Bible Commentaries
E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes
1 Samuel 28
Surely = Therefore; which Achish repeats in his reply.
keeper of mine head: i.e. captain of my body-guard.
in Ramah, &c. Hebrew "in Ramah and in his own city". Figure of speech Hendiadys (App-6) = in his own city, Ramah.
had familiar spirits. Familiar spirits are demons pretending to be dead persons; hence the word "necromancy". See notes on Leviticus 19:31 and Isaiah 8:19.
wizards = wise, cunning, or knowing ones.
enquired = asked. Hebrew. sha"al, to ask. Not darash, "to seek out". See note on 1 Samuel 28:7, and 1 Chronicles 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.
a woman. Answering to the modern "mediums".
hath = owneth, possesses as mistress. See note on Leviticus 19:31.
enquire = seek out. Hebrew. darash, a deeper meaning than 1 Samuel 28:6. See note above. Compare 1 Chronicles 10:13, 1 Chronicles 10:14.
Behold. Figure of speech Asterismos. App-6.
saw Samuel. Or, the materialisation of a deceiving spirit personating Samuel, as is done by "mediums" to-day.
she cried, &c. Evidently surprised, and getting more than she expected.
thou art Saul. How should she know this but by a communication from the spirit.
gods. Plural of Elohim. Either "a god "or a spirit manifestation.
out of the earth. Not down, or forth, as in John 11:43, John 11:44.
man. Hebrew. "ish. App-14. Not a spirit. mantle. If a spirit, why a mantle? Samuel's spirit was with God (Ecclesiastes 12:7). And if Samuel's body, it would be with "grave-clothes" (John 11:44).
perceived = understood: i.e. from what the medium said. He saw nothing.
stooped = did obeisance.
Samuel said: i.e. the spirit personating Samuel said. Just as it is done in the present day by the medium: never directly.
disquieted. If Samuel, then it shows he was "quiet" before.
me. Not my spirit.
God. Hebrew. Elohim. App-4.
no more. Therefore certainly not by means which He had expressly forbidden. See Leviticus 19:31; Leviticus 20:6, Leviticus 20:27. Deuteronomy 18:10, Deuteronomy 18:13, &c.
by prophets. Saul omits the reference to "Urim" because it would remind him of the murder of the priests (1 Samuel 22:18, 1 Samuel 22:19). See note on 1 Samuel 28:6.
Then said Samuel. Jehovah might have sent "a lying spirit", and given by it a true message, just as He did in 2 Chronicles 18:19-22. Nothing was said but what was well known before.
become thine enemy. The Septuagint reads "and hath come to be with thy neighbour". Compare 1 Samuel 28:17 with 1 Samuel 15:28.
obeyedst not = hearkenedst not to.
wrath. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Cause), App-6, for the judgment in consequence of it.
fell straightway = remained motionless. Compare Acts 9:7, where "stood.
speechless = remained speechless. See Acts 26:14. The two passages
together = fell, and remained so.
bread = food. Figure of speech Synecdoche (of Species). App-6.
house = shed.
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