1 Samuel 28

1 Samuel 28

Chart from recommended resource Jensen's Survey of the OT - used by permission 1 Samuel Chart from Charles Swindoll TIMELINE OF THE BOOKS OF SAMUEL, KINGS & CHRONICLES 1107 1011 971 931 853 722 586 1 Samuel 2 Samuel 1 Kings 1 Kings 2 Kings 31 1-4 5-10 11-20 21-24 1-11 12-22 1-17 18-25 1 Chronicles 10 1 Chr 11-19 1 Chr 20-29 2 Chronicles 1-9 2 Chronicles 10-20 2 Chronicles 21-36 Legend: B.C. dates at top of timeline are approximate. Note that 931BC marks the division of the Kingdom into Southern Tribes (Judah and Benjamin) and Ten Northern Tribes. To avoid confusion be aware that after the division of the Kingdom in 931BC, the Southern Kingdom is most often designated in Scripture as "Judah" and the Northern Kingdom as "Israel." Finally, note that 1 Chronicles 1-9 is not identified on the timeline because these chapters are records of genealogy. The Ryrie Study Bible Map on Left ESV Global Study Bible, on right Jensen's Survey of the OT Below is another map from the Holman Bible Atlas (digital book; Hardcover) Click to enlarge - from the Holman Bible Atlas (digital book; Hardcover) copyright © 1998 B&H Publishing Group, used by permission, all rights reserved. This is one of the best resources for Bible maps. Please do not reproduce this map on any other webpage. Thank you. Copyright Faithlife / Logos Bible Software (https://www.logos.com). 1 Samuel 28:1 Now it came about in those days that the Philistines gathered their armed camps for war, to fight against Israel. And Achish said to David, "Know assuredly that you will go out with me in the camp, you and your men." in those days: 1Sa 7:7 13:5 17:1 1Sa 29:1 Philistines: Jdg 3:1-4 you will go out with me: 1Sa 27:12 29:2,3 1 Samuel 28 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Related Passage: 1 Samuel 29:1 Now the Philistines gathered together all their armies to Aphek, while the Israelites were camping by the spring which is in Jezreel. GOD'S CHECKMATE PLACES DAVID ON HORNS OF A DILEMMA! Horns of a dilemma signifies a person has to choose between one of two alternatives, both of which potentially have negative consequences. David had "painted himself into a corner" creating by his own actions and decisions a predicament for himself that left him with no acceptable alternative. David now experiences a major conflict of interests. Now it came about in those days that the Philistines gathered their armed camps for war, to fight against Israel - The mustering of Philistines troops sets the stage for a dangerous dilemma for David. Once again we see the omnipotent, omniscient hand of Yahweh providentially moving the pieces on the chess board (so to speak) which would bring about a double "Checkmate" (a check from which a king cannot escape!), one for King Saul, and a second "Checkmate" for King David! It is fascinating to see how the providence of God may have a multiplicity of effects as in this passage. The more you read the Scriptures and understand the providential workings of God, the more you are amazed at His great and marvelous works (cf Rev 15:3+) and the more you revere and adore Him! He Alone is truly worthy to be praised! And Achish said to David, "Know assuredly that you will go out with me in the camp, you and your men - Achich a Philistine lord was surely involved in the decision to move against Israel. And because he has fallen into the mindset that the enemy of my enemy is my friend, Achish considers David to be his friend, and in fact even his servant! David has been too successful in deceiving Achish that he had been raiding Israeli towns for the previous 16 months. And since he had been so successful and his warriors were thoroughly battle ready, Achish logically seeks David to go out with him against the Israelites. He sees no conflicts for David taking this action. David's success at raiding and success at deceiving now place him between a proverbial rock and a hard place! On one hand if he accepts the offer, he potentially would be fighting his own people and ultimately King Saul, of whom he had repeatedly stated that he would not touch the LORD'S anointed (1Sa 24:6, 10+, 1Sa 26:9, 11, 23+). If on the other hand he refuses saying he could not kill his own people, he blows his 16 month deception and risks Achish bringing down the hammer on him! THOUGHT - Have you ever been between a rock and a hard place? Most of us have been at some time in our lives. How did you respond? There is no evidence that David responded as he had when faced with other difficult decisions and inquired of the LORD (1Sa 23:2, 4, 1Sa 23:9-12). We wish the text had recorded "and David inquired of the LORD," but it did not. This is one time we would be better imitating the "old David" who inquired of the LORD! So next time you find yourself on the horns of a dilemma, seek the counsel of the LORD. If the "horns" are the consequences of sinful choices however, the LORD'S response might not be forthcoming and/or affirming/comforting. "He is the perfect picture of the carnal man operating on his own resources." Ray Pritchard - There is one final result of compromise. It climaxed with an order to join the other side. For David and his men, everything seems to be going great. In fact, it seems like God is blessing him more than ever before. Life is beautiful until the day David gets his draft notice. Now the chickens are coming home to roost. Why did Achish welcome David’s defection so many months ago? He was collecting an IOU and now he calls it in. What’s worse, he names David as his personal bodyguard. That means that if the Philistines win the battle, it will be the bodyguard’s duty to kill the defeated king. Which means that David will be forced to do the one thing he has steadfastly refused to do—kill Saul. David never intended to get into this mess. In his mind, going to live with the Philistines was just a temporary maneuver to buy some time and space. But now he is faced with the full results of his compromise. Unless God intervenes, he will be forced to fight against his own people. But that’s what happens whenever you live your life apart from God. One little step leads to another, one tiny compromise opens the door to another, and before long you find yourself in too deep to get out. When that happens, you think, “It’s okay. I’ll make it.” But you won’t. By now, David is too indebted to Achish to even think about backing out. He is the perfect picture of the carnal man operating on his own resources. (Ziklag is Burning) 1 Samuel 28:2 David said to Achish, "Very well, you shall know what your servant can do." So Achish said to David, "Very well, I will make you my bodyguard for life." BGT 1 Samuel 28:2 καὶ εἶπεν Δαυιδ πρὸς Αγχους οὕτω νῦν γνώσει ἃ ποιήσει ὁ δοῦλός σου καὶ εἶπεν Αγχους πρὸς Δαυιδ οὕτως ἀρχισωματοφύλακα θήσομαί σε πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας LXE 1 Samuel 28:2 And David said to Anchus, Thus now thou shalt know what thy servant will do. And Anchus said to David, So will I make thee captain of my body-guard continually. KJV 1 Samuel 28:2 And David said to Achish, Surely thou shalt know what thy servant can do. And Achish said to David, Therefore will I make thee keeper of mine head for ever. NET 1 Samuel 28:2 David replied to Achish, "That being the case, you will come to know what your servant can do!" Achish said to David, "Then I will make you my bodyguard from now on." CSB 1 Samuel 28:2 David replied to Achish, "Good, you will find out what your servant can do." So Achish said to David, "Very well, I will appoint you as my permanent bodyguard." ESV 1 Samuel 28:2 David said to Achish, "Very well, you shall know what your servant can do." And Achish said to David, "Very well, I will make you my bodyguard for life." NIV 1 Samuel 28:2 David said, "Then you will see for yourself what your servant can do." Achish replied, "Very well, I will make you my bodyguard for life." NLT 1 Samuel 28:2 "Very well!" David agreed. "Now you will see for yourself what we can do." Then Achish told David, "I will make you my personal bodyguard for life." NRS 1 Samuel 28:2 David said to Achish, "Very well, then you shall know what your servant can do." Achish said to David, "Very well, I will make you my bodyguard for life." NJB 1 Samuel 28:2 David said to Achish, 'In that case, you will soon see what your servant can do.' Achish replied to David, 'Right, I shall appoint you as my permanent bodyguard.' NAB 1 Samuel 28:2 David answered Achish, "Good! Now you shall learn what your servant can do." Then Achish said to David, "I shall appoint you my permanent bodyguard." YLT 1 Samuel 28:2 And David saith unto Achish, 'Therefore -- thou dost know that which thy servant dost do.' And Achish saith unto David, 'Therefore -- keeper of my head I do appoint thee all the days.' GWN 1 Samuel 28:2 "Very well," David responded to Achish, "you will then know what I can do." "Very well," Achish told David, "I will make you my bodyguard for life." BBE 1 Samuel 28:2 And David said to Achish, You will see now what your servant will do. And Achish said to David, Then I will make you keeper of my head for ever. RSV 1 Samuel 28:2 David said to Achish, "Very well, you shall know what your servant can do." And Achish said to David, "Very well, I will make you my bodyguard for life." NKJ 1 Samuel 28:2 And David said to Achish, "Surely you know what your servant can do." And Achish said to David, "Therefore I will make you one of my chief guardians forever." ASV 1 Samuel 28:2 And David said to Achish, Therefore thou shalt know what thy servant will do. And Achish said to David, Therefore will I make thee keeper of my head for ever. DBY 1 Samuel 28:2 And David said to Achish, Thereby thou shalt know what thy servant can do. And Achish said to David, Therefore will I make thee keeper of my person for ever. BHT 1 Samuel 28:2 wayyöº´mer Däwìd ´el-´äkîš läkën ´aTTâ tëda` ´ët ´ášer-ya`áSè `abDeºkä wayyöº´mer ´äkîš ´el-Däwìd läkën šömër lürö´šî ´áSî|mkä Kol-hayyämîm P NIRV 1 Samuel 28:2 David said, "I understand. You will see for yourself what I can do." Achish replied, "All right. I'll make you my own personal guard for life." RWB 1 Samuel 28:2 And David said to Achish, Surely thou shalt know what thy servant can do. And Achish said to David, Therefore will I make thee keeper of my head for ever. WEB 1 Samuel 28:2 And David said to Achish, Surely thou shalt know what thy servant can do. And Achish said to David, Therefore will I make thee keeper of my head for ever. Very well: 1Sa 27:10 2Sa 16:16-19 Ro 12:9 1 Samuel 28 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries ACHISH MAKES DAVID THE GUARDIAN OF HIS HEAD! David said to Achish, "Very well, you shall know what your servant can do." - NLT - "Now you will see for yourself what we can do." - David's answer is vague. The Septuagint clearly places this in the future "you will know what your servant will do." Calling himself Achish's servant would be words of assurance to the king that David would do as the king desired. But the writer pushes the "pause button" on this scene, so that we are left to wonder which "horn" of the dilemma is going to gore our hero David! As they say "stay tuned," to be continued in Chapter 29 (don't read ahead and spoil the surprising solution). So Achish said to David, "Very well, I will make you my bodyguard for life." - Achish has completely fallen for David's deception, so much so that he will have David be "the guardian for my head," the literal Hebrew rendering of make you my bodyguard! You don't need to ponder that one for very long to see the almost comical irony. David had already lopped off one giant Philistine head (1Sa 17:51+), so he would not be wise Philistine's first choice to guard his head! 1 Samuel 28:3 Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him and buried him in Ramah, his own city. And Saul had removed from the land those who were mediums and spiritists. Samuel: 1Sa 25:1 Isa 57:1,2 removed: 1Sa 28:9 Ex 22:18 Lev 19:31 20:6,27 De 18:10,11 Ac 16:16-19 1 Samuel 28 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries SAMUEL REMOVED FROM LIFE MEDIUMS REMOVED FROM LAND The writer now presents us with two facts to give us some context for the strange story that follows. Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him and buried him in Ramah, his own city - The first fact is that Samuel is really dead and is in the place of the dead (Sheol - the cool side - read Luke 16:19-31+). Why would the writer repeat what he has only 3 chapters before clearly stated? It is not as if we are likely to forgot that Samuel was no longer on the scene of the living. I personally believe it makes the subsequent events all that much more dramatic when Samuel appears on the scene of the living again! And Saul had removed from the land those who were mediums (ob/ov) and spiritists (yiddeoni) - Saul's witch hunt was one of the more Biblical actions he took in his 40 year reign. But it will also prove to be one of the most ironic acts of Saul, for he will seek that which he removed. Is this a reflection of his hypocrisy, this time of taking action, but in his heart holding a different belief? The fact that Saul removed mediums indicates that he clearly knew contact with them was forbidden and this is one of the reasons he was dead some 24 hours after consulting a medium. 1Chr 10:13-14+ says "So Saul died for his trespass which he committed against the LORD, because of the word of the LORD which he did not keep; and also because he asked counsel of a medium, making inquiry of it, and did not inquire of the LORD. Therefore He killed him and turned the kingdom to David the son of Jesse. QUESTION - What does the Bible say about necromancy? ANSWER -Necromancy is defined as the conjuring of the spirits of the dead for purposes of magically revealing the future or influencing the course of events. In the Bible, necromancy is also called “divination,” “sorcery” and “spiritism” and is forbidden many times in Scripture (Leviticus 19:26; Deuteronomy 18:10; Galatians 5:19-20; Acts 19:19) as an abomination to God. It is something that the Lord speaks very strongly against and is to be avoided as much as any evil. The reason for this is twofold. First, necromancy is going to involve demons and opens the one who practices it to demonic attack. Satan and his demons seek to destroy us, not to impart to us truth or wisdom. We are told that our “enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). Second, necromancy does not rely on the Lord for information, the Lord who promises to freely give wisdom to all who ask for it (James 1:5). This is especially telling because the Lord always wants to lead us to truth and life, but demons always want to lead us to lies and serious damage. The idea that dead people’s spirits can be contacted for information is false. Those who attempt such contact inevitably contact demonic spirits, not the spirits of dead loved ones. Those who die go immediately to heaven or hell—heaven if they believed in Jesus as Savior, and hell if they did not. There is no contact between the dead and the living. Therefore, seeking the dead is unnecessary and very dangerous.GotQuestions.org Related Resources: What does the Bible say about praying to / speaking to the dead? What is a séance? 1 Samuel 28:4 So the Philistines gathered together and came and camped in Shunem; and Saul gathered all Israel together and they camped in Gilboa. Shunem: Jos 19:18 2Ki 4:8 Gilboa: 1Sa 31:1 2Sa 1:6,21 21:12 1 Samuel 28 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Philistines @ SHUNEM & Saul @ GILBOA THE LOCATION OF THE TWO ARMIES So the Philistines gathered together and came and camped in Shunem; and Saul gathered all Israel together and they camped in Gilboa - See the map above for Shunem just to north of Jezreel and Mt Gilboa which localizes respectively the Philistine and the Israelite forces. Notice the town of En-dor is about 2 miles to the north of Shunem and 6 miles north of Gilboa (which will help you understand why Saul needed a disguise in 1Sa 28:8 - he clearly had to cross enemy territory to reach Endor). This is not simply a border raid, but the Philistines have now encroached into the heartland of Israel, preparing for an attack which would prove devastating to Israel. Shunem - (two resting-places) is a little village in the tribe of Issachar, to the north of Jezreel and south of Mount Gilboa (Josh. 19:18), where the Philistines encamped when they came against Saul (1 Sam. 28:4), and where Elisha was hospitably entertained by a rich woman of the place. On the sudden death of this woman's son she hastened to Carmel, 20 miles distant across the plain, to tell Elisha, and to bring him with her to Shunem. There, in the "prophet's chamber," the dead child lay; and Elisha entering it, shut the door and prayed earnestly: and the boy was restored to life (2 Kings 4:8-37). This woman afterwards retired during the famine to the low land of the Philistines; and on returning a few years afterwards, found her house and fields in the possession of a stranger. She appealed to the king at Samaria, and had them in a somewhat remarkable manner restored to her (comp. 2 Kings 8:1-6). GILBOA, MOUNT - gil-bo'-a (~har hagilboa], "Mount of the Gilboa"): this mountain is mentioned in Scripture only in connection with the last conflict of Saul with the Philistines, and his disastrous defeat (1Sa 28:4; 31:1,8; 2Sa 1:6,21; 21:12; 1 Ch 10:1,8). If Zer`in be identical with Jezreel--a point upon which Professor R.A.S. Macalister has recently cast some doubt--Saul must have occupied the slopes on the Northwest side of the mountain, near "the fountain which is in Jezreel" (1Sa 29:1). The Philistines attacked from the plain, and the battle (REMEMBER THEY HAD IRON CHARIOTS WHICH WOULD BE VERY EFFECTIVE ON THE FLAT PLAIN OF JEZREEL - AKA Esdraelon) went bad against the men of Israel, who broke and fled; and in the flight Jonathan, Abinadab and Malchi- shua, sons of Saul, were slain. Rather than be taken by his lifelong foes (1Sa 14:52), Saul fell upon his sword and died (1Sa 31:1-6). 1 Samuel 28:5 When Saul saw the camp of the Philistines, he was afraid and his heart trembled greatly. he was afraid: Job 15:21 18:11 Ps 48:5,6 73:19 Pr 10:24 Isa 7:2 21:3,4 Isa 57:20,21 Da 5:6 1 Samuel 28 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Mt Gilboa (R) with View of Jezreel Valley (Shunem) When Saul saw the camp of the Philistines, he was afraid and his heart trembled greatly - In the map above, see the Philistine forces undoubtedly including their iron chariots (1Sa 13:5) amassed at Shunem in the level Plain of Jezreel, poised to launch their attack. Saul is at Gilboa (over 1600' elevation) which from the northern face commands a view of the Jezreel Valley (see depiction above), so Saul quickly realized that he was in serious trouble! His heart trembled greatly at the Philistines because his heart failed to reverentially tremble before Yahweh. Saul saw a giant force preparing to attack and feared because God had rejected him and was not with him. David saw a giant Philistine ready to attack but was not afraid because (1Sa 17) he came in the Name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel (1Sa 17:45) and was confident that "the LORD does not deliver by sword or by spear; for the battle is the LORD’S and He will give you into our hands.” (1Sa 17:47). Two anointed kings, two giant enemies, two different valleys (Elah - 1Sa 17:2, Jezreel - 1Sa 29:1), two different hearts (after God, after man) and two dramatically different outcomes (life, death, eternal reign, rejected reign). 1 Samuel 28:6 When Saul inquired of the LORD, the LORD did not answer him, either by dreams or by Urim or by prophets. inquired: 1Sa 14:37 1Ch 10:14 Pr 1:,27,28 La 2:9 Eze 20:1-3 Joh 9:31 Jas 4:3 dreams: Ge 28:12-15 46:2-4 Nu 12:6 Job 33:14-16 Jer 23:28 Mt 1:20 Urim: Ex 28:20 Nu 27:21 De 33:8 prophets: Ps 74:9 La 2:9 Eze 20:3 1 Samuel 28 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Related Passage: 1 Samuel 14:37+ Saul inquired of God, “Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will You give them into the hand of Israel?” But He did not answer him on that day. SAUL INQUIRED TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE! When Saul inquired (shaal; Lxx - eperotao - to ask for something) of the LORD, the LORD did not answer him, either by dreams or by Urim or by prophets - This is Saul's second inquiry of Yahweh (1Sa 14:37 - also uses shaal; Lxx - eperotao - to ask for something) and his second "busy signal!" Note that 1Ch 10:14 says Saul "did not inquire of the LORD," where inquire is a different Hebrew word (darash) conveys the sense of God's people seeking after their God (Dt. 4:29; Hos. 10:12; Amos 5:4), a type of seeking that will be greatly rewarded (Ps 34:10). That this nuance of seeking God Himself is an important aspect of asking God is shown by the Septuagint translation of 1Ch 10:14 which uses the verb ekzeteo which describes an intense seeking, a diligent searching, with a sincere and earnest desire to obtain God's favor (as in Septuagint translations of Dt 4:29, 2Ch 15:2, 13, Ps 14:2, Jer 29:13 which all use darash and ekzeteo). In the Septuagint the verb ekzeteo is preceded by the strongest Greek negative (ou/ouk) signifying that Saul absolutely did not seek for God with this type of heart seeking. One might say it this way -- Saul wanted an answer from God, but he was not really seeking after God Himself. The tragedy of Saul is that while he did not inquire of God in the sense meant by The writer describes 3 ways God communicated with men in the Old Testament. Saul had effectively, "efficiently" eradicated two of the methods of communication, the prophets and the priests. Recall the priests had been summarily annihilated by Saul in a fit of paranoia motivated by jealousy and anger (1Sa 22:11-19+). But in the providence of God, one some of the priest Ahimelech named Abiathar had escaped the sword and fled to David with the ephod (1Sa 22:20-21+,1Sa 23:6+). So Saul had no priests and no ephod, which meant that there was no Urim to enable divine communication because the Urim was in a pocket vest of the ephod. Saul had also cut off the lines of communication with one of the greatest prophets in the history of Israel, the man of God Samuel (1Sa 15:35+). Finally, and most devastating of all Saul had rejected the Word of God and the LORD had rejected him from being king over Israel (1Sa 15:26+). David - a king without a country but with a God! Saul - a man with a country but not with a God! The irony of the two men anointed king of Israel is that one was a man with a country but without God, while the other was a man without a country but with God! The other irony is that the Hebrew verb for inquire is the root of Saul's name, specifically it is a passive participle form of shaal, making it clear that Saul was "the asked for one" to reign as king over Israel. Israel GOT WHAT THEY ASK FOR -- A king like all of the other nations! Now it was time for a king after God's own heart! Robert Bergen - Quite properly, Saul first “inquired of the LORD” (1Sa 28:6), seeking guidance in dealing with the Philistines. (The comment in 1 Chr 10:14 that Saul died because he “did not inquire of the LORD” does not contradict this passage. Instead, it affirms the contention of 1 Sam 28 that Saul’s final source of guidance was not Yahweh.) However, the Lord “did not answer him by dreams,” that is, through a personal revelation given directly to him. Nor did the Lord respond by means of the “Urim,” that is, with the revelatory device that could only be used with the assistance of an Aaronic priest (cf. Ex 28:30; Nu 27:21). This is not surprising since Saul had slain many of the Aaronic priests, and the only named surviving priest from Nob—one who possessed an ephod—had fled to David (cf. 1Sa 22:18–20). Furthermore, the Lord did not answer by means of “prophets.” Saul did not receive a prophetic word for two reasons: first, because Samuel was dead, and second, he had lost the support of the prophets when Samuel, the leading prophet of Israel in his generation and the leader of a group of prophets (cf. 1Sa 19:20), had declared Saul’s kingship had ended (cf. 1Sa 15:24, 28–29). (Borrow 1 & 2 Samuel - New American Commentary) Inquire (07592) shaal means ask, inquire, consult. One could ask another person or even God for something (1 Sam. 23:2; Ps. 122:6; 137:3; Eccl. 7:10). People sometimes sought information by asking Urim and Thummim (Num. 27:21), or an occult wooden object (Ezek. 21:21; Hos. 4:12). Solomon asked for wisdom (1 Ki. 3:5, 11), David frequently inquired of the Lord (1 Sam. 23:2; 30:8; 2 Sam. 2:1; 5:19, 23; 1 Chr. 14:10, 14), but the leaders of Israel "asked not counsel at the mouth of the Lord" and were thus deceived by the Gibeonites (Josh. 9:14). Since prayer often includes asking or petition, shāʾal is sometimes used in the sense of "praying for" something: "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem" (Ps. 122:6) In the idiomatic phrase, "to ask another of his welfare," it carries the sense of a greeting (cf. Ex 18:7; Jdg 18:15; 1Sa 10:4). Frequently, it is used to indicate someone's asking for God's direction or counsel (Josh. 9:14; Isa. 30:2). In Ps. 109:10 it is used to indicate a begging. Shaal - uses in 1 Samuel-2 Chronicles 1 Sam. 1:17; 1 Sam. 1:20; 1 Sam. 1:27; 1 Sam. 1:28; 1 Sam. 2:20; 1 Sam. 8:10; 1 Sam. 10:4; 1 Sam. 10:22; 1 Sam. 12:13; 1 Sam. 12:17; 1 Sam. 12:19; 1 Sam. 14:37; 1 Sam. 17:22; 1 Sam. 17:56; 1 Sam. 19:22; 1 Sam. 20:6; 1 Sam. 20:28; 1 Sam. 22:10; 1 Sam. 22:13; 1 Sam. 22:15; 1 Sam. 23:2; 1 Sam. 23:4; 1 Sam. 25:5; 1 Sam. 25:8; 1 Sam. 28:6; 1 Sam. 28:16; 1 Sam. 30:8; 1 Sam. 30:21; 2 Sam. 2:1; 2 Sam. 3:13; 2 Sam. 5:19; 2 Sam. 5:23; 2 Sam. 8:10; 2 Sam. 11:7; 2 Sam. 12:20; 2 Sam. 14:18; 2 Sam. 16:23; 2 Sam. 20:18; 1 Ki. 2:16; 1 Ki. 2:20; 1 Ki. 2:22; 1 Ki. 3:5; 1 Ki. 3:10; 1 Ki. 3:11; 1 Ki. 3:13; 1 Ki. 10:13; 1 Ki. 19:4; 2 Ki. 2:9; 2 Ki. 2:10; 2 Ki. 4:3; 2 Ki. 4:28; 2 Ki. 6:5; 2 Ki. 8:6; 1 Chr. 4:10; 1 Chr. 10:13; 1 Chr. 14:10; 1 Chr. 14:14; 1 Chr. 18:10; 2 Chr. 1:7; 2 Chr. 1:11; 2 Chr. 9:12; 2 Chr. 11:23 Apologetics Study Bible (see note) Why didn't the Lord answer Saul's plea for help? The Bible teaches that people who consistently reject God's leadership in their lives, and refuse to follow the guidance He has already provided, should not expect Him to deliver them from trouble resulting from their poor choices (Job 27:9; 35:12; Pr 1:23-28; Is 1:15; Jer 11:11; 14:12; Ezek 8:18; Mic 3:4; Zech 7:13; James 4:3). Saul had consistently disobeyed God (1Sa 13:13-14; 15:11-23),even going so far as to kill the Lord's priests (1Sa 22:17-19).He had created vast problems for himself and his nation. The Lord was not going to promise the king supernatural deliverance from those problems, even though Saul earnestly sought His help. Instead, God would use the Philistines as the instrument of judgment against Saul. (ED: SEE 1Chr 10:13) Norman Geisler - goto page 181 in When Critics Ask - 1 Chronicles 10:14—Did Saul inquire of the Lord or not? PROBLEM: 1 Samuel 28:6 says “when Saul inquired of the Lord, the Lord did not answer him.” However, this verse says just the opposite, namely, “he [Saul] did not inquire of the Lord; therefore He killed him.” But how can both be true? SOLUTION: It should be noted first that two different words with different meanings are used here. Samuel uses the Hebrew word shaal, which usually means simply to ask, to consult, or to request. Chronicles, however, uses the word darash which often means to search for, or to seek after. In other words, Saul did not sincerely inquire of the Lord because He really wanted to know God’s will, but because he was hoping God would agree with his will. In brief, Saul inquired casually but not sincerely. He went through the ritual, but he was not seeking the reality. 1 Samuel 28:7 Then Saul said to his servants, "Seek for me a woman who is a medium, that I may go to her and inquire of her." And his servants said to him, "Behold, there is a woman who is a medium at En-dor." Seek: 2Ki 1:2,3 6:33 Isa 8:19,20 La 3:25,26 Hab 2:3 medium: 1Sa 28:3 De 18:11 Isa 19:3 Ac 16:16 that I may: Lev 19:31 1Ch 10:13 Isa 8:19 Endor: Jos 17:11 Ps 83:10 1 Samuel 28 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Related Passages: Leviticus 20:27+ (PENALTY FOR MEDIUMS) ‘Now a man or a woman who is a medium or a spiritist shall surely be put to death. They shall be stoned with stones, their bloodguiltiness is upon them.’” Deuteronomy 18:9-14+ (LAW REGARDING MEDIUMS) “When you enter the land which the LORD your God gives you, you shall not learn to imitate the detestable things of those nations. 10 “There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, one who uses divination, one who practices witchcraft, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, 11 or one who casts a spell, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. 12 “For whoever does these things is detestable to the LORD; and because of these detestable things the LORD your God will drive them out before you. 13 “You shall be blameless before the LORD your God. 14 “For those nations, which you shall dispossess, listen to those who practice witchcraft and to diviners, but as for you, the LORD your God has not allowed you to do so. Deuteronomy 17:18-19+ (INSTRUCTIONS FOR KING AND THE LAW) Now it shall come about when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, he shall write for himself a copy of this law on a scroll in the presence of the Levitical priests. 19 “It shall be with him and he shall read it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, by carefully observing all the words of this law and these statutes, 20 that his heart may not be lifted up above his countrymen and that he may not turn aside from the commandment, to the right or the left, so that he and his sons may continue long in his kingdom in the midst of Israel. See ENDOR North of Jezreel GILBOA just south of Jezreel SAUL STOOPS TO SORCERY! Then - This marks progression in the narrative and in context marks Saul's state of extreme fear and desperation. Saul said to his servants, "Seek for me a woman who is a medium, that I may go to her and inquire of her." - Clearly Saul is at "wits end" and "beside himself." Had he been doing what a king should have been doing (see Dt 17:18-20 above), he would have known that consulting a medium was tantamount to committing a capital offense against the Most High God. It is notable that Saul does die some 24 hours after this dark deed! And his servants said to him, "Behold, there is a woman who is a medium at En-dor - Now if Saul was a godly man, he would have thrown the servants into the brig (or worse) for not revealing the presence of a medium at En-dor. Why? Because Saul had set about to rid Israel of spiritism so prior to this crisis time he would not have looked favorably on his servants withholding information of a known medium. But Saul was an opportunist and was desperate to hear a Word from God. Related Resource: Saul, The Spiritist, and Samuel," Grace Journal 11.1 (Winter 1970): 13-29. Thomas O. Figart Norman Geisler - From When Cultists Ask Similar to below but with slight differences 1 SAMUEL 28:7–20—How could God allow the witch of Endor to raise Samuel from the dead when God condemned witchcraft? MISINTERPRETATION: The Bible severely condemns witchcraft and communication with the dead (Exod. 22:18; Lev. 20:6, 27; Deut. 18:9–12; Isa. 8:19). In the Old Testament, those who practiced it were to receive capital punishment. King Saul knew this and even put all witches out of the land (1 Sam. 28:3). Nevertheless, in disobedience to God, he went to the witch of Endor, asking her to contact the dead prophet Samuel (1 Sam. 28:11–19). The problem here is that she appears to be successful in contacting Samuel, which seems to lend validity to the powers of witchcraft, which the Bible so severely condemns. Those who practice witchcraft, such as Wicca, sometimes cite this verse in support of their religion (Mather and Nichols, 1993, 313). CORRECTING THE MISINTERPRETATION: Some believe that the witch worked a miracle by demonic powers and actually brought Samuel back from the dead. In support of this they cite passages which indicate that demons have the power to perform miracles (Matt. 7:22; 2 Cor. 11:14; 2 Thess. 2:9, 10; Rev. 16:14). The objections to this view include the fact that death is final (Heb. 9:27). The dead cannot return (2 Sam. 12:23) because there is a great gulf fixed by God (Luke 16:24–26), and demons cannot usurp God’s authority over life and death (Job 1:10–12). Others have suggested that the witch did not really bring up Samuel from the dead, but simply faked doing so. They support this by reference to demons who deceive people who try to contact the dead (Lev. 19:31; Deut. 18:11; 1 Chron. 10:13) and by the contention that demons sometimes utter what is true (cf. Acts 16:17). The objections to this view include the fact that the passage seems to say Samuel did return from the dead, that he provided a prophecy from Samuel that actually came to pass, and that it is unlikely that demons would have uttered truth of God, since the devil is the father of lies (John 8:44). Another view is that the witch did not bring up Samuel from the dead, but God himself intervened to rebuke Saul for his sin: (a) Samuel seemed to actually return from the dead (vv. 14, 20), but (b) neither humans nor demons have the power to bring people back from the dead (Luke 16:24–31; Heb. 9:27). (c) The witch herself seemed to be surprised by the appearance of Samuel from the dead (v. 12). (d) There is a direct condemnation of witchcraft in verse 9. It is highly unlikely that the same text would give credence to witchcraft by claiming that witches can actually bring people back from the dead. (e) God sometimes speaks in unexpected places through unusual means (cf. Baalam’s donkey, Num. 22). The major objections to this view are that the text does not explicitly say that God performed the miracle, and that a witch’s dwelling is a strange place to do it. God is sovereign in regard to when and where he intervenes, however, and not all miracles are labeled as such (cf. Matt. 3:17; 17:1–9). A miraculous act can speak for itself. Norman Geisler - see page 151 When Critics Ask - 1 SAMUEL 28:7ff—How could God allow the Witch of Endor to raise Samuel from the dead when God condemned witchcraft? PROBLEM: The Bible severely condemns witchcraft and communication with the dead (Ex. 22:18; Lev. 20:6, 27; Deut. 18:9–12; Isa. 8:19). In the OT those who practiced it were to receive capital punishment. King Saul knew this and even put all witches out of the land (1 Sam. 28:3). Nevertheless, in disobedience to God, he went to the witch of Endor for her to contact the dead prophet Samuel (1 Sam. 28:8ff). The problem here is that she appears to be successful in contacting Samuel, which lends validity to the powers of witchcraft which the Bible so severely condemns. SOLUTION: Several possible solutions have been offered to this episode at Endor. Three will be summarized here. First, some believe that the witch worked a miracle by demonic powers and actually brought Samuel back from the dead. In support of this they cite passages which indicate that demons have the power to perform miracles (Matt. 7:22; 2 Cor. 11:14; 2 Thes. 2:9–10; Rev. 16:14). The objections to this view include the fact that death is final (Heb. 9:27), the dead cannot return (2 Sam. 12:23) because there is a great gulf fixed by God (Luke 16:24–27), and demons cannot usurp God’s authority over life and death (Job 1:10–12). Second, others have suggested that the witch did not really bring up Samuel from the dead, but simply faked doing so. They support this by reference to demons who deceive people who try to contact the dead (Lev. 19:31; Deut. 18:11; 1 Chron. 10:13) and by the contention that demons sometimes utter what is true (cf. Acts 16:17). The objections to this view include the fact that the passage seems to say Samuel did return from the dead, that he provided a prophecy from Samuel that actually came to pass, and that it is unlikely that demons would have uttered truth of God, since the devil is the father of lies (John 8:44). A third view is that the witch did not bring up Samuel from the dead, but God Himself intervened in the witch’s tent to rebuke Saul for his sin. In support of this view is the following: (a) Samuel seemed to actually return from the dead (v. 14), but (b) neither humans nor demons have the power to bring people back from the dead (Luke 16:24–27; Heb. 9:27). (c) The witch herself seemed to be surprised by the appearance of Samuel from the dead (v. 12). (d) There is a direct condemnation of witchcraft in this passage (v. 9), and thus it is highly unlikely that it would give credence to witchcraft by claiming that witches can actually bring people back from the dead. (e) God sometimes speaks in unsuspecting places through unusual means (cf. Baalam’s donkey, Num. 22). (f) The miracle was not performed through the witch, but in spite of her. (g) Samuel seems to really appear from the dead, rebukes Saul, and utters a true prophecy (v. 19). (h) God explicitly and repeatedly condemned contacting the dead (see above) and would not contradict this by giving credence to witchcraft. The major objections to this view are that the text does not explicitly say that God performed the miracle, and that a witch’s tent is a strange place to perform this miracle. 1 Samuel 28:8 Then Saul disguised himself by putting on other clothes, and went, he and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night; and he said, "Conjure up for me, please, and bring up for me whom I shall name to you." disguised: 1Ki 14:2,3 22:30,34 Job 24:13-15 Jer 23:24 Joh 3:19 please: De 18:11 1Ch 10:13 Isa 8:19 bring: 1Sa 28:15 1 Samuel 28 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries See ENDOR North of Jezreel GILBOA just south of Jezreel SAUL DISGUISES HIMSELF BUT REVEALS HIS HEART Then - When is then? This seems that in his desperate state of mind, he moves quickly to seek an answer to his question of how to handle the invading Philistine forces. Desperate times call for desperate measures Saul disguised himself by putting on other clothes - Why would he need to disguise himself? He was the very one who had commanded extermination of mediums, so for him to be seem consulting a medium would expose his hypocrisy. Saul seems always to be concerned what men thought of him, but had relatively little concern for what God thought! Indeed, Saul was truly a man after a man's heart! Secondly, from the map above, Saul would need to travel north from Gilboa about 6 miles to Endor which meant he would be going through Philistine occupied territory (Philistines were at Shunem 2 miles south of Endor). Thirdly, he did not want the medium to recognize him, lest she refuse to perform necromancy for fear of him killing her. Given the dangers inherent of this endeavor, we can see how utterly desperate Saul was at this point to take the risk. and went, he and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night - Why by night? This has been addressed above. It is almost symbolic that he went at night for it reminds us of another man named Judas who went out from the last supper John writing "and it was night." (Jn 13:30). Two men separated by 1000 years, but united in that they both had dark hearts, both rejected the word of the Lord and both suffered dreadful deaths from suicide. And he said, "Conjure up for me, please, and bring up for me whom I shall name to you - Saul has just committed a capital crime for which the Torah called for the death penalty. In Saul's bitter tragic ending, God the righteous Judge would pass sentence on Saul and carry it out within 24 hours of his abominable crime! EVALUATION OF SAUL'S LIFE GOOD POINTS DEGENERATED INTO Striking Appearance 1Sa 9:2 Pride 1Sa 18:8 Initiative 1Sa 11:7 Rebellion 1Sa 20:31 Bravery 1Sa 13:3 Recklessness 1Sa 14:24 Patriotic Spirit-filling 1 Sa 11:6 Demon Possession 1 Sa 16:14 Gleason Archer - page 184 of New International Encyclopedia of Bible Difficulties -What took place in 1 Samuel 28:8–16? Did Samuel really appear to Saul? Did Saul actually talk with him in the witch’s cave? There is little doubt that satanic powers are able to produce illusionary images and communicate with the living by this means. Such “lying wonders” (2 Thess. 2:9) are part of the Devil’s stock in trade. On the other hand, it certainly lies within God’s power as well to present an appearance for the purpose of conveying His message by a special revelation. The oracle delivered by this shade or apparition sounded like an authentic message from God, with its announcement of doom on the guilty, unfaithful king. It even sounded like something Samuel himself would have said, had he remained alive after the massacre of Ahimelech and the priests of Nob (1 Sam. 22:11–19). Therefore it is entirely possible that this apparition was the actual shade of Samuel himself, when he asked, “Why has thou disquieted me, to bring me up?” Apparently Samuel had been directed by God to leave his abode in Sheol or Hades (where even the saved believers awaited the future resurrection of Christ, which would bring about their transferal to heaven itself) in order to deliver this final message to King Saul. Conceivably the deceased Samuel could have communicated long distance through an apparition in the cave of Endor, but the words “to bring me up” make this very doubtful. On the other hand, it should be observed that the witch herself was quite startled by this ghostly visitor, as she said, “I see a god [Heb. ʾelōhím] coming up out of the earth” (v.13). This clearly implies that this authentic appearance of the dead (if such it was) was no result of her own witchcraft; rather, it was an act of God Himself that terrified her and that she had in no sense brought about in her own power. It would seem that God chose this particular occasion and setting to give His final word to the evil king who had once served His cause with courage and zeal. No scriptural basis for spiritism is furnished by this episode, nor for necromancy—both of which are sternly condemned as abominations before the Lord (Deut. 18:9–12; cf. Exod. 22:18; Lev. 19:26,31; 20:6,27; Jer. 27:9–10). 1 Samuel 28:9 But the woman said to him, "Behold, you know what Saul has done, how he has cut off those who are mediums and spiritists from the land. Why are you then laying a snare for my life to bring about my death?" how he: 1Sa 28:3 why are you then: 2Sa 18:13 2Ki 5:7 1 Samuel 28 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries SAUL'S HYPOCRISY: SEEKING A MEDIUM A hypocrite is someone whose behavior belies their words. Their practice is at odds with their profession. In Saul's case he claimed to be a witch hunter/killer but ends up being a seance seeker! As we have repeatedly seen, Saul is spiritually schizophrenic at best! But the woman said to him, "Behold, you know what Saul has done, how he has cut off those who are mediums and spiritists from the land. Why are you then laying a snare for my life to bring about my death - The medium is suspicious these men might be spies sent by Saul to eliminate her! Boy, is she is for the surprise of her life (in more ways than one)! 1 Samuel 28:10 Saul vowed to her by the LORD, saying, "As the LORD lives, no punishment shall come upon you for this thing." vowed: 1Sa 14:39 19:6 Ge 3:5 Ex 20:7 De 18:10-12 2Sa 14:11 Mt 26:72 Mk 6:23 1 Samuel 28 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries THE HYPOCRITE SWEARS BLASPHEMOUSLY Saul vowed to her by the LORD, saying, "As the LORD lives, no punishment shall come upon you for this thing - Saul is amazing as he has no sense of sacred spiritual boundaries. Here he is at a medium's home, having supposedly cleansed the land of mediums, while he himself is committing a crime that in the Torah calls for the death penalty. And to top it all off, he has the gall to use the LORD'S name in vain to justify his evil! Woodhouse - The incongruity of swearing an oath by the Lord about this act of deep rebellion and disobedience to the Lord seems to have escaped Saul. (“The irony of Saul’s doing this in a negotiation with a conjurer of spirits is vividly caught by the Midrash: ‘Whom did Saul resemble at that moment? A woman who is with her lover and swears by the life of her husband.’ ” Borrow Alter, David, p. 173.) The woman, too, seems strangely, even naively, obliging. We might expect her to ask who this stranger was to offer such a guarantee against the king’s decree. Instead we read: “Then the woman said, ‘Whom shall I bring up for you?’ ” (v. 11a). (1 Samuel: Looking for a Leader) 1 Samuel 28:11 Then the woman said, "Whom shall I bring up for you?" And he said, "Bring up Samuel for me." 1 Samuel 28 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries THE WITCH LET'S DOWN HER GUARD Then the woman said, "Whom shall I bring up for you?" - The medium accepts Saul's blasphemous oath, although she still does not know the identity of the man who made the oath. She's in the fiduciary business of carrying out necromancy and business has probably been slow since Saul declared his "witchhunt" edict. And he said, "Bring up Samuel for me - It is interesting Saul does not say Samuel the prophet because surely other Israelite boys had been born and died with the name of this popular prophet. She forgoes asking anymore detail on his identity and goes into action with just the name "Samuel." 1 Samuel 28:12 When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out with a loud voice; and the woman spoke to Saul, saying, "Why have you deceived me? For you are Saul." Saul: 1Sa 28:3 1Ki 14:5 1 Samuel 28 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries WONDERMENT AND DISCERNMENT OF THE WITCH When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out with a loud voice - The Hebrew text says she "saw Samuel." It does not say she saw a vision of Samuel, etc. The text would support this was Samuel and that she actually recognized him. But Saul is still in the dark in more ways than one! and the woman spoke to Saul, saying, "Why have you deceived me? For you are Saul - Not only does she seem to recognize Samuel, but somehow she now discerns that the person requesting Samuel's appearance is Saul himself. Woodhouse - This chapter of the Bible tells us nothing whatsoever about the practice of mediums and necromancy (except to remind us of the fact that the Law and the prophets forbade these practices). It is a mistake to try to draw conclusions on that subject from this chapter. Did the woman have the power to bring Samuel back from the dead? The text does not say so. It simply tells us that Samuel appeared. It seems far more likely to me that the Lord sent Samuel to Saul on this evening, just as on a very different occasion he sent Moses and Elijah to Jesus (Matthew 17:3). The dark powers of this woman (if she possessed such) were irrelevant.26(1 Samuel: Looking for a Leader) Apologetics Study Bible (see note) Did the medium of Endor really conjure up the dead prophet Samuel? Though scholars disagree on this question, the Bible suggests that she did. The law of Moses sternly forbids consultation of mediums (Lv 20:27; Dt 18:10-12) but never says that communicating with dead people is impossible. Saul was seemingly able to speak with a figure that not only accurately repeated key themes from Samuel's previous private conversations with Saul, but also correctly predicted the deaths of Saul and his sons. This suggests that the king was indeed speaking with Samuel. 1 Samuel 28:13 The king said to her, "Do not be afraid; but what do you see?" And the woman said to Saul, "I see a divine being coming up out of the earth." BGT 1 Samuel 28:13 καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῇ ὁ βασιλεύς μὴ φοβοῦ εἰπὸν τίνα ἑόρακας καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Θεοὺς ἑόρακα ἀναβαίνοντας ἐκ τῆς γῆς LXE 1 Samuel 28:13 And the king said to her, Fear not; tell me whom thou has seen. And the woman said to him, I saw gods ascending out of the earth. KJV 1 Samuel 28:13 And the king said unto her, Be not afraid: for what sawest thou? And the woman said unto Saul, I saw gods ascending out of the earth. NET 1 Samuel 28:13 The king said to her, "Don't be afraid! What have you seen?" The woman replied to Saul, "I have seen one like a god coming up from the ground!" CSB 1 Samuel 28:13 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. ESV 1 Samuel 28:13 The king said to her, "Do not be afraid. What do you see?" And the woman said to Saul, "I see a god coming up out of the earth." NIV 1 Samuel 28:13 The king said to her, "Don't be afraid. What do you see?" The woman said, "I see a spirit coming up out of the ground." NLT 1 Samuel 28:13 "Don't be afraid!" the king told her. "What do you see?" "I see a god coming up out of the earth," she said. NRS 1 Samuel 28:13 The king said to her, "Have no fear; what do you see?" The woman said to Saul, "I see a divine being coming up out of the ground." NJB 1 Samuel 28:13 The king said, 'Do not be afraid! What do you see?' The woman replied to Saul, 'I see a ghost rising from the earth.' NAB 1 Samuel 28:13 But the king said to her, "Have no fear. What do you see?" The woman answered Saul, "I see a preternatural being rising from the earth." YLT 1 Samuel 28:13 And the king saith to her, 'Do not fear; for what hast thou seen?' and the woman saith unto Saul, 'Gods I have seen coming up out of the earth.' GWN 1 Samuel 28:13 "Don't be afraid," the king said to her. "What do you see?" "I see a god rising from the ground," the woman answered. BBE 1 Samuel 28:13 And the king said to her, Have no fear: what do you see? And the woman said to Saul, I see a god coming up out of the earth. RSV 1 Samuel 28:13 The king said to her, "Have no fear; what do you see?" And the woman said to Saul, "I see a god coming up out of the earth." NKJ 1 Samuel 28:13 And the king said to her, "Do not be afraid. What did you see?" And the woman said to Saul, "I saw a spirit ascending out of the earth." ASV 1 Samuel 28:13 And the king said unto her, Be not afraid: for what seest thou? And the woman said unto Saul, I see a god coming up out of the earth. DBY 1 Samuel 28:13 And the king said to her, Be not afraid; but what didst thou see? And the woman said to Saul, I saw a god ascending out of the earth. BHT 1 Samuel 28:13 wayyöº´mer läh hammeºlek ´al-Tî|r´î Kî mâ rä´ît waTTöº´mer hä|´iššâ ´el-šä´ûl ´élöhîm rä´îºtî `ölîm min-hä´äºrec NIRV 1 Samuel 28:13 He said to her, "Don't be afraid. Tell me what you see." The woman said, "I see a spirit. He's coming up out of the ground." RWB 1 Samuel 28:13 And the king said to her, Be not afraid: for what sawest thou? And the woman said to Saul, I saw gods ascending out of the earth. WEB 1 Samuel 28:13 And the king said to her be not afraid: for what sawest thou? And the woman said to Saul, I saw gods ascending out of the earth. coming up out of the earth: Ex 4:16 22:28 Ps 82:6,7 Joh 10:34,35 1 Samuel 28 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries SAUL UNAWARE OF WITCHES SAMUEL SIGHTING The king said to her, "Do not be afraid; but what do you see?" - Trapped by her recognition of him and not wanting to "lose touch" with whoever caused the medium to cry out with a loud voice, he tell her "fear not." And the woman said to Saul, "I see a divine being coming up out of the earth - This statement would also support that this being was in fact Samuel up from the bowels of Sheol (the "cool side"). Woodhouse - There is no point in speculating about why or how she could see Samuel, but Saul could not and had to ask. In response the woman gave a description, if we can call it that, of what she saw: “And the woman said to Saul, ‘I see a god coming up out of the earth’ ” (v. 13b). That was not particularly helpful. (The plural term translated “a god” (ESV) has been variously rendered: “a ghostly form” (REB); “a spirit” (NIV); “a ghost” (Mauchline, 1 and 2 Samuel, p. 182); “a divine being” (NRSV) (1 Samuel: Looking for a Leader) 1 Samuel 28:14 He said to her, "What is his form?" And she said, "An old man is coming up, and he is wrapped with a robe." And Saul knew that it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground and did homage. BGT 1 Samuel 28:14 καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῇ τί ἔγνως καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ ἄνδρα ὄρθιον ἀναβαίνοντα ἐκ τῆς γῆς καὶ οὗτος διπλοΐδα ἀναβεβλημένος καὶ ἔγνω Σαουλ ὅτι Σαμουηλ οὗτος καὶ ἔκυψεν ἐπὶ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν καὶ προσεκύνησεν αὐτῷ LXE 1 Samuel 28:14 And he said to her, What didst thou perceive? and she said to him, An upright man ascending out of the earth, and he was clothed with a mantle. And Saul knew that this was Samuel, and he stooped with his face to the earth, and did obeisance to him. KJV 1 Samuel 28:14 And he said unto her, What form is he of? And she said, An old man cometh up; and he is covered with a mantle. And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he stooped with his face to the ground, and bowed himself. NET 1 Samuel 28:14 He said to her, "What about his appearance?" She said, "An old man is coming up! He is wrapped in a robe!" Then Saul realized it was Samuel, and he bowed his face toward the ground and kneeled down. CSB 1 Samuel 28:14 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. ESV 1 Samuel 28:14 He said to her, "What is his appearance?" And she said, "An old man is coming up, and he is wrapped in a robe." And Saul knew that it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground and paid homage. NIV 1 Samuel 28:14 "What does he look like?" he asked. "An old man wearing a robe is coming up," she said. Then Saul knew it was Samuel, and he bowed down and prostrated himself with his face to the ground. NLT 1 Samuel 28:14 "What does he look like?" Saul asked."He is an old man wrapped in a robe," she replied. Saul realized it was Samuel, and he fell to the ground before him. NRS 1 Samuel 28:14 He said to her, "What is his appearance?" She said, "An old man is coming up; he is wrapped in a robe." So Saul knew that it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground, and did obeisance. NJB 1 Samuel 28:14 'What is he like?' he asked. She replied, 'It is an old man coming up; he is wrapped in a cloak.' Saul then knew that it was Samuel and, bowing to the ground, prostrated himself. NAB 1 Samuel 28:14 "What does he look like?" asked Saul. And she replied, "It is an old man who is rising, clothed in a mantle." Saul knew that it was Samuel, and so he bowed face to the ground in homage. YLT 1 Samuel 28:14 And he saith to her, 'What is his form?' and she saith, 'An aged man is coming up, and he is covered with an upper robe;' and Saul knoweth that he is Samuel, and boweth -- face to thee earth -- and doth obeisance. GWN 1 Samuel 28:14 "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. BBE 1 Samuel 28:14 And he said to her, What is his form? And she said, It is an old man coming up covered with a robe. And Saul saw that it was Samuel, and with his face bent down to the earth he gave him honour. RSV 1 Samuel 28:14 He said to her, "What is his appearance?" And she said, "An old man is coming up; and he is wrapped in a robe." And Saul knew that it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground, and did obeisance. NKJ 1 Samuel 28:14 So he said to her, "What is his form?" And she said, "An old man is coming up, and he is covered with a mantle." And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he stooped with his face to the ground and bowed down. ASV 1 Samuel 28:14 And he said unto her, What form is he of? And she said, An old man cometh up; and he is covered with a robe. And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground, and did obeisance. DBY 1 Samuel 28:14 And he said to her, What is his form? And she said, An old man comes up; and he is covered with a mantle. And Saul knew that it was Samuel, and he stooped with his face to the ground, and bowed himself. BHT 1 Samuel 28:14 wayyöº´mer lâ mà|-Tä´órô waTTöº´mer ´îš zäqën `ölè wühû´ `ö†è mü`îl wayyëºda` šä´ûl Kî|-šümû´ël hû´ wayyiqqöd ´aPPaºyim ´aºrcâ wayyišTäºHû s NIRV 1 Samuel 28:14 "What does he look like?" Saul asked. "An old man wearing a robe is coming up," she said. Then Saul knew it was Samuel. He bowed down. He lay down flat with his face toward the ground. RWB 1 Samuel 28:14 And he said to her, What is his form? And she said, An old man cometh up; and he is covered with a mantle. And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he stooped with his face to the ground, and bowed himself. WEB 1 Samuel 28:14 And he said to her, What is his form? And she said, An old man cometh up; and he {is} covered with a mantle. And Saul perceived that it {was} Samuel, and he stooped with {his} face to the ground, and bowed himself. a robe: 1Sa 15:27 2Ki 2:8,13,14 1 Samuel 28 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries SAMUEL AND SAUL'S REUNION He said to her, "What is his form?" And she said, "An old man is coming up, and he is wrapped with a robe." - It was fitting that Samuel was wrapped in a robe. The last time Saul had seen Samuel he had torn the robe symbolizing Yahweh's tearing of the kingdom from Saul. The word for robe is same word used of the boy Samuel's robe (1Sa 2:19) and the prophet Samuel's robe which Saul tore (1Sa 15:27). And Saul knew that it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground and did homage - Saul knew is the Hebrew verb yada, which can speak of intimately knowledge, and indicates that in some way Saul at that moment knew it was Samuel. Did Saul see Samuel? The text is not clear but based on what he knew was Samuel, he responds with reverential submission. It is too bad that he had not submitted to Samuel's authority after he been anointed king, for things might have been so different for his 40 year reign. Woodhouse - This is the first (and only) time we have seen Saul bowing down before another human. He had bowed before the Lord (1 Samuel 15:31), and others in the story had bowed, (David to Jonathan, 1 Samuel 20:41; David to Saul, 1 Samuel 24:8; Abigail to David, 1 Samuel 25:23, 41.) but not Saul. The king had at last been brought to his knees. (1 Samuel: Looking for a Leader) 1 Samuel 28:15 Then Samuel said to Saul, "Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?" And Saul answered, "I am greatly distressed; for the Philistines are waging war against me, and God has departed from me and no longer answers me, either through prophets or by dreams; therefore I have called you, that you may make known to me what I should do." BGT 1 Samuel 28:15 καὶ εἶπεν Σαμουηλ ἵνα τί παρηνώχλησάς μοι ἀναβῆναί με καὶ εἶπεν Σαουλ θλίβομαι σφόδρα καὶ οἱ ἀλλόφυλοι πολεμοῦσιν ἐν ἐμοί καὶ ὁ θεὸς ἀφέστηκεν ἀπ᾽ ἐμοῦ καὶ οὐκ ἐπακήκοέν μοι ἔτι καὶ ἐν χειρὶ τῶν προφητῶν καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἐνυπνίοις καὶ νῦν κέκληκά σε γνωρίσαι μοι τί ποιήσω LXE 1 Samuel 28:15 And Samuel said, Why hast thou troubled me, that I should come up? And Saul said, I am greatly distressed, and the Philistines war against me, and God has departed from me, and no longer hearkens to me either by the hand of the prophets or by dreams: and now I have called thee to tell me what I shall do. KJV 1 Samuel 28:15 And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up? And Saul answered, I am sore distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God is departed from me, and answereth me no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams: therefore I have called thee, that thou mayest make known unto me what I shall do. NET 1 Samuel 28:15 Samuel said to Saul, "Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?" Saul replied, "I am terribly troubled! The Philistines are fighting against me and God has turned away from me. He does not answer me– not by the prophets nor by dreams. So I have called on you to tell me what I should do." CSB 1 Samuel 28:15 "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 anymore, either through the prophets or in dreams. So I've called on you to tell me what I should do." ESV 1 Samuel 28:15 Then Samuel said to Saul, "Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?" Saul answered, "I am in great distress, for the Philistines are warring against me, and God has turned away from me and answers me no more, either by prophets or by dreams. Therefore I have summoned you to tell me what I shall do." NIV 1 Samuel 28:15 Samuel said to Saul, "Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?" "I am in great distress," Saul said. "The Philistines are fighting against me, and God has turned away from me. He no longer answers me, either by prophets or by dreams. So I have called on you to tell me what to do." NLT 1 Samuel 28:15 "Why have you disturbed me by calling me back?" Samuel asked Saul."Because I am in deep trouble," Saul replied. "The Philistines are at war with me, and God has left me and won't reply by prophets or dreams. So I have called for you to tell me what to do." NRS 1 Samuel 28:15 Then Samuel said to Saul, "Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?" Saul answered, "I am in great distress, for the Philistines are warring against me, and God has turned away from me and answers me no more, either by prophets or by dreams; so I have summoned you to tell me what I should do." NJB 1 Samuel 28:15 Samuel said to Saul, 'Why have you disturbed my rest by conjuring me up?' Saul replied, 'I am in great distress; the Philistines are waging war on me, and God has abandoned me and no longer answers me either by prophet or by dream; and so I have summoned you to tell me what I ought to do.' NAB 1 Samuel 28:15 Samuel then said to Saul, "Why do you disturb me by conjuring me up?" Saul replied: "I am in great straits, for the Philistines are waging war against me and God has abandoned me. Since he no longer answers me through prophets or in dreams, I have called you to tell me what I should do." YLT 1 Samuel 28:15 And Samuel saith unto Saul, 'Why hast thou troubled me, to bring me up?' And Saul saith, 'I have great distress, and the Philistines are fighting against me, God hath turned aside from me, and hath not answered me any more, either by the hand of the prophets, or by dreams; and I call for thee to let me know what I do.' GWN 1 Samuel 28:15 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." BBE 1 Samuel 28:15 And Samuel said to Saul, Why have you made me come up, troubling my rest? And Saul in answer said, I am in great danger; for the Philistines are making war on me, and God has gone away from me and will no longer give me any answer, by the prophets or by dreams: so I have sent for you to make clear to me what I am to do. RSV 1 Samuel 28:15 Then Samuel said to Saul, "Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?" Saul answered, "I am in great distress; for the Philistines are warring against me, and God has turned away from me and answers me no more, either by prophets or by dreams; therefore I have summoned you to tell me what I shall do." NKJ 1 Samuel 28:15 Now Samuel said to Saul, "Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?" And Saul answered, "I am deeply distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God has departed from me and does not answer me anymore, neither by prophets nor by dreams. Therefore I have called you, that you may reveal to me what I should do." ASV 1 Samuel 28:15 And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up? And Saul answered, I am sore distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God is departed from me, and answereth me no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams: therefore I have called thee, that thou mayest make known unto me what I shall do. DBY 1 Samuel 28:15 And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up? And Saul said, I am sore distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God is departed from me, and answers me no more, neither by prophets nor by dreams; therefore I have called thee, that thou mayest make known to me what I shall do. BHT 1 Samuel 28:15 wayyöº´mer šümû´ël ´el-šä´ûl läºmmâ hirGazTaºnî lüha`álôt ´ötî wayyöº´mer šä´ûl car-lî mü´öd ûpülišTîm nilHämîm Bî wë|´löhîm sär më|`älay wülö|´-`änäºnî `ôd Gam Büya|d-hannübî´ìm Gam-BaºHálömôºt wä´eqrä´è lükä lühôdî`ëºnî mâ ´e`éSè s NIRV 1 Samuel 28:15 Samuel said to Saul, "Why have you troubled me by bringing me up from the dead?" "I'm having big problems," Saul said. "The Philistines are fighting against me. God has turned away from me. He doesn't answer me anymore. He doesn't speak to me through prophets or dreams. So I've called on you to tell me what to do." RWB 1 Samuel 28:15 And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up? And Saul answered, I am grievously distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God hath departed from me, and answereth me no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams: therefore I have called thee, that thou mayest make known to me what I shall do. WEB 1 Samuel 28:15 And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up? And Saul answered, I am grievously distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God hath departed from me, and answereth me no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams: therefore I have called thee, that thou mayest make known to me what I shall do. Why have: 1Sa 28:8,11 I am greatly distressed: Pr 5:11-13 14:14 Jer 2:17,18 Philistines: 1Sa 28:4 God: 1Sa 16:13,14 18:12 Jdg 16:20 Ps 51:11 Ho 9:12 Mt 25:41 answers: 1Sa 28:6 1Sa 23:2-4,9-12 therefore: Lu 16:23-26 1 Samuel 28 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries SAUL'S DISTRESS PRESENCE OF ENEMY ABSENCE OF GOD Then Samuel said to Saul, "Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?" - The implication is that Samuel had been in a state of rest or tranquility. Robert Bergen - Scholars are divided on the question of whether Samuel actually spoke to Saul during the seance. Some suggested alternatives include the following: (1) The medium actually roused Samuel. (2) God, not the medium, sent Samuel to Saul. (3) A demonic/satanic deception occurred. (4) The medium faked the apparition. (5) The experience was actually a hallucination. A surface reading of the text suggests Samuel actually spoke to Saul. (Borrow 1 & 2 Second Samuel - Shepherd's Notes) John