sure, thou shalt go out with me to the battel, thou, and thy men.

And Dauid said to Achish, Surely thou shalt knowe, what thy seruant can doe. And Achish sayde to Dauid, Surely I will make thee keeper of mine head for euer.

(Samuel was then dead, and all Israel had lamented him, and buried him in Ramah his owne citie: and Saul had put away the sorcerers, and the soothsayers out of the land)

Then the Philistims assembled themselues, and came, and pitched in Shunem: and Saul assembled all Israel, and they pitched in Gilboa.

And when Saul saw the hoste of the Philistims, he was afraid, and his heart was sore astonied.

Therefore Saul asked counsel of the Lord, and the Lord answered him not, neither by dreames, nor by Vrim, nor yet by Prophets.

Then saide Saul vnto his seruants, Seeke me a woman that hath a familiar spirite, that I may goe to her, and aske of her. And his seruants said to him, Beholde, there is a woman at En-dor that hath a familiar spirit.

Then Saul changed him selfe, and put on other raiment, and he went, and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night: and he saide, I pray thee, coniecture vnto me by the familiar spirite, and bring me him vp whome I shall name vnto thee.

And the woman saide vnto him, Beholde, thou knowest what Saul hath done, how he hath destroyed the sorcerers, and the southsayers out of the land: wherefore then seekest thou to take me in a snare to cause me to die?

And Saul sware to her by the Lord, saying, As the Lord liueth, no harme shall come to thee for this thing.

Then said the woman, Whom shall I bring vp vnto thee? And he answered, Bring me vp Samuel.

And when the woman sawe Samuel, she cryed with a loude voyce, and the woman spake to Saul, saying, Why hast thou deceiued me? for thou art Saul.

And the King said vnto her, Be not afraid: for what sawest thou? And the woman said vnto Saul, I saw gods ascending vp out of the earth.

Then he said vnto her, What facion is hee of? And she answered, An olde man commeth vp lapped in a mantel: and Saul knewe that it was Samuel, and he enclined his face to the grounde, and bowed him selfe.

And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me vp? Then Saul answered, I am in great distresse: for the Philistims make warre against me, and God is departed from me, and answereth me no more, neither by Prophetes, neither by dreames: therefore I haue called thee, that thou mayest tell me, what I shall doe.

Then said Samuel, Wherefore then doest thou aske of me, seeing the Lord is gone from thee, and is thine enemie?

Euen the Lord hath done to him, as hee spake by mine hande: for the Lord will rent the kingdome out of thine hande, and giue it thy neighbour Dauid.

Because thou obeyedst not the voyce of the Lord, nor executedst his fierce wrath vpon the Amalekites, therefore hath the Lord done this vnto thee this day.

Moreouer the Lord wil deliuer Israel with thee into the handes of the Philistims: and to morowe shalt thou and thy sonnes be with me, and the Lord shall giue the hoste of Israel into the handes of the Philistims.

Then Saul fell streight way all along on the earth, and was sore afraide because of the wordes of Samuel, so that there was no strength in him: for he had eaten no bread all the day nor all the night.