1 Samuel 28:20

20 And anon Saul fell down and was stretched forth upon the earth; for he dreaded the words of Samuel, and strength was not in him, for he had not eaten bread in all that day and all that night. (And at once Saul fell down and was stretched out on the ground; for he feared Samuel's words, and there was no strength in him, for he had not eaten any food all that day and all that night.)

1 Samuel 28:20 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 28:20

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 28:20 In-Context

18 for thou obeyedest not the voice of the Lord, neither thou didest the fierce wrath of the Lord in Amalek. Therefore the Lord hath done to thee today that that thou sufferest (And so the Lord hath done to thee what thou sufferest today);
19 and the Lord shall give also Israel with thee in the hand of Philistines. Forsooth tomorrow thou and thy sons shall be with me; but also the Lord shall betake the castles of Israel in the hand of the Philistines [but and the Lord shall take the tents of Israel in the hand of the Philistines]. (and the Lord shall also give Israel along with thee into the hands of the Philistines. Yea, tomorrow thou and thy sons shall be with me; and the Lord shall deliver the army of Israel into the hands of the Philistines.)
20 And anon Saul fell down and was stretched forth upon the earth; for he dreaded the words of Samuel, and strength was not in him, for he had not eaten bread in all that day and all that night. (And at once Saul fell down and was stretched out on the ground; for he feared Samuel's words, and there was no strength in him, for he had not eaten any food all that day and all that night.)
21 Therefore that woman entered to Saul, and said; for he was troubled greatly (for he was greatly troubled); and she said to him, Lo! thine handmaid hath obeyed to thy voice, and I have put my life in mine hand, and I heard thy words, which thou spakest to me.
22 And now therefore thou hear the voice of thine handmaid, and I shall set a morsel of bread before thee, and that thou eating wax strong, and mayest do thy journey. (And so now listen thou to the voice of thy servantess, for I shall set a morsel of food before thee, and once that thou hast eaten it, thou shalt grow strong, and then thou shalt go forth on thy journey.)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.