1 Por aquele tempo, os filisteus mobilizaram suas tropas em um só exército para combater contra Israel. Aquis disse a Davi: Sabe que virás comigo à guerra, tu e os teus homens.2 Davi respondeu: Tu verás do que é capaz o teu servo. Pois bem, disse Aquis, confio-te para sempre a guarda de minha pessoa!3 Samuel tinha falecido e todo o Israel o chorara. Tinham-no sepultado em Ramá, sua cidade. E Saul expulsara da terra os necromantes, os feiticeiros e os adivinhos.4 Os filisteus mobilizados vieram acampar em Sunão, enquanto Saul ajuntava os israelitas, acampando em Gelboé.5 Ao ver o acampamento dos filisteus, Saul inquietou-se e teve grande medo.6 E consultou o Senhor, o qual não lhe respondeu nem por sonhos, nem pelo urim, nem pelos profetas.7 O rei disse aos seus servos: Procurai-me uma necromante para que eu a consulte. Há uma em Endor, responderam-lhe.8 Saul disfarçou-se, tomou outras vestes e pôs-se a caminho com dois homens. Chegaram à noite à casa da mulher. Saul disse-lhe: Predize-me o futuro, evocando um morto; faze-me vir aquele que eu te designar.9 Respondeu-lhe a mulher: Tu bem sabes o que fez Saul, como expulsou da terra os necromantes e os adivinhos. Por que me armas ciladas para matar-me?10 Saul, porém, jurou-lhe pelo Senhor: Por Deus, disse ele, não te acontecerá mal algum por causa disso.11 Disse-lhe então a mulher: A quem evocarei? Evoca-me Samuel.12 E a mulher, tendo visto Samuel, soltou um grande grito: Por que me enganaste?, disse ela ao rei. Tu és Saul!13 E o rei: Não temas! Que vês? A mulher: Vejo um deus que sobe da terra.14 Qual é o seu aspecto? É um ancião, envolto num manto. Saul compreendeu que era Samuel, e prostrou-se com o rosto por terra.15 Samuel disse ao rei: Por que me incomodaste, fazendo-me subir aqui? Estou em grande angústia, disse o rei. Os filisteus atacam-me e Deus se retirou de mim, não me respondendo mais, nem por profetas, nem por sonhos. Chamei-te para que me indiques o que devo fazer.16 Samuel disse-lhe: Por que me consultas, uma vez que o Senhor se retirou de ti, tornando-se teu adversário?17 Fez o Senhor como tinha anunciado pela minha boca: ele tira a realeza de tua mão para dá-la a outro, a Davi.18 Não obedeceste à voz do Senhor e não fizeste sentir a Amalec o fogo de sua cólera; eis por que o Senhor te trata hoje assim.19 E mais: o Senhor vai entregar Israel, juntamente contigo, nas mãos dos filisteus. Amanhã, tu e teus filhos estareis comigo, e o Senhor entregará aos filisteus o acampamento de Israel.20 Saul, atemorizado com as palavras de Samuel, caiu estendido por terra, pois estava extenuado, nada tendo comido todo aquele dia e toda aquela noite.21 A mulher aproximou-se de Saul, e, vendo-o assim extremamente aterrado, disse-lhe: Tua serva obedeceu-te. Expus minha vida para obedecer à ordem que me deste.22 Ouve agora, tu também, a voz de tua serva. Vou dar-te um pouco de alimento, para que o comas e tenhas força para retomar o teu caminho.23 Saul, porém, recusou: Não comerei, disse ele. Entretanto, insistindo com ele seus servos e a mulher, cedeu; levantou-se do chão e sentou-se na cama.24 A mulher tinha em casa um bezerro cevado. Matou-o depressa e, tomando farinha, amassou-a, fazendo com ela pães sem fermento.25 Cozeu-os e levou-os a Saul e à sua gente. Tendo comido, levantaram-se e partiram naquela mesma noite.

1 And it came to pass in those days, that the Philistines gathered their armies together for warfare, to fight against Israel. And Achish said unto David, Know for certain, that thou shalt go out with me to battle, thou and thy men.2 And David said to Achish, Surely thou shalt know what thy servant can do. And Achish said to David, Therefore, I will make thee keeper of my head all the days.3 Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him, and buried him in Ramah in his own city. And Saul had removed the spiritists and the diviners out of the land.4 And the Philistines gathered themselves together and came and pitched camp in Shunem, and Saul gathered all Israel together, and they pitched camp in Gilboa.5 And when Saul saw the host of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart trembled greatly.6 And Saul enquired of the LORD, but the LORD did not answer him by dreams nor by Urim nor by prophets.7 Then Saul said unto his servants, Seek me a woman that is a spiritist that I may go to her and enquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, [there is] a woman that is a spiritist at Endor.8 And Saul disguised himself and put on other clothing, and he went with two men, and they came to the woman by night; and he said, I pray thee, divine unto me by spiritism and bring me [him] up whom I shall name unto thee.9 And the woman said unto him, Behold, thou knowest what Saul has done, how he has cut off the spiritists and the diviners out of the land; why then dost thou lay a snare for my life, to cause me to die?10 And Saul swore to her by the LORD, saying, [As] the LORD lives, no iniquity shall come upon thee for this thing.11 Then the woman said, Whom shall I bring up unto thee? And he said, Bring me up Samuel.12 And when the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice; and the woman spoke to Saul, saying, Why hast thou deceived me? For thou [art] Saul.13 And the king said unto her, Do not be afraid. What didst thou see? And the woman said unto Saul, I saw gods rising out of the land.14 And he said unto her, What form [is] he of? And she said, An old man comes, and he [is] covered with a mantle. And Saul perceived that it [was] Samuel, and he stooped with [his] face to the ground and worshipped.15 And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up? And Saul answered, I am sore distressed, for the Philistines make war against me, and God is departed from me and no longer answers me neither by prophets nor by dreams; therefore, I have called thee that thou may make known unto me what I shall do.16 Then Samuel said, Why then dost thou ask of me, seeing the LORD is departed from thee, and is become thy enemy?17 The LORD, therefore, has done as he spoke by me! For the LORD has rent the kingdom out of thy hand and given it to thy neighbour, [even] to David.18 Because thou didst not hearken unto the voice of the LORD nor execute his fierce wrath upon Amalek; therefore, the LORD has done this thing unto thee today.19 And the LORD will also deliver Israel with thee into the hand of the Philistines, and tomorrow [shalt] thou and thy sons [be] with me; the LORD shall also deliver the camp of Israel into the hand of the Philistines.20 Then Saul, as great as he was, fell suddenly to the earth and was sore afraid because of the words of Samuel; and there was no strength in him, for he had eaten no bread all that day nor all that night.21 And the woman came unto Saul and saw that he was sore troubled and said unto him, Behold, thy handmaid has heard thy voice, and I have put my soul in my hand and have hearkened unto thy words which thou didst speak unto me.22 Now, therefore, I pray thee, hearken thou also unto the voice of thy handmaid and let me set a morsel of bread before thee; and eat, that thou may have strength, and go on thy way.23 But he refused and said, I will not eat. But his servants, together with the woman, compelled him, and he hearkened unto their voice. So he arose from the ground and sat upon a bed.24 And the woman had a fat calf in the house, and she hastened and killed it and took flour and kneaded [it] and baked unleavened bread with it.25 And she brought [it] before Saul and before his servants, and after they ate, they rose up and went away that night.: