1 Samuel 28:11-21

11 "Whom should I conjure up for you?" the woman asked. "Conjure up Samuel for me," he answered.
12 When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out loudly and asked, "Why did you deceive me? You're Saul!"
13 "Don't be afraid," the king said to her. "What do you see?" "I see a god rising from the ground," the woman answered.
14 "In what form?" he asked her. She answered, "An old man is coming up, and he's wearing a robe." Then Saul knew it was Samuel. Saul knelt down with his face touching the ground.
15 Samuel asked Saul, "Why did you disturb me by conjuring me up?" Saul answered, "I'm in serious trouble. The Philistines are at war with me, and God has turned against me and doesn't answer me anymore--either by the prophets or in dreams. So I've called on you to tell me what to do."
16 Samuel said, "Why are you asking me when the LORD has turned against you and become your enemy?
17 The LORD has done to you [exactly] what he spoke through me: The LORD has torn the kingship out of your hands and given it to your fellow Israelite David.
18 The LORD is doing this to you today because you didn't listen to him or unleash his burning anger on Amalek.
19 For the same reasons the LORD will hand you and Israel over to the Philistines. Tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. And then the LORD will hand Israel's army over to the Philistines."
20 Immediately, Saul fell flat on the ground. He was frightened by Samuel's words. He also had no strength left, because he hadn't eaten anything all day or all night.
21 The woman came over to Saul and saw that he was terrified. "I listened to you," she told him, "and I took my life in my hands when I did what you told me to do.

1 Samuel 28:11-21 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.

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