Whose kindness and compassion to him, as he had formerly experienced, so now he expected it in his deep distress. This practice of divination by the dead, or by the ghosts or souls of dead persons, called up by magical art, was very usual among all nations, and from them Saul learned it. read more
CRITICAL AND EXPOSITORY NOTES—1 Samuel 28:1. “Know thou assuredly.” Some expositors regard these words of Achish as designed to try David: others think they express the entire confidence which the king placed in him.1 Samuel 28:2. “Surely thou shalt know,” or Assuredly, or Therefore thou shalt know. Evidently David found himself in a dilemma and gives an ambiguous answer. “Keeper of mine head,” i.e., “captain of my body-guard—an office of great trust and high honour.” (Jamieson.) The narrative... read more
Chapter 28So it came to pass in those days, that the Philistines gathered their armies together for warfare, to fight with Israel. And Achish said to David, Know assuredly, that you shall go out to battle with me, you and your men. So David said to Achish, And you shall know what your servant can do. Achish said to David, Therefore I will make you the keeper of my head for ever. [In other words, sort of putting David over as his personal bodyguard and all.] Now Samuel was dead, and Israel had... read more
1 Samuel 28:4 . Shunem, in the tribe of Issachar, not far from mount Hermon. 1 Samuel 28:7 . A woman that hath a familiar spirit: a mistress of OB. See Deuteronomy 18:11. The LXX read pythoness, a word often used by Herodotus for the Sybils or priestesses of heathen temples. It was understood that she was familiar with an evil genius, but an evil genius that certainly had no power over Samuel. The African negroes in the West Indies still preserve the Hebrew word, and affect to... read more
1 Samuel 28:1-25The Philistines gathered their armies together for warfare, to fight with Israel. Night preceding battleAs the flash of lightning reveals the hidden scenery around, so the reception of momentous news suddenly reveals character. Two such events we trace--the news of the terrible defeat brought to Saul, and the news of Saul’s death brought to David. Leading his people to meet the Philistines, at whose number he is astonished and affrighted, we come upon Saul as his army is... read more
1 Samuel 28:7-25Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit.Saul and the witch of EndorThis narrative is unlike any other in the Bible, and therefore, as might have been expected, has received various explanations. Three of them may be briefly noticed:(1) That Samuel himself appeared to the mistress of necromancy in Endor, and predicted to Saul his death on the morrow;(2) That an evil spirit, or demon, personating Samuel, appeared to the woman and predicted to Saul his death.(3) That the woman,... read more
1 Samuel 28:11Bring me up Samuel. Samuel after deathWise reasons must have prevailed with God for the appearance of Samuel. Dr. Hales has suggested the three following:1. To make Saul’s crime the instrument of his punishment, in the dreadful denunciation of his approaching doom.2. To show to the heathen world the infinite superiority of the Oracle of the Lord inspiring his prophets over the powers of darkness, and the delusive prognostics of their wretched votaries in their false oracles.3. To... read more
1Sa 28:11 Then said the woman, Whom shall I bring up unto thee? And he said, Bring me up Samuel. Ver. 11. Bring me up Samuel, ] i.e., Spectrum Samuelis, an apparition of Saumel. Saul neglected to hearken to Samuel while he was alive, and now would fain advise with him after his death. Haec est fortuna eorum qui salutaria monita spernunt. Let such look to it as despise wholesome counsel, while they may have it. "The days will come when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of... read more
Reciprocal: Deuteronomy 18:11 - or a necromancer 1 Samuel 28:15 - Why hast read more
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Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 28:2-25
1 Samuel 28:2 is continued by 1 Samuel 29:1; the connexion is broken by the insertion of— 1 Samuel 28:3-Lamentations : . Saul and the Witch of Endor.— This section interrupts the connexion; moreover, it would come naturally immediately before the battle of Gilboa. Saul is at Gilboa (p. 29) in 284. Opinions are divided; some hold that this section is from another source (E) than the bulk of 1 Samuel 25-31, and some that it is from the same source (J), that originally it stood in that document... read more