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1 Samuel
Chapter Twenty-eight
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO FIRST SAMUEL 28
The
Philistines gathering together, to fight with Israel, Saul trembled at it, not
being able to get any answer from the Lord about it in any way whatever, 1 Samuel 28:1; upon
which he applies to a woman that had a familiar spirit to bring him up Samuel,
which she did, 1 Samuel 28:7; and
what passed between Saul and Samuel, or at least the apparition in his form, is
recorded, 1 Samuel 28:15;
which so struck him, as to make him strengthless, and so melancholy, that he
refused to eat until persuaded, or rather compelled, by the woman and his
servants, 1 Samuel 28:20.
1 Samuel 28:1 Now it happened
in those days that the Philistines gathered their armies together for war, to
fight with Israel. And Achish said to David, “You assuredly know that you will
go out with me to battle, you and your men.”
YLT
1And it cometh to pass in
those days, that the Philistines gather their camps for the war, to fight
against Israel, and Achish saith unto David, `Thou dost certainly know that
with me thou dost go out into the camp, thou and thy men.'
And it came to pass in those days,.... That David was in
the country of the Philistines:
that the Philistines gathered their armies together: out of their
five principalities or lordships:
for warfare to fight with Israel; with whom they were
continually at war, and though sometimes there was a cessation of arms, yet
never any settled peace; and the Philistines took every opportunity and
advantage against them, as they now did; when David was among them, and so had
nothing to fear from him, but rather expected his assistance; and Samuel was
dead, and Saul in a frenzy:
and Achish said unto David: who seems to have been
at the head of the combined armies of the Philistines:
know thou assuredly that thou shall go with me to battle, thou and
thy men; against Israel; which was a trying thing to David, and whereby
he was like to be drawn into a dilemma; either to fight against his country,
which he could not do conscientiously; or be guilty of ingratitude to Achish,
and incur his displeasure, and be liable to be turned out of his country, or
treated in a worse manner, even he and his men, to be seized on and cut to
pieces by the forces of the Philistines, should he refuse.
1 Samuel 28:2 2 So David said to Achish,
“Surely you know what your servant can do.”
And Achish said to David, “Therefore I will make you one of my
chief guardians forever.”
YLT
2And David saith unto
Achish, `Therefore -- thou dost know that which thy servant dost do.' And
Achish saith unto David, `Therefore -- keeper of my head I do appoint thee all
the days.'
And David said to Achish, surely thou shalt know what thy servant
can do,.... By which he would have Achish understand, and so he did,
that he would exert himself in favour of the Philistines, and against Israel,
and do great and brave things, of which Achish would be, made sensible, through
his heroic courage and valour; though he meant rather what he could and should
do for Israel against the Philistines, if he had an opportunity: but it seems
best of all to consider David as quite undetermined, and at a loss what to do,
hoping that God in his providence would extricate him out of this difficulty,
and direct him what he should do, which then Achish would know; and accordingly
he was delivered out of it:
and Achish said to David: putting confidence in
him on account of his answer, and believing he was hearty in engaging in the
war with the Philistines against Israel:
therefore will I make thee keeper of mine head for ever; the captain
of his bodyguard, which post he should hold for life; or he proposed to put him
into this post, that he might be with him, near his person, and under his eye,
that he might observe how he behaved himself; which may show some suspicion of
him.
1 Samuel 28:3 3 Now Samuel had died, and
all Israel had lamented for him and buried him in Ramah, in his own city. And
Saul had put the mediums and the spiritists out of the land.
YLT
3And Samuel hath died, and
all Israel mourn for him, and bury him in Ramah, even in his city, and Saul
hath turned aside those having familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land.
Now Samuel was dead,.... Had been so for some
time; which is mentioned before, 1 Samuel 25:1; and
here repeated, partly to observe the reason of the Philistines renewing the
war, and partly to account for the conduct of Saul, in seeking to a witch to
raise Samuel, and for the sake of that story:
and all Israel lamented him; as they had great reason
to do; See Gill on 1 Samuel 25:1; and
buried him in Ramah, even his own city; there being two Ramahs, as Kimchi
observes, it is added, "in his own city", to show that he was buried
in that Ramah which was his native place, and where his constant residence was;
though, as he says, it may mean that he was buried within the city, and not
without it; but the Targum gives a different sense,"and they buried him in
Ramah, and mourned for him every man in his city:"
and Saul had put away those that had familiar spirits, and the
wizards,
out of the land: out of the land of Israel; had by an edict
banished them, or had given orders that neither witches nor wizards should
abide in the land; but should be taken up, and prosecuted according to the law
of God; which he had done either at the instigation of Samuel; or, as some
think, from a conceit that the evil spirit he had been troubled with was owing
to them; or to make some appearance of a zeal for religion, and the honour and glory
of God: this is observed to show the inconstancy of Saul, and his folly in
applying after this to a person of such a character, and to account for the
fears of the woman when applied to, and afterwards when she was engaged, when
she found it was by Saul; see 1 Samuel 28:7.
1 Samuel 28:4 4 Then the Philistines
gathered together, and came and encamped at Shunem. So Saul gathered all Israel
together, and they encamped at Gilboa.
YLT
4And the Philistines are
gathered, and come in, and encamp in Shunem, and Saul gathereth all Israel, and
they encamp in Gilboa,
And the Philistines gathered themselves together,.... From
different parts, and formed a considerable army:
and came and pitched in Shunem; a city, in the borders
of the tribe of Issachar, of which See Gill on Joshua 19:18,
and Saul gathered all Israel together, and they pitched in Gilboa; a range of
mountains, near Jezreel, and which JeromF2De loc. Heb fol. 92. D.
calls the mountains of the Philistines, six miles from Scythopolis, where there
is a large village called Gelbus.
1 Samuel 28:5 5 When Saul saw the army of
the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart trembled greatly.
YLT
5and Saul seeth the camp of
the Philistines, and feareth, and his heart trembleth greatly,
And when Saul saw the host of the Philistines,.... From the
mountains of Gilboa, where he had pitched his camp:
he was afraid, and his heart greatly trembled; on sight of
the numbers of them, and thinking perhaps of the death of Samuel, and of the
loss of David; who was now among the Philistines, and might possibly fight
against him, and for the Philistines, of which he might be informed; however,
he was not with him, and his conscience might accuse him of various sins he had
been guilty of, for which he might fear the Lord would now reckon with him.
1 Samuel 28:6 6 And when Saul inquired of
the Lord,
the Lord
did not answer him, either by dreams or by Urim or by the prophets.
YLT
6and Saul asketh at Jehovah,
and Jehovah hath not answered him, either by dreams, or by Urim, or by
prophets.
And when Saul inquired of the Lord,.... And this being not
done truly and heartily, nor continued in, it was as if he had not inquired,
and especially after he had inquired of one that had a familiar spirit, as
Kimchi observes; for so it is said, 1 Chronicles 10:14,
the Lord answered him not, neither by dreams; which he
dreamed himself, from whence he could not conclude anything relating to the
will of God; so the Targum,"the Lord did not receive his prayer even by
dreams;'or by dreamers, diviners, who pretended to give answers by dreams:
nor by Urim; there being no priest to consult in this way, Abiathar having
fled with the ephod, in which were the Urim and Thummim, to David, 1 Samuel 23:9;
though some think that he sent to Abiathar, who was with David, to inquire for
him; and others that he made another ephod with Urim, and appointed another
priest to consult by them; neither of which are probable:
nor by prophets; of which there was a school not far from
him, even at Naioth in Ramah, of which Samuel in his lifetime was president;
but neither by the one nor the other could Saul get an answer from God, who for
his sins had departed from him.
1 Samuel 28:7 7 Then Saul said to his
servants, “Find me a woman who is a medium, that I may go to her and inquire of
her.” And his servants said to him, “In fact, there is a woman who is a
medium at En Dor.”
YLT
7And Saul saith to his
servants, `Seek for me a woman possessing a familiar spirit, and I go unto her,
and inquire of her;' and his servants say unto him, `Lo, a woman possessing a
familiar spirit in En-dor.'
Then said Saul unto his servants,.... That waited upon
him, to some of them, to such as he could place most confidence in to keep a
secret; perhaps only the two after mentioned:
seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her,
and inquire of her; that was mistress of the bottle, a ventriloquist, that spoke out
of her belly, or seemed to do; who had the spirit of Python or divination,
conversed with the devil, and by his assistance pretended to bring up a dead
person, and thereby foretell things to come; See Gill on Deuteronomy 18:11;
a woman is pitched upon, because such were most addicted to those wicked arts,
and being of the weaker sex, were more easily imposed upon by Satan; and Saul
showed himself to be as weak, to seek after such persons; but being left of
God, he acted the part of a mad man, as well as of a bad man:
and his servants said to him, behold, there is a woman that
hath a familiar spirit at Endor; a city in the tribe of Manasseh, of which
see Joshua 17:11; it
was not far from Gilboa. Mr. Maundrell speaksF3Journey from Aleppo,
p. 115. of it as near Nain, at the foot of Mount Hermon; and turning, a little
southward, he says, you have in view the high mountains of Gilboa. It is a
tradition of the JewsF4Pirke Eliezer, c. 33. foi. 35. 2. Shalshalet
Hakabala, fol. 8. 1. Hieron. Trad. Heb. in lib. Reg. fol. 77. B. that this woman
was the mother of Abner, the wife of Zephaniah; some say her name was
Zephaniah; but, as Abarbinel observes, if so she would have known Saul, and
also Saul would have known her, and what she was, if, as they say, she was
spared because of her relation to him; nor needed he to have inquired of his
servants for such a woman.
1 Samuel 28:8 8 So Saul disguised himself
and put on other clothes, and he went, and two men with him; and they came to
the woman by night. And he said, “Please conduct a séance for me, and bring up
for me the one I shall name to you.”
YLT
8And Saul disguiseth himself
and putteth on other garments, and goeth, he and two of the men with him, and
they come in unto the woman by night, and he saith, `Divine, I pray thee, to me
by the familiar spirit, and cause to come up to me him whom I say unto thee.'
And Saul disguised himself, and put on other raiment,.... Stripped
himself of his royal robes, or military apparel, as supreme commander, and
clothed himself in the habit of a peasant or a common soldier; and this not
only that he might not be known by the woman, but that he might pass from his
army incognito, and it might not be known that he was gone, and especially
whither he was gone:
and he went, and two men with him: these, according to the
tradition of the JewsF5Vajikra Rabba, sect. 26. fol. 167. 1.
Shalshalet ib. , were Abner and Amasa; but it is not probable that Saul should
leave his army destitute of their general at such a time as this:
and they came to the woman by night; not only that they might
not be seen, but because it was a work of darkness they were going about, and
it was only in the night season that such persons exercised their black art;
though the JewsF6Tanchuma apud Jarchiura in loc. say it was day,
only because of their distress it was like tonight with them; but the literal
sense is best:
and he said, I pray thee divine unto me by the familiar spirit; exercise her
art of divination, by the assistance of the familiar spirit she conversed with:
and bring me up whom I shall name unto thee: that is, from
the dead; for necromancy was the kind of divination she professed; and such
persons pretended to have a power to bring up a deceased person, and consult
with him about secret and future things.
1 Samuel 28:9 9 Then the woman said to
him, “Look, you know what Saul has done, how he has cut off the mediums and the
spiritists from the land. Why then do you lay a snare for my life, to cause me
to die?”
YLT
9And the woman saith unto
him, `Lo, thou hast known that which Saul hath done, that he hath cut off those
having familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land; and why art thou
laying a snare for my soul -- to put me to death?'
And the woman said unto him,.... Not knowing who he
was:
behold, thou knowest what Saul hath done; for by his
speech and habit she perceived he was an Israelite, and so must be acquainted
with what had passed in the nation, especially of a public nature, and which
made a great noise, as doubtless this, lid:
how he both cut off those that have familiar spirits, and the
wizards,
out of the land; as many of them as he had knowledge of, or
information about; and by this it appears that he did not merely expel them his
dominions, but he put them to death, according to the law of God, Exodus 22:18; so
the putting them out of the land, 1 Samuel 28:3, was putting
them to death, and the woman's after reasoning confirms this: one should think
for Saul to be told this to his face must fill him with shame and confusion,
and his conscience must accuse him of sin and folly to make this attempt; and
he must stand self-convicted and self-condemned; and it was enough to have
deterred him from pursuing his scheme, had not his heart been strangely
hardened:
wherefore then layest thou a snare for my life, to cause me to die? she suspected
that Saul and his men were persons that came to entrap her; that when they had
prevailed upon her to exercise her art, would turn informers against her, to
the taking away of her life, it being death to practise it.
1 Samuel 28:10 10 And Saul swore to her by
the Lord,
saying, “As the Lord
lives, no punishment shall come upon you for this thing.”
YLT
10And Saul sweareth to her by
Jehovah, saying, `Jehovah liveth, punishment doth not meet thee for this
thing.'
And Saul sware to her by the Lord,.... By the Word of the
Lord, as the Targum: it is much that Saul, being about such a work of darkness
and wickedness, could take the name of the Lord into his mouth, and swear by
him in such a solemn manner; which must surely put him in mind of his
omniscience, from whom this wicked action could not be hid:
saying, as the Lord liveth, there shall no punishment
happen to thee for this thing; the tenor of the oath was, and so the woman
understood it, that he would never make any discovery of what she did, and so
she would be sat from punishment; though as he was the supreme governor, and a
very arbitrary prince, had it been discovered, he could have screened her from
justice, though contrary to the law of God; however, he could not secure her
from eternal punishment.
1 Samuel 28:11 11 Then the woman said, “Whom
shall I bring up for you?” And he said, “Bring up Samuel for me.”
YLT
11And the woman saith, `Whom
do I bring up to thee?' and he saith, `Samuel -- bring up to me.'
Then said the woman, whom shall I bring up unto thee?.... For such
persons, according to their profession, pretended they were able to bring up
any of the dead, that he who inquired of them should name:
and he said, bring me up Samuel; the prophet Samuel he
meant, and no doubt the woman so understood him, whose name was well known; he
had been an old acquaintance and friend of Saul's, his counsellor and adviser
in many things and though he greatly neglected him in the latter part of his
life, was very desirous of an interview with him now dead, that he might be
advised by him how to get out of the straits and difficulties in which he was
involved; but it argued extreme folly and madness in him to imagine, that the
spirit of this great and good man was at the beck of a witch, and he to be
called out of the state of the dead by her enchantments; or that God would
permit him to appear to him, and by him give an answer, when he would not
answer him by living prophets, nor any other way.
1 Samuel 28:12 12 When the woman saw Samuel,
she cried out with a loud voice. And the woman spoke to Saul, saying, “Why have
you deceived me? For you are Saul!”
YLT
12And the woman seeth Samuel,
and crieth with a loud voice, and the woman speaketh unto Saul, saying, `Why
hast thou deceived me -- and thou Saul?'
And when the woman saw Samuel,.... The appearance of
him whom she took for Samuel; no mention is made of the methods she used to
raise him, to check the curiosity of such as might be desirous to know them,
and to prevent the imitation of them; though some think that Samuel, or the
apparition, was seen before she made use of any, which surprised her; but this
seems not so probable, and is only observed for the sake of an hypothesis;
though it must be owned the word "when" is not in the text:
she cried with a loud voice; not so much frightened
at what she saw, and the manner of his appearing, and as thinking the
resurrection of the dead was come, as say the JewsF2Pirke Eliezer,
c. 33. , as what she feared would be the consequence to her, even death by the
hand of Saul; for though he had sworn no punishment should come upon her, she
might begin to fear she was not safe, perceiving who he was:
and the woman spake to Saul, saying, why hast thou deceived me?
for thou art Saul: how she knew this is a question; it could not be by the
appearance of Samuel, for it was Samuel she was to bring up; unless with Ben
Gersom it can be thought that she understood him of another man, whose name was
Samuel, and not Samuel the prophet; and so when she saw him, concluded he was
Saul, because of the intimacy between them in his lifetime; but this is not
probable, nor does it appear that she as yet knew who it was, but rather she
was told by her familiar spirit, or by the apparition, so JosephusF3Antiqu.
l. 6. c. 14. sect. 2. , that it was Saul that inquired of her; or she guessed
at it by some gesture of the apparition to Saul, by way of homage and honour;
and so Abarbinel thinks that the clause in 1 Samuel 28:14
respects not Saul's bowing to Samuel, but Samuel bowing to Saul; and so by this
means the woman knew who he was.
1 Samuel 28:13 13 And the king said to her,
“Do not be afraid. What did you see?” And the woman said to Saul, “I saw a
spirit[a] ascending
out of the earth.”
YLT
13And the king saith to her,
`Do not fear; for what hast thou seen?' and the woman saith unto Saul, `Gods I
have seen coming up out of the earth.'
And the king said unto her, be not afraid,.... Meaning
not of the apparition, but of him; since he had sworn no punishment should come
upon her, and he should inviolably observe his oath: for what sawest thou? for
as yet Saul himself saw not anything, the woman being between him and the
apparition; or she might be in another room with her familiar spirit performing
the operations when Samuel appeared:
and the woman said unto Saul, I saw gods ascending out of the
earth; a great personage, one of a majestic form, like the gods, or
judges and civil magistrates, sometimes so called, as Kimchi and R. Isaiah
rightly interpret it; and so the Targum,"I saw an angel of the Lord;'a
person that looked like one; for not many came up with him, and particularly
Moses, as say some Jewish writersF4T. Bab. Chagigah, fol. 4. 8.
Pirke Eliezer, c. 33. .
1 Samuel 28:14 14 So he said to her, “What is
his form?” And she said, “An old man is coming up, and he is covered
with a mantle.” And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he stooped
with his face to the ground and bowed down.
YLT
14And he saith to her, `What
[is] his form?' and she saith, `An aged man is coming up, and he [is] covered
with an upper robe;' and Saul knoweth that he [is] Samuel, and boweth -- face
to thee earth -- and doth obeisance.
And he said unto her, what form is he of?.... Of what
stature is he? or rather of what age does he seem to be? and what clothes has
he on? as appears from the answer:
and she said, an old man cometh up, and he is covered with a
mantle; such as either priests or judges wore, and Samuel did in his
lifetime:
and Saul perceived that it was Samuel; by the
description she gave of him, by his age and apparel; for as yet it is not
certain that he himself saw him, though it should seem as if he did by what
follows: it is in the original, "that it was Samuel himself"; which
seems to make for those who think the real Samuel appeared, and no doubt Saul
thought it was really he himself:
and he stooped with his face to the ground, and bowed
himself: either in reverence to Samuel, and from whom he hoped relief,
and therefore was all obeisance; or he put himself in this posture, that he
might listen and hear what should be said; it being a general notion that such
spirits gave their responses whispering and muttering, Isaiah 8:19; though
Abarbinel, as before observed, is of opinion, that this is to be understood of
Samuel, that he bowed to Saul in reverence of him as a king; which does not so
well agree with the connection of the words. Some have thought that it was the
true Samuel, or the soul of Samuel, that appeared; so JosephusF5Ut
supra. (Antiqu. l. 6. c. 14. sect. 2.) , and many other writers; but to this
may be objected, that that would not have ascended out of the earth, but come
down from heaven; and that it cannot reasonably be supposed that it was in the
power of the witch, by the assistance of the devil, to fetch it from heaven;
nor be thought that God would send it from thence on such an errand, to give
Saul an answer, when he would not answer him by any prophet on earth, nor in
any other way; and especially it seems quite incredible that he should send it
at the motion of a witch, and through her enchantments, who, according to a law
of his, ought not to live; whereas nothing could have given greater countenance
to such a wicked profession than this: nor would the true Samuel have admitted
such worship and homage to be paid him, as is expressed in this last clause,
which angelic spirits have refused, Revelation 19:10;
though perhaps no more than civil respect is intended: but rather this was a
diabolical spectre, or apparition, or the devil, that appeared in the form and
shape of Samuel, and mimicked him; and was one of those deceiving spirits
Porphyry speaksF6De Abstinentia, l. 2. apud Grotium in loc. of, that
appear in various shapes and forms, and pretend to be gods or demons, or the
souls of the deceased. SomeF7See Webster's Displaying of supposed
Witchcraft, &c. ch. 8. p. 166, &c. think all this was the cunning and
imposture of the woman alone, or that she was assisted with a confederate, who
acted the part of Samuel; but this is not probable.
1 Samuel 28:15 15 Now Samuel said to Saul,
“Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?” And Saul answered, “I am deeply
distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God has departed from
me and does not answer me anymore, neither by prophets nor by dreams. Therefore
I have called you, that you may reveal to me what I should do.”
YLT
15And Samuel saith unto Saul,
`Why hast thou troubled me, to bring me up?' And Saul saith, `I have great
distress, and the Philistines are fighting against me, God hath turned aside
from me, and hath not answered me any more, either by the hand of the prophets,
or by dreams; and I call for thee to let me know what I do.'
And Samuel said to Saul, why hast thou disquieted me to bring me
up?.... This makes it a clear case that this was not the true
Samuel; his soul was at rest in Abraham's bosom, in the state of bliss and
happiness in heaven, and it was not in the power of men and devils to disquiet
it; nor would he have talked of his being brought up, but rather of his coming
down, had it been really he; much less would he have acknowledged that he was
brought up by Saul, by means of a witch, and through the help of the devil:
and Saul answered, I am sore distressed; in mind,
being in great straits and difficulties, pressed hard upon by men, and forsaken
of God, as follows:
for the Philistines make war against me; so they had
many times, and he had been victorious, and had no reason to be so much
distressed, if that was all: but he adds:
and God is departed from me: and therefore he feared
he should be left to fall into their hands; and that he had forsaken him he
concluded from hence,
and answereth me no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams: See Gill on 1 Samuel 28:6; he
makes no mention of Urim, either because they were not with him to inquire by,
being carried away by Abiathar when he fled to David, 1 Samuel 23:9; or,
as the Jews sayF8T. Bab. Beracot, fol. 12. 2. , through shame, he
said nothing of the Urim before Samuel, as he took this appearance to be,
because he had slain the priests at Nob, and because of this shame, they say,
his sin was forgiven him:
therefore have I called thee, that thou mayest make known unto me
what I shall do; which was downright madness and folly to imagine, that since God
had forsaken him, and would give him no answer, that a prophet of his should
take his part; or when he could get no answer from a prophet of God on earth,
that he could expect an agreeable one from one fetched down from heaven: one would
be tempted to think that he himself believed it was the devil he was talking
to, and whom he had called for under the name of Samuel, and expected to see;
for from whom else could he expect advice, when he was forsaken of God, and his
prophets?
1 Samuel 28:16 16 Then Samuel said: “So why
do you ask me, seeing the Lord has departed from you and
has become your enemy?
YLT
16And Samuel saith, `And why
dost thou ask me, and Jehovah hath turned aside from thee, and is thine enemy?
Then said Samuel, wherefore then dost thou, ask of me,.... Whom thou
knowest to have been a prophet of the Lord, and therefore can say nothing more
or less than what comes from him, and is according to his will, if anything at
all; the "devil" representing Samuel, whom Saul had called for, and
reasons in such language as might be thought to be his own, though sometimes he
betrays himself:
seeing the Lord is departed from thee; as Saul
himself owned: to which he adds:
and is become thine enemy; to make his case appear
still more desperate; for his whole view is to lead him to despair, which shows
what sort of spirit he was: though some understand this as spoken of David, and
read the words, and "he is with thine enemy"F9ויהי ערך "et est cum inimico
tuo", Pagninus, Vatablus; so V. L. ; is on his side, and favours his
cause; so the Targum,"and he is for the help of a man, whose enmity thou
sharest in;'or who is at enmity with thee, meaning David; but now the true Samuel
would never have said this, or suggested it, that David was an enemy to Saul,
for he was not.
1 Samuel 28:17 17 And the Lord has done for
Himself[b] as He
spoke by me. For the Lord
has torn the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbor, David.
YLT
17And Jehovah doth for
Himself as He hath spoken by my hand, and Jehovah rendeth the kingdom out of
thy hand, and giveth it to thy neighbour -- to David.
And the Lord hath done to him,.... To David, Saul's
enemy, as he insinuated he was:
as he spake by me; pretending to be the true Samuel, and
wearing the guise of him, he speaks his very words, which he was well
acquainted with, and could deliver exactly as he did:
for the Lord hath rent the kingdom out of thine hand, and given it
to thy neighbour; which words are expressed by Samuel, 1 Samuel 15:28,
even unto David; which is
added by the apparition, by way of explanation, interpreting the words of
David; which he might safely venture to do, seeing such a train of
circumstances had occurred since the delivery of these words, which plainly
made it appear he was intended.
1 Samuel 28:18 18 Because you did not obey
the voice of the Lord
nor execute His fierce wrath upon Amalek, therefore the Lord has done this
thing to you this day.
YLT
18Because thou hast not
hearkened to the voice of Jehovah, nor didst the fierceness of His anger on
Amalek -- therefore this thing hath Jehovah done to thee this day;
Because thou obeyedst not the voice of the Lord,.... At
Gilgal, as Abarbinel thinks; which is the first thing for which the kingdom was
threatened to be taken from him, 1 Samuel 13:13,
nor executedst his fierce wrath upon Amalek: in sparing
Agag, and the best of the cattle, 1 Samuel 15:9,
therefore hath the Lord done this thing unto thee this day; forsaken him,
rent his kingdom from him, and would deliver him into the hands of the Philistines,
as follows: had he been the true Samuel, he would have told him of some other
sins of his, provoking to the Lord; as his slaughter of the priests at Nob, his
cruel persecution of David, and especially of his asking counsel of one that
had a familiar spirit at this time, of which not a word is said, and yet was
the very transgression for which Saul died, 1 Chronicles 10:13.
1 Samuel 28:19 19 Moreover the Lord will also
deliver Israel with you into the hand of the Philistines. And tomorrow you and
your sons will be with me. The Lord will also deliver the
army of Israel into the hand of the Philistines.”
YLT
19yea, Jehovah giveth also
Israel with thee into the hand of the Philistines, and tomorrow thou and thy
sons [are] with me; also the camp of Israel doth Jehovah give into the hand of
the Philistines.'
Moreover, the Lord will also deliver Israel with thee into the
hands of the Philistines,.... Not a word of comfort does he speak unto him, it being the
business of this foul spirit to drive him to despair by the permission of God;
had he been the true Samuel, he would have directed him to have altered his
course of life, and especially his behaviour toward David, and advised him in
those difficulties to send for him, who might have been of singular use unto
him; he would have exhorted him to repentance for his sins, and humiliation
before God on account of them, and given him hope on this that God would appear
for him, and work deliverance, as he had done; but instead of this tells him,
that he and his army would be delivered into the hands of the Philistines,
which he might make a shrewd guess at, and venture to say from the
circumstances of things, and the situation Saul and his people were in; the
armies of the Philistines were very numerous, and those of Israel comparatively
weak; Saul was quite dispirited, and God had forsaken him:
and tomorrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me; which if
understood in what sense it may, seems to be a lie of the devil, and at best an
ambiguous expression, such as he has been wont to give in the Heathen oracles;
if he meant this of himself as an evil spirit, it could not be true of Saul and
all his sons, that they should be with him in hell, especially of Jonathan who
appears throughout the whole of his life to have been a good man; if he would
have it understood of him as representing Samuel, and of their being with him
in heaven, it must be a great stretch of charity to believe it true of Saul, so
wicked a man, and who died in the act of suicide; though the JewsF11T.
Bab. Beracot, fol. 12. 2. , some of them, understand it in this sense, that his
sins were pardoned, and he was saved; and if it is taken in the sense of being
in the state of the dead, and in the earth, from whence he is said to ascend,
and where the body of Samuel was, which seems to be the best sense that is put
upon the phrase, "with me"; yet this was not true, if he meant it of
all the sons of Saul, as the expression seems to suggest; for there were
Ishbosheth, and his two sons by Rizpah, which survived him; nor was it true of
Saul and his sons that they were cut off, and that they died the next day; for
the battle was not fought till several days after this, see 1 Samuel 28:23; if
it should be said, that "tomorrow" signifies some future time, and
not strictly the next day, this shows the ambiguity of the expression used, and
the insignificance of it to the present purpose; for who knew not that Saul and
his sons would die some time or another?
the Lord also shall deliver the host of Israel into the hand of
the Philistines; which is only a repetition of what is said in the first clause.
1 Samuel 28:20 20 Immediately Saul fell full
length on the ground, and was dreadfully afraid because of the words of Samuel.
And there was no strength in him, for he had eaten no food all day or all
night.
YLT
20And Saul hasteth and
falleth -- the fulness of his stature -- to the earth, and feareth greatly
because of the words of Samuel; also power was not in him, for he had not eaten
bread all the day, and all the night.
Then Saul fell straightway all along on the earth,.... Fell at
his full length at once, as if he had been thunderstruck, or pierced through
with a dart or sword:
and was sore afraid, because of the words of Samuel; as he
supposed they were, whose words never failed:
and there was no strength in him: to rise up again, he was
quite dispirited and strengthless:
for he had eaten no bread all the day, nor all the night; which
contributed the more to his weakness; not only his fears, but not eating any
food, occasioned his weakness, and that through want of an appetite, by reason
of the great concern of his mind in his present troubles.
1 Samuel 28:21 21 And the woman came to Saul
and saw that he was severely troubled, and said to him, “Look, your maidservant
has obeyed your voice, and I have put my life in my hands and heeded the words
which you spoke to me.
YLT
21And the woman cometh in
unto Saul, and seeth that he hath been greatly troubled, and saith unto him,
`Lo, thy maid-servant hath hearkened to thy voice, and I put my soul in my
hand, and I obey thy words which thou hast spoken unto me;
And the woman came unto Saul,.... Having left him and
the apparition in a room by themselves to converse together, and perhaps on
hearing him fall to the ground came in:
and saw that he was sore troubled: by his lying on the
ground, and the agonies he seemed to be in, and the uneasiness that sat upon
his countenance:
and said unto him, behold, thine handmaid hath obeyed thy voice; in divining
by her familiar spirit for him, and in bringing up Samuel to him, as he
desired:
and I have put my life in my hand; exposed it to the utmost
danger, since a person of her profession, and token in the exercise of it, was
punishable with death; and especially she was in the greater danger, as it was
Saul himself, who had by an edict expelled all such persons from his dominions,
who now employed her, as she perceived:
and have hearkened unto thy words which thou spakest unto me: to the oath
he had taken, that no hurt should come to her, which she confided in, and
relied upon, and to what he bid her do, according to her art of divination.
1 Samuel 28:22 22 Now therefore, please,
heed also the voice of your maidservant, and let me set a piece of bread before
you; and eat, that you may have strength when you go on your way.”
YLT
22and now, hearken, I pray
thee, also thou, to the voice of thy maid-servant, and I set before thee a
morsel of bread, and eat, and there is in thee power when thou goest in the
way.'
Now therefore, I pray thee, hearken thou also unto the voice of thine
handmaid,.... She argues, that as she had hearkened unto him to the
endangering of her life, it was but reasonable, and might be expected, that he
would hearken to her in a case that would be to the preservation of his life:
and let me set a morsel of bread before thee, and eat, that thou
mayest have strength, when thou goest on thy way; which she might urge,
not merely out of respect to the king, but for her own sake, lest should he die
in her house, she might be taken up, not only for a witch, but as being
accessory to the death of the king; and therefore she moves, that he would take
some food for refreshment of nature, that he might be able to depart her house,
and go on his way to his army.
1 Samuel 28:23 23 But he refused and said,
“I will not eat.” So his servants, together with the woman, urged him; and he
heeded their voice. Then he arose from the ground and sat on the bed.
YLT
23And he refuseth, and saith,
`I do not eat;' and his servants urge on him, and also the woman, and he
hearkeneth to their voice, and riseth from the earth, and sitteth on the bed.
But he refused, and said, I will not eat,.... Choosing
rather to die with famine than by the sword of the Philistines; though perhaps
his meaning is, he could not eat, his stomach loathed it, being overwhelmed
with grief and trouble:
but his servants, together with the woman, compelled him; not by force,
but by arguments; they reasoned with him, and prevailed upon him to try to eat:
and he hearkened unto their voice; and agreed to eat, if he
could:
so he arose from the earth; on which he lay at his
full length:
and sat upon the bed; or couch, it being now
the custom to recline on couches at caring; though some deny that this custom
obtained so early.
1 Samuel 28:24 24 Now the woman had a fatted
calf in the house, and she hastened to kill it. And she took flour and kneaded it,
and baked unleavened bread from it.
YLT
24And the woman hath a calf
of the stall in the house, and she hasteth and slaughtereth it, and taketh
flour, and kneadeth, and baketh it unleavened things,
And the woman had a fat calf in the house,.... This was
reckoned a very dainty dish in those countries, and fit for any guests, see Genesis 18:7;
Josephus saysF12Antiqu. l. 6. c. 14. sect. 3. 4. , she vouchsafed to
feed and take care of it in her house, and it was very familiar with her; and
he highly commends the liberality of the woman, and as worthy of imitation:
and she hasted and killed it; and dressed it in some
way or another, and which in those times was done speedily:
and took flour and kneaded it, and did bake unleavened
bread therewith; which was soonest made, she not having time to leaven it.
1 Samuel 28:25 25 So she brought it
before Saul and his servants, and they ate. Then they rose and went away that
night.
YLT
25and bringeth nigh before
Saul, and before his servants, and they eat, and rise, and go on, during that
night.
And she brought it before Saul, and before his servants,
and they did eat,.... Of the fatted calf, and unleavened bread, which she set upon
a table before them, in the best manner she could:
then they rose up, and went away that night; that it might
not be seen in what house they had been, and that they might get to the camp
without being discovered by the Philistines, or known by the Israelites that
they had been out.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)