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 di... [ Continue Reading ]
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 ce... [ Continue Reading ]
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 her... [ Continue Reading ]
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: AN... [ Continue Reading ]
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 Joshua 19:18; AND SAUL GATHERED ALL ISRAEL TOGETHER, AND THEY PITCHED IN GILBOA; a range of mountain... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHEN SAUL SAW THE HOST OF THE PHILISTINES,.... From the mountains of Gilboa, where he had pitched his camp: HE WAS AFRAID, AND HIS HEART GREATLY TREMBLED; on sight of the numbers of them, and thinking perhaps of the death of Samuel, and of the loss of David; who was now among the Philistines, a... [ Continue Reading ]
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, NEITH... [ Continue Reading ]
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... [ Continue Reading ]
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... [ Continue Reading ]
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 t... [ Continue Reading ]
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, fro... [ Continue Reading ]
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 understo... [ Continue Reading ]
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 se... [ Continue Reading ]
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;... [ Continue Reading ]
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... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SAMUEL SAID TO SAUL, WHY HAST THOU DISQUIETED ME TO BRING ME UP?.... This makes it a clear case that this was not the true Samuel; his soul was at rest in Abraham's bosom, in the state of bliss and happiness in heaven, and it was not in the power of men and devils to disquiet it; nor would he ha... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN SAID SAMUEL, WHEREFORE THEN DOST THOU, ASK OF ME,.... Whom thou knowest to have been a prophet of the Lord, and therefore can say nothing more or less than what comes from him, and is according to his will, if anything at all; the "devil" representing Samuel, whom Saul had called for, and reaso... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE LORD HATH DONE TO HIM,.... To David, Saul's enemy, as he insinuated he was: AS HE SPAKE BY ME; pretending to be the true Samuel, and wearing the guise of him, he speaks his very words, which he was well acquainted with, and could deliver exactly as he did: FOR THE LORD HATH RENT THE KINGDO... [ Continue Reading ]
BECAUSE THOU OBEYEDST NOT THE VOICE OF THE LORD,.... At Gilgal, as Abarbinel thinks; which is the first thing for which the kingdom was threatened to be taken from him, 1 Samuel 13:13; NOR EXECUTEDST HIS FIERCE WRATH UPON AMALEK: in sparing Agag, and the best of the cattle, 1 Samuel 15:9; THEREFOR... [ Continue Reading ]
MOREOVER, THE LORD WILL ALSO DELIVER ISRAEL WITH THEE INTO THE HANDS OF THE PHILISTINES,.... Not a word of comfort does he speak unto him, it being the business of this foul spirit to drive him to despair by the permission of God; had he been the true Samuel, he would have directed him to have alter... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN SAUL FELL STRAIGHTWAY ALL ALONG ON THE EARTH,.... Fell at his full length at once, as if he had been thunderstruck, or pierced through with a dart or sword: AND WAS SORE AFRAID, BECAUSE OF THE WORDS OF SAMUEL; as he supposed they were, whose words never failed: AND THERE WAS NO STRENGTH IN HI... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE WOMAN CAME UNTO SAUL,.... Having left him and the apparition in a room by themselves to converse together, and perhaps on hearing him fall to the ground came in: AND SAW THAT HE WAS SORE TROUBLED: by his lying on the ground, and the agonies he seemed to be in, and the uneasiness that sat up... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW THEREFORE, I PRAY THEE, HEARKEN THOU ALSO UNTO THE VOICE OF THINE HANDMAID,.... She argues, that as she had hearkened unto him to the endangering of her life, it was but reasonable, and might be expected, that he would hearken to her in a case that would be to the preservation of his life: AND... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT HE REFUSED, AND SAID, I WILL NOT EAT,.... Choosing rather to die with famine than by the sword of the Philistines; though perhaps his meaning is, he could not eat, his stomach loathed it, being overwhelmed with grief and trouble: BUT HIS SERVANTS, TOGETHER WITH THE WOMAN, COMPELLED HIM; not by... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE WOMAN HAD A FAT CALF IN THE HOUSE,.... This was reckoned a very dainty dish in those countries, and fit for any guests, see Genesis 18:7; Josephus says l, she vouchsafed to feed and take care of it in her house, and it was very familiar with her; and he highly commends the liberality of the... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SHE BROUGHT [IT] BEFORE SAUL, AND BEFORE HIS SERVANTS, AND THEY DID EAT,.... Of the fatted calf, and unleavened bread, which she set upon a table before them, in the best manner she could: THEN THEY ROSE UP, AND WENT AWAY THAT NIGHT; that it might not be seen in what house they had been, and th... [ Continue Reading ]