8David and his men went up and raided the Geshurites, the Gizrites, and the Amalekites—who were the inhabitants of the region of Olam,a all the way to Shur and to the land of Egypt.—9When David attacked a region, he would leave no man or woman alive; he would take flocks, herds, asses, camels, and clothing. When he returned and cameb to Achish, 10Achish would ask, “Wherec did you raid today?” and David would reply, “The Negebd of Judah,” or “the Negeb of the Jerahmeelites,” or “the Negeb of the Kenites.” 11David would leave no man or woman alive to be brought to Gath; for he thought, “They might tell about us: David did this.” Such was his practice as long as he stayed in the territory of the Philistines. 12Achish trusted David. He thought: e-“He has aroused the wrath of-e his own people Israel, and so he will be my vassal forever.”
28 At that time the Philistines mustered their forces for war, to take the field against Israel. Achish said to David, “You know, of course, that you and your men must march out with my forces.” 2David answered Achish, “You surely know what your servant will do.” “In that case,” Achish replied to David, “I will appoint you my bodyguard for life.”
3aNow Samuel had died and all Israel made lament for him; and he was buried in his own town of Ramah. And Saul had forbidden [recourse to] ghosts and familiar spirits in the land.
4The Philistines mustered and they marched to Shunem and encamped; and Saul gathered all Israel, and they encamped at Gilboa. 5When Saul saw the Philistine force, his heart trembled with fear. 6And Saul inquired of the LORD, but the LORD did not answer him, either by dreams or by Urimb or by prophets. 7Then Saul said to his courtiers, “Find me a woman who consults ghosts, so that I can go to her and inquire through her.” And his courtiers told him that there was a woman in En-dor who consulted ghosts.
8Saul disguised himself; he put on different clothes and set out with two men. They came to the woman by night, and he said, “Please divine for me by a ghost. Bring up for me the one I shall name to you.” 9But the woman answered him, “You know what Saul has done, how he has banned [the use of] ghosts and familiar spirits in the land. So why are you laying a trap for me, to get me killed?” 10Saul swore to her by the LORD: “As the LORD lives, you won’t get into trouble over this.” 11At that, the woman asked, “Whom shall I bring up for you?” He answered, “Bring up Samuel for me.” 12Then the woman recognized Samuel,c and she shrieked loudly, and said to Saul, “Why have you deceived me? You are Saul!” 13The king answered her, “Don’t be afraid. What do you see?” And the woman said to Saul, “I see a divine being coming up from the earth.” 14“What does he look like?” he asked her. “It is an old man coming up,” she said, “and he is wrapped in a robe.” Then Saul knew that it was Samuel; and he bowed low in homage with his face to the ground.
15Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you disturbed me and brought me up?” And Saul answered, “I am in great trouble. The Philistines are attacking me and God has turned away from me; He no longer answers me, either by prophets or in dreams. So I have called you to tell me what I am to do.” 16Samuel said, “Why do you ask me, seeing that the LORD has turned away from you and has become your adversary?d 17The LORD has done e-for Himself-e as He foretold through me: The LORD has torn the kingship out of your hands and has given it to your fellow, to David, 18because you did not obey the LORD and did not execute His wrath upon the Amalekites. That is why the LORD has done this to you today. 19Further, the LORD will deliver the Israelites who are with you into the hands of the Philistines. Tomorrow your sons and you will be with me; and the LORD will also deliver the Israelite forces into the hands of the Philistines.”
20At once Saul flung himself prone on the ground, terrified by Samuel’s words. Besides, there was no strength in him, for he had not eaten anything all day and all night. 21The woman went up to Saul and, seeing how greatly disturbed he was, she said to him, “Your handmaid listened to you; I took my life in my hands and heeded the request you made of me. 22So now you listen to me: Let me set before you a bit of food. Eat, and then you will have the strength to go on your way.” 23He refused, saying, “I will not eat.” But when his courtiers as well as the woman urged him, he listened to them; he got up from the ground and sat on the bed. 24The woman had a stall-fed calf in the house; she hastily slaughtered it, and took flour and kneaded it, and baked some unleavened cakes. 25She set this before Saul and his courtiers, and they ate. Then they rose and left the same night.
29 The Philistines mustered all their forces at Aphek, while Israel was encamping at the spring in Jezreel. 2The Philistine lords came marching, each with his units of hundreds and of thousands; and David and his men came marching last, with Achish. 3The Philistine officers asked, “Who are those Hebrews?” “Why, that’s David, the servant of King Saul of Israel,” Achish answered the Philistine officers. “He has been with me a-for a year or more,-a and I have found no fault in him from the day he defected until now.” 4But the Philistine officers were angry with him; and the Philistine officers said to him, “Send the man back; let him go back to the place you assigned him. He shall not march down with us to the battle, or else he may become our adversary in battle. For with what could that fellow appease his master if not with b-the heads of these men?-b 5Remember, he is the David of whom they sang as they danced:
Saul has slain his thousands;
David, his tens of thousands.”
6Achish summoned David and said to him, “As the LORD lives, you are an honest man, and I would like to have you servec in my forces; for I have found no fault with you from the day you joined me until now. But you are not acceptable to the other lords. 7So go back in peace, and do nothing to displease the Philistine lords.”
8David, however, said to Achish, “But what have I done, what fault have you found in your servant from the day I appeared before you to this day, that I should not go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?” 9Achish replied to David, “I know; you are as acceptable to me as an angel of God. But the Philistine officers have decided that you must not march out with us to the battle. 10So rise early in the morning, you and your lord’s servants who came with you—d-rise early in the morning,-d and leave as soon as it is light.” 11Accordingly, David and his men rose early in the morning to leave, to return to the land of the Philistines, while the Philistines marched up to Jezreel.
30 By the time David and his men arrived in Ziklag, on the third day, the Amalekites had made a raid into the Negeb and against Ziklag; they had stormed Ziklag and burned it down. 2They had taken the women in it captive, low-born and high-born alike; they did not kill any, but carried them off and went their way. 3When David and his men came to the town and found it burned down, and their wives and sons and daughters taken captive, 4David and the troops with him broke into tears, until they had no strength left for weeping. 5David’s two wives had been taken captive, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail wife of Nabal from Carmel. 6David was in great danger, for the troops threatened to stone him; for all the troops were embittered on account of their sons and daughters.
But David sought strength in the LORD his God. 7David said to the priest Abiathar son of Ahimelech, “Bring the ephod up to me.” When Abiathar brought up the ephoda to David, 8David inquired of the LORD, “Shall I pursue those raiders? Will I overtake them?” And He answered him, “Pursue, for you shall overtake and you shall rescue.”
9So David and the six hundred men with him set out, and they came to the Wadi Besor, where a halt was made by those who were to be left behind. 10David continued the pursuit with four hundred men; two hundred men had halted, too faint to cross the Wadi Besor. 11They came upon an Egyptian in the open country and brought him to David. They gave him food to eat and water to drink; 12he was also given a piece of pressed fig cake and two cakes of raisins. He ate and regained his strength, for
