1 Samuel 28

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Samuel 28

Preparations are herein making for that war which will put an end to the life and reign of Saul, and so make way for David to the throne. In this war, I. The Philistines are the aggressors and Achish their king makes David his confidant, 1 Sam. 28:1, 2. II. The Israelites prepare to receive them, and Saul their king makes the devil his privy-counsellor, and thereby fills the measure of his iniquity. Observe, 1. The despairing condition which Saul was in, 1 Sam. 28:3-6. 2. The application he... read more

Matthew Henry

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

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Samuel 28:7-14

Here, I. Saul seeks for a witch, 1 Sam. 28:7. When God answered him not, if he had humbled himself by repentance and persevered in seeking God, who knows but that at length he might have been entreated for him? but, since he can discern no comfort either from heaven or earth (Isa. 8:21, 22), he resolves to knock at the gates of hell, and to see if any there will befriend him and give him advice: Seek me a woman that has a familiar spirit, 1 Sam. 28:7. And his servants were too officious to... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Samuel 28:15-19

We have here the conference between Saul and Satan. Saul came in disguise (1 Sam. 28:8), but Satan soon discovered him, 1 Sam. 28:12. Satan comes in disguise, in the disguise of Samuel's mantle, and Saul cannot discover him. Such is the disadvantage we labour under, in wrestling with the rulers of the darkness of this world, that they know us, while we are ignorant of their wiles and devices. I. The spectre, or apparition, personating Samuel, asks why he is sent for (1 Sam. 28:15): Why hast... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Samuel 28:20-25

We are here told how Saul received this terrible message from the ghost he consulted. He desired to be told what he should do (1 Sam. 28:15), but was only told what he had not done and what should be done to him. Those that expect any good counsel or comfort otherwise than from God, and in the way of his institutions, will be as wretchedly disappointed as Saul here was. Observe, I. How he sunk under the load, 1 Sam. 28:20. He was indeed unfit to bear it, having eaten nothing all the day... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 28

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, 1 Samuel 28:1 ; upon which he applies to a woman that had a familiar spirit to bring him up Samuel, which she did, 1 Samuel 28:7 ; and what passed between Saul and Samuel, or at least the apparition in his form, is recorded, 1 Samuel 28:15 ; which so struck him, as to make him strengthless, and so... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 28:1

And it came to pass in those days ,.... That David was in the country of the Philistines: that the Philistines gathered their armies together : out of their five principalities or lordships: for warfare to fight with Israel ; with whom they were continually at war, and though sometimes there was a cessation of arms, yet never any settled peace; and the Philistines took every opportunity and advantage against them, as they now did; when David was among them, and so had nothing to fear... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 28:2

And David said to Achish, surely thou shalt know what thy servant can do ,.... By which he would have Achish understand, and so he did, that he would exert himself in favour of the Philistines, and against Israel, and do great and brave things, of which Achish would be, made sensible, through his heroic courage and valour; though he meant rather what he could and should do for Israel against the Philistines, if he had an opportunity: but it seems best of all to consider David as quite... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 28:3

Now Samuel was dead ,.... Had been so for some time; which is mentioned before, 1 Samuel 25:1 ; and here repeated, partly to observe the reason of the Philistines renewing the war, and partly to account for the conduct of Saul, in seeking to a witch to raise Samuel, and for the sake of that story: and all Israel lamented him ; as they had great reason to do; See Gill on 1 Samuel 25:1 ; and buried him in Ramah, even his own city; there being two Ramahs, as Kimchi observes, it is... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 28:4

And the Philistines gathered themselves together ,.... From different parts, and formed a considerable army: and came and pitched in Shunem ; a city, in the borders of the tribe of Issachar, of which See Gill on Joshua 19:18 , and Saul gathered all Israel together, and they pitched in Gilboa ; a range of mountains, near Jezreel, and which Jerom F2 De loc. Heb fol. 92. D. calls the mountains of the Philistines, six miles from Scythopolis, where there is a large village called... read more

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