1 Samuel 28:3-25

3 Now ¹Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him and buried him ²in Ramah, his own city. And Saul had removed from the land those who ³were mediums and spiritists.

4 So the Philistines gathered together and came and camped ⁴in Shunem; and Saul gathered all Israel together and they camped in ⁵Gilboa.

5 When Saul saw the camp of the Philistines, he was afraid and his heart trembled greatly.

6 ⁶When Saul inquired of the LORD, ⁷the LORD did not answer him, either by ⁸dreams or by ⁹Urim or by prophets.

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, ¹⁰there is a woman who is a medium * at ¹¹En-dor."

8 Then Saul ¹²disguised 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, "¹³Conjure up for me, please, and ¹⁴bring up for me whom I shall name to you."

9 But the woman said to him, "Behold, you know ¹⁵what 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 ¹⁶he is wrapped with a robe." And Saul knew that it was Samuel, and ¹⁷he 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 ¹⁸God has departed from me and ¹⁹no 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 ²⁰as He spoke through me; for the LORD has torn the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbor, to David.

18 "As ²¹you did not obey * the LORD and did not execute His fierce wrath on Amalek, so * the LORD has done this thing to you this day.

19 "Moreover the LORD will also give over Israel along with you into the hands of the Philistines, therefore tomorrow ²²you and your sons will be with me. Indeed the LORD will give over the army of Israel into the hands of the Philistines!"

20 Then Saul immediately fell full length upon the ground and was very afraid because of the words of Samuel; also there was no strength in him, for he had eaten no food all day and all night.

21 The woman came to Saul and saw that he was terrified, and said to him, "Behold, your maidservant has obeyed * you, and ²³I have taken my life in my hand and have listened to your words which you spoke to me.

22 "So now also, please listen to the voice of your maidservant, and let me set a piece of bread before you that you may eat and have strength when you go on your way."

23 But he refused and said, "²⁴I will not eat." ²⁵However, his servants together with the woman urged him, and he listened to them. So he arose from the ground and sat on ²⁶the bed.

24 The woman had a ²⁷fattened calf in the house, and she quickly slaughtered it; and she ²⁸took flour, kneaded it and baked unleavened bread from it.

25 She brought it before Saul and his servants, and they ate. Then they arose and went away that night.

1 Samuel 28:3-25 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.

Cross References

• 1. 1 Samuel 25:1
• 2. 1 Samuel 7:17
• 3. Leviticus 19:31; Leviticus 20:27; Deuteronomy 18:10; 1 Samuel 15:23
• 4. Joshua 19:18; 1 Samuel 28:4; 1 Kings 1:3; 2 Kings 4:8
• 5. 1 Samuel 31:1
• 6. 1 Chronicles 10:13, 14
• 7. 1 Samuel 14:37; Proverbs 1:24-31
• 8. Numbers 12:6; Joel 2:28
• 9. Exodus 28:30; Numbers 27:21
• 10. Acts 16:16
• 11. Joshua 17:11; Psalms 83:10
• 12. 2 Chronicles 18:29; 2 Chronicles 35:22
• 13. 1 Chronicles 10:13; Isaiah 8:19
• 14. Deuteronomy 18:10, 11
• 15. 1 Samuel 28:3
• 16. 1 Samuel 15:27
• 17. 1 Samuel 24:8
• 18. 1 Samuel 16:14; 1 Samuel 18:12
• 19. 1 Samuel 28:6
• 20. 1 Samuel 15:28
• 21. 1 Samuel 15:20, 26; 1 Kings 20:42
• 22. 1 Samuel 31:2; Job 3:17-19
• 23. Judges 12:3; 1 Samuel 19:5; Job 13:14
• 24. 1 Kings 21:4
• 25. 2 Kings 5:13
• 26. Esther 1:6; Ezekiel 23:41
• 27. Genesis 18:7; Luke 15:23, 27, 30
• 28. Genesis 18:6

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit "say"
• [b]. Or "god"
• [c]. Lit "for himself"
• [d]. Lit "listen to the voice of"
• [e]. Lit "bread"
• [f]. Lit "listened to your voice"
• [g]. Lit "put"
• [h]. Lit "their voices"