1 Samuel 28:13

13 But the king said to her, "Don't be afraid. What do you see?" "I see a spirit form^[a] coming up out of the earth," the woman answered.

1 Samuel 28:13 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 28:13

And the king said unto her, be not afraid
Meaning not of the apparition, but of him; since he had sworn no punishment should come upon her, and he should inviolably observe his oath: for what sawest thou? for as yet Saul himself saw not anything, the woman being between him and the apparition; or she might be in another room with her familiar spirit performing the operations when Samuel appeared:

and the woman said unto Saul, I saw gods ascending out of the earth;
a great personage, one of a majestic form, like the gods, or judges and civil magistrates, sometimes so called, as Kimchi and R. Isaiah rightly interpret it; and so the Targum,

``I saw an angel of the Lord;''

a person that looked like one; for not many came up with him, and particularly Moses, as say some Jewish writers ^F4.

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FOOTNOTES:

F4 T. Bab. Chagigah, fol. 4. 8. Pirke Eliezer, c. 33.

1 Samuel 28:13 In-Context

11 "Who is it that you want me to bring up for you?" the woman asked. "Bring up Samuel for me," he answered.

12 When the woman saw Samuel, she screamed, and then she asked Saul, "Why did you deceive me? You are Saul!"

13 But the king said to her, "Don't be afraid. What do you see?" "I see a spirit form coming up out of the earth," the woman answered.

14 Then Saul asked her, "What does he look like?" "An old man is coming up," she replied. "He's wearing a robe." Then Saul knew that it was Samuel, and he bowed his face to the ground and paid homage.

15 "Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?" Samuel asked Saul. "I'm in serious trouble," replied Saul. "The Philistines are fighting against me and God has turned away from me. He doesn't answer me any more, either through the prophets or in dreams. So I've called on you to tell me what I should do."

Footnotes

• [a]. Or a god, or a divine being