1 Samuel 28:6

6 And he counselled (with) the Lord; and the Lord answered not to him (but the Lord did not answer him), neither by priests, nor by dreams, nor by prophets.

1 Samuel 28:6 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 28:6

And when Saul inquired of the Lord
And this being not done truly and heartily, nor continued in, it was as if he had not inquired, and especially after he had inquired of one that had a familiar spirit, as Kimchi observes; for so it is said, ( 1 Chronicles 10:14 ) ;

the Lord answered him not, neither by dreams;
which he dreamed himself, from whence he could not conclude anything relating to the will of God; so the Targum,

``the Lord did not receive his prayer even by dreams;''

or by dreamers, diviners, who pretended to give answers by dreams:

nor by Urim;
there being no priest to consult in this way, Abiathar having fled with the ephod, in which were the Urim and Thummim, to David, ( 1 Samuel 23:9 ) ; though some think that he sent to Abiathar, who was with David, to inquire for him; and others that he made another ephod with Urim, and appointed another priest to consult by them; neither of which are probable:

nor by prophets;
of which there was a school not far from him, even at Naioth in Ramah, of which Samuel in his lifetime was president; but neither by the one nor the other could Saul get an answer from God, who for his sins had departed from him.

1 Samuel 28:6 In-Context

4 And (the) Philistines were gathered, and came, and setted tents in Shunem; soothly and Saul gathered all Israel, and came into Gilboa.

5 And Saul saw the castles of Philistines [And Saul saw the tents of (the) Philistines], and he dreaded, and his heart dreaded greatly. (And Saul saw the army of the Philistines, and he was afraid, and his heart greatly dreaded/and his heart greatly feared.)

6 And he counselled (with) the Lord; and the Lord answered not to him (but the Lord did not answer him), neither by priests, nor by dreams, nor by prophets.

7 And Saul said to his servants, Seek ye to me a woman having a fiend speaking in the womb; and I shall go to her, and I shall inquire by her. And his servants said to him, A woman having a fiend speaking in the womb is in Endor. (And Saul said to his servants, Seek ye out for me a woman who hath a familiar spirit; and I shall go to her, and I shall inquire through her. And his servants said to him, There is a woman who hath a familiar spirit in Endor.)

8 Therefore Saul changed his clothing, and he was clothed with other clothes; and he went, and two men with him; and they came to the woman in the night. And he said, Divine thou to me in a fiend speaking in the womb, and raise thou up to me whom I shall say to thee (And he said, Call thou for me thy familiar spirit, and raise thou up for me whom I shall name to thee).