1 Samuel 28:6

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Samuel 28:1-6

Here is, I. The design of the Philistines against Israel. They resolved to fight them, 1 Sam. 28:1. If the Israelites had not forsaken God, there would have been no Philistines remaining to molest them; if Saul had not forsaken him, they would by this time have been put out of all danger by them. The Philistines took an opportunity to make this attempt when they had David among them, whom they feared more than Saul and all his forces. II. The expectation Achish had of assistance from David in... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible 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... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 28:6

The Lord answered him not - He used the three methods by which supernatural intelligence was ordinarily given: - Dreams. - The person prayed for instruction; and begged that God would answer by a significant dream. Urim. - This was a kind of oracular answer given to the high priest when clothed with the ephod, on which were the Urim and Thummim. How these communicated the answer, is not well known. 3. Prophets. - Who were requested by the party concerned to consult the Lord on... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Samuel 28:5-6

When Saul saw, etc. It is plain from this that the Philistines had not forced their way up through the Israelite territory; for this was evidently Saul's first sight of their forces, and his alarm was caused by finding them so much larger than he had expected. He therefore in his anxiety enquired of Jehovah, but received no answer, neither by dreams. He had expected these to be vouchsafed, possibly to himself, but more probably to some class of prophets (see Jeremiah 23:25 , where... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Samuel 28:6-14

Man's appeal from God to man. The facts are— 1 . Saul in his trouble seeks in vain guidance from God. 2 . In despair he has recourse to the witch of Endor, promising her that no harm should come to her for assisting him with her incantations. 3 . Saul desires of her to bring up Samuel. 4 . On Samuel coining forth the woman is in terror, and also discovers Saul's identity. 5 . By the aid of the woman Saul recognises Samuel, and bows himself to the earth. The strange... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - 1 Samuel 28:6

When Saul inquired of the Lord ... - It is said 1 Chronicles 10:14 that one reason why the Lord killed Saul, and gave his kingdom to David, was because he inquired not of the Lord. The explanation of this apparent discrepancy is to be found in the fact that inquiring of the familiar spirit was positively antagonistic to inquiring of the Lord. That Saul received no answer - when he “inquired of the Lord” by dreams, which was an immediate revelation to himself; by Urim, which was an answer... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - 1 Samuel 28:6

1 Samuel 28:6. When Saul inquired of the Lord This seems to contradict what is affirmed 1 Chronicles 10:14, that he did not inquire of the Lord, which is assigned as the reason why the Lord slew him. But Rabbi Kimchi, and others, thus reconcile these two places. That since he did not continue to inquire of him, but went to a diviner, it was all one as if he had not inquired at all; for he did it faintly, coldly, and indifferently. A learned Jew, Samuel Laniado, remarks here: “He whose... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 28:1-25

Another Philistine-Israelite war (28:1-29:11)When the Philistines set out to attack Israel, Achish made David and his troops his personal bodyguard (28:1-2). Back in Israel, Saul was terrified. He asked God what he should do, but God refused to show him (3-6). So he went to a woman who consulted the spirits of the dead, hoping that through her he could get directions from Samuel (7-14).Samuel spoke to Saul from the world of the dead, but he gave him neither comfort nor help. He merely confirmed... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - 1 Samuel 28:6

enquired = asked. Hebrew. sha'al, to ask. Not darash, "to seek out". See note on 1 Samuel 28:7 , and 1Ch 10:13 , 1 Chronicles 10:14 . the LORD . Hebrew. Jehovah . App-4 . answered him not . Not likely therefore to answer now by a way He had forbidden. Samuel had been dead two years. Urim. See note on Exodus 28:30 . Numbers 26:55 . It must have been an ephod of his own making, as Abiathar the High Priest was with David. Saul makes no mention of this in 1 Samuel 28:13 . read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - 1 Samuel 28:3-7

The threat of Philistine attack 28:3-7Samuel’s death and the mention of Saul’s commendable removal of mediums and spiritists prepare for what follows (cf. Leviticus 20:6; Deuteronomy 18:10-11). Mediums are people who communicate with the dead, and spiritists are those who communicate with evil spirits. The terms always go together in the Old Testament, indicating the close relationship that exists between these activities. The Mosaic Law prescribed death for mediums and spiritists because God... read more

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