1 Samuel 28:7-17

7 Then Saul said to his servants, "Seek for me a woman who is a medium *, that I may go to her and inquire of her." And his servants said to him, "Behold, ¹there is a woman who is a medium * at ²En-dor."

8 Then Saul ³disguised himself by putting on other clothes, and went, he and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night; and he said, "⁴Conjure up for me, please, and ⁵bring up for me whom I shall name to you."

9 But the woman said to him, "Behold, you know ⁶what Saul has done, how he has cut off those who are mediums and spiritists from the land. Why are you then laying a snare for my life to bring about my death?"

10 Saul vowed to her by the LORD, saying, "As the LORD lives, no punishment shall come upon you for this thing."

11 Then the woman said, "Whom shall I bring up for you?" And he said, "Bring up Samuel for me."

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."

13 The king said to her, "Do not be afraid; but what do you see?" And the woman said to Saul, "I see a divine being coming up out of the earth."

14 He said to her, "What is his form?" And she said, "An old man is coming up, and ⁷he is wrapped with a robe." And Saul knew that it was Samuel, and ⁸he bowed with his face to the ground and did homage.

15 Then Samuel said to Saul, "Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?" And Saul answered, "I am greatly distressed; for the Philistines are waging war against me, and ⁹God has departed from me and ¹⁰no longer answers me, either through prophets or by dreams; therefore I have called you, that you may make known to me what I should do."

16 Samuel said, "Why then do you ask me, since the LORD has departed from you and has become your adversary?

17 "The LORD has done accordingly ¹¹as He spoke through me; for the LORD has torn the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbor, to David.

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1 Samuel 28:7-17 Meaning and Commentary

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, 1Sa 28:1-6; upon which he applies to a woman that had a familiar spirit to bring him up Samuel, which she did, 1Sa 28:7-14; and what passed between Saul and Samuel, or at least the apparition in his form, is recorded, 1Sa 28:15-19; 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, 1Sa 28:20-25.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Cross References 11

1. Acts 16:16
2. Joshua 17:11; Psalms 83:10
3. 2 Chronicles 18:29; 2 Chronicles 35:22
4. 1 Chronicles 10:13; Isaiah 8:19
5. Deuteronomy 18:10, 11
6. 1 Samuel 28:3
7. 1 Samuel 15:27
8. 1 Samuel 24:8
9. 1 Samuel 16:14; 1 Samuel 18:12
10. 1 Samuel 28:6
11. 1 Samuel 15:28

Footnotes 3

[a]. Lit "say"
[b]. Or "god"
[c]. Lit "for himself"

1 Samuel 28:7-17

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1 Samuel 28:7-17 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO FIRST SAMUEL 28

Cross References 11

Footnotes 3