1 Samuel 28:7-14 NIV

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

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 28:7

Then said Saul unto his servants ,.... That waited upon him, to some of them, to such as he could place most confidence in to keep a secret; perhaps only the two after mentioned: seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and inquire of her ; that was mistress of the bottle, a ventriloquist, that spoke out of her belly, or seemed to do; who had the spirit of Python or divination, conversed with the devil, and by his assistance pretended to bring up a dead person,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 28:8

And Saul disguised himself, and put on other raiment ,.... Stripped himself of his royal robes, or military apparel, as supreme commander, and clothed himself in the habit of a peasant or a common soldier; and this not only that he might not be known by the woman, but that he might pass from his army incognito, and it might not be known that he was gone, and especially whither he was gone: and he went, and two men with him : these, according to the tradition of the Jews F5 Vajikra... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 28:9

And the woman said unto him ,.... Not knowing who he was: behold, thou knowest what Saul hath done ; for by his speech and habit she perceived he was an Israelite, and so must be acquainted with what had passed in the nation, especially of a public nature, and which made a great noise, as doubtless this, lid: how he both cut off those that have familiar spirits, and the wizards , out of the land ; as many of them as he had knowledge of, or information about; and by this it... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 28:10

And Saul sware to her by the Lord ,.... By the Word of the Lord, as the Targum: it is much that Saul, being about such a work of darkness and wickedness, could take the name of the Lord into his mouth, and swear by him in such a solemn manner; which must surely put him in mind of his omniscience, from whom this wicked action could not be hid: saying, as the Lord liveth, there shall no punishment happen to thee for this thing ; the tenor of the oath was, and so the woman understood it,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 28:11

Then said the woman, whom shall I bring up unto thee ?.... For such persons, according to their profession, pretended they were able to bring up any of the dead, that he who inquired of them should name: and he said, bring me up Samuel ; the prophet Samuel he meant, and no doubt the woman so understood him, whose name was well known; he had been an old acquaintance and friend of Saul's, his counsellor and adviser in many things and though he greatly neglected him in the latter part of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 28:12

And when the woman saw Samuel ,.... The appearance of him whom she took for Samuel; no mention is made of the methods she used to raise him, to check the curiosity of such as might be desirous to know them, and to prevent the imitation of them; though some think that Samuel, or the apparition, was seen before she made use of any, which surprised her; but this seems not so probable, and is only observed for the sake of an hypothesis; though it must be owned the word "when" is not in the text:... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 28:13

And the king said unto her, be not afraid ,.... Meaning not of the apparition, but of him; since he had sworn no punishment should come upon her, and he should inviolably observe his oath: for what sawest thou? for as yet Saul himself saw not anything, the woman being between him and the apparition; or she might be in another room with her familiar spirit performing the operations when Samuel appeared: and the woman said unto Saul, I saw gods ascending out of the earth ; a great... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 28:14

And he said unto her, what form is he of ?.... Of what stature is he? or rather of what age does he seem to be? and what clothes has he on? as appears from the answer: and she said, an old man cometh up, and he is covered with a mantle ; such as either priests or judges wore, and Samuel did in his lifetime: and Saul perceived that it was Samuel ; by the description she gave of him, by his age and apparel; for as yet it is not certain that he himself saw him, though it should seem... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 28:7

Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit - Literally, Seek me a woman, אוב בעלת baalath ob , the mistress of the Obidiah or Pythonic spirit - one who had a familiar spirit, whom she could invoke when she pleased, and receive answers from him relative to futurity. Strange that a man, who had banished all such from the land, as dangerous to the state, as impostors and deceivers, should now have recourse to them as the only persons in whom he could safely put his... read more

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

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 28:7

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 28:8

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 28:9

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 28:10

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 28:11

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 28:12

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 28:13

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 28:14

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 28:7

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