1 And it came to pass in those days, H3117 that the Philistines H6430 gathered H6908 their armies H4264 together H6908 for warfare, H6635 to fight H3898 with Israel. H3478 And Achish H397 said H559 unto David, H1732 Know H3045 thou assuredly, H3045 that thou shalt go out H3318 with me to battle, H4264 thou and thy men. H582
2 And David H1732 said H559 to Achish, H397 Surely H3651 thou shalt know H3045 what thy servant H5650 can do. H6213 And Achish H397 said H559 to David, H1732 Therefore will I make H7760 thee keeper H8104 of mine head H7218 for ever. H3117
3 Now Samuel H8050 was dead, H4191 and all Israel H3478 had lamented H5594 him, and buried H6912 him in Ramah, H7414 even in his own city. H5892 And Saul H7586 had put away H5493 those that had familiar spirits, H178 and the wizards, H3049 out of the land. H776
4 And the Philistines H6430 gathered themselves together, H6908 and came H935 and pitched H2583 in Shunem: H7766 and Saul H7586 gathered H6908 all Israel H3478 together, H6908 and they pitched H2583 in Gilboa. H1533
5 And when Saul H7586 saw H7200 the host H4264 of the Philistines, H6430 he was afraid, H3372 and his heart H3820 greatly H3966 trembled. H2729
6 And when Saul H7586 enquired H7592 of the LORD, H3068 the LORD H3068 answered H6030 him not, neither by dreams, H2472 nor by Urim, H224 nor by prophets. H5030
7 Then said H559 Saul H7586 unto his servants, H5650 Seek H1245 me a woman H802 that hath H1172 a familiar spirit, H178 that I may go H3212 to her, and enquire H1875 of her. And his servants H5650 said H559 to him, Behold, there is a woman H802 that hath H1172 a familiar spirit H178 at Endor. H5874
8 And Saul H7586 disguised H2664 himself, and put on H3847 other H312 raiment, H899 and he went, H3212 and two H8147 men H582 with him, and they came H935 to the woman H802 by night: H3915 and he said, H559 I pray thee, divine H7080 unto me by the familiar spirit, H178 and bring me him up, H5927 whom I shall name H559 unto thee.
9 And the woman H802 said H559 unto him, Behold, thou knowest H3045 what Saul H7586 hath done, H6213 how he hath cut off H3772 those that have familiar spirits, H178 and the wizards, H3049 out of the land: H776 wherefore then layest thou a snare H5367 for my life, H5315 to cause me to die? H4191
10 And Saul H7586 sware H7650 to her by the LORD, H3068 saying, H559 As the LORD H3068 liveth, H2416 there shall H518 no punishment H5771 happen H7136 to thee for this thing. H1697
11 Then said H559 the woman, H802 Whom shall I bring up H5927 unto thee? And he said, H559 Bring me up H5927 Samuel. H8050
12 And when the woman H802 saw H7200 Samuel, H8050 she cried H2199 with a loud H1419 voice: H6963 and the woman H802 spake H559 to Saul, H7586 saying, H559 Why hast thou deceived H7411 me? for thou art Saul. H7586
13 And the king H4428 said H559 unto her, Be not afraid: H3372 for what sawest H7200 thou? And the woman H802 said H559 unto Saul, H7586 I saw H7200 gods H430 ascending H5927 out of the earth. H776
14 And he said H559 unto her, What form H8389 is he of? And she said, H559 An old H2205 man H376 cometh up; H5927 and he is covered H5844 with a mantle. H4598 And Saul H7586 perceived H3045 that it was Samuel, H8050 and he stooped H6915 with his face H639 to the ground, H776 and bowed H7812 himself.
15 And Samuel H8050 said H559 to Saul, H7586 Why hast thou disquieted H7264 me, to bring me up? H5927 And Saul H7586 answered, H559 I am sore H3966 distressed; H6887 for the Philistines H6430 make war H3898 against me, and God H430 is departed H5493 from me, and answereth H6030 me no more, neither by H3027 prophets, H5030 nor by dreams: H2472 therefore I have called H7121 thee, that thou mayest make known H3045 unto me what I shall do. H6213
16 Then said H559 Samuel, H8050 Wherefore then dost thou ask H7592 of me, seeing the LORD H3068 is departed H5493 from thee, and is become thine enemy? H6145
17 And the LORD H3068 hath done H6213 to him, as he spake H1696 by me: H3027 for the LORD H3068 hath rent H7167 the kingdom H4467 out of thine hand, H3027 and given H5414 it to thy neighbour, H7453 even to David: H1732
18 Because H834 thou obeyedst H8085 not the voice H6963 of the LORD, H3068 nor executedst H6213 his fierce H2740 wrath H639 upon Amalek, H6002 therefore hath the LORD H3068 done H6213 this thing H1697 unto thee this day. H3117
19 Moreover the LORD H3068 will also deliver H5414 Israel H3478 with thee into the hand H3027 of the Philistines: H6430 and to morrow H4279 shalt thou and thy sons H1121 be with me: the LORD H3068 also shall deliver H5414 the host H4264 of Israel H3478 into the hand H3027 of the Philistines. H6430
20 Then Saul H7586 fell H5307 straightway H4116 all H4393 along H6967 on the earth, H776 and was sore H3966 afraid, H3372 because of the words H1697 of Samuel: H8050 and there was no strength H3581 in him; for he had eaten H398 no bread H3899 all the day, H3117 nor all the night. H3915
21 And the woman H802 came H935 unto Saul, H7586 and saw H7200 that he was sore H3966 troubled, H926 and said H559 unto him, Behold, thine handmaid H8198 hath obeyed H8085 thy voice, H6963 and I have put H7760 my life H5315 in my hand, H3709 and have hearkened H8085 unto thy words H1697 which thou spakest H1696 unto me.
22 Now therefore, I pray thee, hearken H8085 thou also unto the voice H6963 of thine handmaid, H8198 and let me set H7760 a morsel H6595 of bread H3899 before H6440 thee; and eat, H398 that thou mayest have strength, H3581 when thou goest H3212 on thy way. H1870
23 But he refused, H3985 and said, H559 I will not eat. H398 But his servants, H5650 together with the woman, H802 compelled H6555 him; and he hearkened H8085 unto their voice. H6963 So he arose H6965 from the earth, H776 and sat H3427 upon the bed. H4296
24 And the woman H802 had a fat H4770 calf H5695 in the house; H1004 and she hasted, H4116 and killed H2076 it, and took H3947 flour, H7058 and kneaded H3888 it, and did bake H644 unleavened bread H4682 thereof:
25 And she brought H5066 it before H6440 Saul, H7586 and before H6440 his servants; H5650 and they did eat. H398 Then they rose up, H6965 and went away H3212 that night. H3915
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on 1 Samuel 28
Commentary on 1 Samuel 28 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 28
1Sa 28:1-6. Achish's Confidence in David.
1. The Philistines gathered their armies together for warfare, to fight with Israel—The death of Samuel, the general dissatisfaction with Saul, and the absence of David, instigated the cupidity of those restless enemies of Israel.
Achish said to David, Know thou assuredly, that thou shalt go out with me to battle—This was evidently to try him. Achish, however, seems to have thought he had gained the confidence of David and had a claim on his services.
2. Surely thou shalt know what thy servant can do—This answer, while it seemed to express an apparent cheerfulness in agreeing to the proposal, contained a studied ambiguity—a wary and politic generality.
Therefore will I make thee keeper of mine head for ever—or, "my life"; that is, "captain of my bodyguard," an office of great trust and high honor.
3. Now Samuel is dead, &c.—This event is here alluded to as affording an explanation of the secret and improper methods by which Saul sought information and direction in the present crisis of his affairs. Overwhelmed in perplexity and fear, he yet found the common and legitimate channels of communication with Heaven shut against him. And so, under the impulse of that dark, distempered, superstitious spirit which had overmastered him, he resolved, in desperation, to seek the aid of one of those fortune telling impostors whom, in accordance with the divine command (Le 19:31; 20:6, 27; De 18:11), he had set himself formerly to exterminate from his kingdom.
4. the Philistines … pitched in Shunem—Having collected their forces for a last grand effort, they marched up from the seacoast and encamped in the "valley of Jezreel." The spot on which their encampment was fixed was Shunem (Jos 19:18), now Sulem, a village which still exists on the slope of a range called "Little Hermon." On the opposite side, on the rise of Mount Gilboa, hard by "the spring of Jezreel," was Saul's army—the Israelites, according to their wont, keeping to the heights, while their enemies clung to the plain.
1Sa 28:7-25. Saul Seeks a Witch, Who, Being Encouraged by Him, Raises Up Samuel.
7, 8. Then said Saul unto his servants, Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit—From the energetic measures which he himself had taken for extirpating the dealers in magical arts (the profession having been declared a capital offense), his most attached courtiers might have had reason to doubt the possibility of gratifying their master's wish. Anxious inquiries, however, led to the discovery of a woman living very secluded in the neighborhood, who had the credit of possessing the forbidden powers. To her house he repaired by night in disguise, accompanied by two faithful servants.
En-dor—"the fountain of the circle" (that figure being constantly affected by magicians) was situated directly on the other side of the Gilboa range, opposite Tabor; so that, in this midnight adventure, Saul had to pass over the shoulder of the ridge on which the Philistines were encamped.
8-14. bring me him up, whom I shall name unto thee—This pythoness united to the arts of divination a claim to be a necromancer (De 18:11); and it was her supposed power in calling back the dead of which Saul was desirous to avail himself. Though she at first refused to listen to his request, she accepted his pledge that no risk would be incurred by her compliance. It is probable that his extraordinary stature, the deference paid him by his attendants, the easy distance of his camp from En-dor, and the proposal to call up the great prophet and first magistrate in Israel (a proposal which no private individual would venture to make), had awakened her suspicions as to the true character and rank of her visitor. The story has led to much discussion whether there was a real appearance of Samuel or not. On the one hand, the woman's profession, which was forbidden by the divine law, the refusal of God to answer Saul by any divinely constituted means, the well-known age, figure, and dress of Samuel, which she could easily represent herself, or by an accomplice—his apparition being evidently at some distance, being muffled, and not actually seen by Saul, whose attitude of prostrate homage, moreover, must have prevented him distinguishing the person though he had been near, and the voice seemingly issuing out of the ground, and coming along to Saul—and the vagueness of the information, imparted much which might have been reached by natural conjecture as to the probable result of the approaching conflict—the woman's representation—all of this has led many to think that this was a mere deception. On the other hand, many eminent writers (considering that the apparition came before her arts were put in practice; that she herself was surprised and alarmed; that the prediction of Saul's own death and the defeat of his forces was confidently made), are of opinion that Samuel really appeared.
24. the woman had a fat calf … and she hasted, and killed it, &c.—(See on Ge 18:1-8).
25. Then they rose up, and went away that night—Exhausted by long abstinence, overwhelmed with mental distress, and now driven to despair, the cold sweat broke on his anxious brow, and he sank helpless on the ground. But the kind attentions of the woman and his servants having revived him, he returned to the camp to await his doom.