1 Samuel 28:10

10 Saul swore to her by Yahweh, saying, As Yahweh lives, there shall no punishment happen to you for this thing.

1 Samuel 28:10 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 28:10

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 28:10 In-Context

8 Saul disguised himself, and put on other clothing, and went, he and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night: and he said, Please divine to me by the familiar spirit, and bring me up whoever I shall name to you.

9 The woman said to him, Behold, you know what Saul has done, how he has cut off those who have familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land: why then lay you a snare for my life, to cause me to die?

10 Saul swore to her by Yahweh, saying, As Yahweh lives, there shall no punishment happen to you for this thing.

11 Then said the woman, Whom shall I bring up to you? He said, Bring me up Samuel.

12 When the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice; and the woman spoke to Saul, saying, Why have you deceived me? for you are Saul.