1 Samuel 28:23

23 But he refused and said, "I will not eat!" However, his servants urged him, and the woman also. So he listened {to what they said}, and he got up from the ground and sat on the bed.

1 Samuel 28:23 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 28:23

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 28:23 In-Context

21 Then the woman came to Saul and realized that he was absolutely terrified, so she said to him, "Look, your female servant {has obeyed you}, and I have {risked my life}. I have listened to your words that you have spoken to me.
22 So then, you also please listen to the voice of your female servant, and let me set before you a morsel of bread, and [you] eat so that {you will have strength} in you when you go on your way."
23 But he refused and said, "I will not eat!" However, his servants urged him, and the woman also. So he listened {to what they said}, and he got up from the ground and sat on the bed.
24 Now the woman had a fattened bull calf in the house, {so she quickly slaughtered it} and took flour, kneaded [dough], and baked him [some] unleavened bread.
25 She brought it before Saul and his servants, and they ate. Then they got up and went away that [very] night.

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Literally "their voice"
Scripture quotations marked (LEB) are from the Lexham English Bible. Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software.