1 Samuel 28 Study Notes

28:14-16 Since Samuel was the Lord’s servant and spoke as God’s representative, it did not make sense for Saul to ask for guidance from Samuel since God had refused to answer him. In the next three verses, however, Samuel would give Saul his answer, though it was not the answer Saul wanted to hear.

28:17 The spirit of Samuel specifically named Saul’s successor as David, whereas before he had only alluded to him (13:14; 15:28).

28:18 The words of Samuel’s spirit, You did not obey the Lord, is a reference to 15:1-3,7-9—Saul’s miserable failure regarding Amalek, whom God had commanded Saul to destroy.

The origin of ’ob is uncertain. Some connect it with a word for “pits” dug to communicate with spirits of the dead. In the OT ’ob has two meanings, either a medium for these spirits, or the spirits themselves (1Sm 28:8). Such spirits came from the ground and may have been audible (Is 29:4). Eleven times ’ob occurs in tandem with yid‘oni (spiritist), and often the two are associated with divination and idolatry. The difference between ’ob and yid‘oni is unclear. People consulting a medium defiled themselves (Lv 19:31), and God promised to put them to death (Lv 20:6). Israelites were to kill mediums (Lv 20:27). Mediums were one of the detestable customs that moved God to destroy the Canaanites (Dt 18:9-12). Consultation with the dead (Is 8:19) was evil (2Kg 21:6). There is an example of the activity in 1Sm 28 as Saul seeks guidance for decision making.

28:19 The nation’s defeat would come at God’s hands. The words of Samuel’s spirit, you and your sons will be with me, was an unmistakable verdict of death on Saul and his house.

28:20-22 The content of Samuel’s words, along with Saul’s weariness from traveling six miles, the stress of impending battle, and his fasting all day and all night (cp. 14:24,28), left the king totally exhausted.

28:23 Saul’s initial refusal to eat may have been because he did not wish to break his vow of fasting (cp. 14:24), but the people around him prevailed upon him to take some nourishment (see note at 14:45).

28:24 A fattened calf was a very nice dinner in a land where meat was not eaten often. Unleavened bread could be prepared quickly (Ex 12:34).

28:25 The six-mile return journey would bring more stress on Saul, and he would also get little rest to prepare for the battle the next day.