1 Samuel Chapter 28

1 In those days the Philistines gathered their forces for war, to fight against Israel. And Achish said to David, “Understand that you and your men are to go out with me in the army.”2 David said to Achish, “Very well, you shall know what your servant can do.”And Achish said to David, “Very well, I will make you my bodyguard for life.”

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1. Why would the Philistines want to attack Israel again?

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After David has been with Achish for over a year, the Philistines decide on a major attack on Israel involving the forces of all five of their cities. The aim is apparently to gain control over the northern Jezreel Valley, a wide, agriculturally rich plain that goes as far east as the Jordan River. ESVN

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The Philistines have continually harassed the Israelites throughout the reign of Saul.142 But this time, it appears the Philistine kings have determined to break the back of Israel’s military might once and for all. This they intend to do by combining all of their armed forces at Aphek (29:1). From there, they will march northward, up through the Plain of Esdraelon to Shunem (28:3-25). Their strategy seems to be to “divide and conquer” Israel by separating the nation in the middle and then working on the northern and southern halves independently. While the Philistines will fight with their full forces, the Israelites cannot. Saul’s scouts inform him of the size and location of the Philistines’ forces. The numbers are staggering. On top of all this, they are sticking to the lower ground to make full use of their chariots. I can almost hear Saul mumble under his breath, “We’re history.”RD

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2. Does David agree to fight against his own country?

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This was another equivocal answer; and could only be understood by his succeeding conduct. It might imply what he could do in favor of the Philistines against Israel; or in favor of Israel against the Philistines. Achish understood it in the former sense; and therefore he said to David, I will make thee keeper of my head for ever; i.e., Thou shalt be captain of my life-guards.—ACC

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David’s response to Achish was deliberately ambiguous. He did not promise to fight for the Philistines but gave the impression he would. Achish interpreted David’s words as a strong commitment to him and rewarded David with a position as his bodyguard for life. CN

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David assures Achish that he will prove himself a worthy ally, to which Achish responds by informing David that he will be his bodyguard for life. We know from chapter 29 that David and his men are with Achish at Aphek, and it is here that he and his men will be instructed to go back home to Ziklag. It may be that Saul’s scouts spot David and his men among the Philistines gathering at Aphek. You can imagine how Saul feels about going up against David, especially after he himself has said to David: RD

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“And now, behold, I know that you shall surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in your hand” (1 Samuel 24:20).

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Then Saul said to David,“Blessed are you, my son David; you will both accomplish much and surely prevail.” So David went on his way, and Saul returned to his place (1 Samuel 26:25).

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3 Now Samuel had died, and all Israel had mourned for him and buried him in Ramah, his own city. And Saul had put the mediums and the necromancers out of the land. 4 The Philistines assembled and came and encamped at Shunem. And Saul gathered all Israel, and they encamped at Gilboa. 5 When Saul saw the army of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart trembled greatly. 6 And when Saul inquired of the Lord, the Lord did not answer him, either by dreams, or by Urim, or by prophets.

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3. Is Saul between a rock and a hard place?

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If Saul dreads facing off with this massive Philistine army, he may also be shaken to learn that David is among these Philistines. Saul is in fact a coward and has no history of calling on God for guidance or help. It was his servant who suggested calling on the prophet Samuel to find the lost donkeys. During the time when Samuel was to anoint him king he is hiding in the baggage. In chapter 14, Jonathan’s secret attack on the Philistines brought about an earthquake and great confusion among the Philistine warriors. Saul watches all this from a distance. Most of the successes against Israel’s enemies were the result of David and Jonathan. He has lost Samuel and murdered many of the priesthood, Abiathar, the priest, had taken the Urim and Thummim and joined David some time before this event so it would appear casting lots is out of the question. He has driven out David who could have been a great ally, lost the trust of his son Jonathan after proposing that he should be killed over that honey situation, and now God is not answering his phone. Saul’s uneasiness progresses from fear to terror to sheer panic. He must do something drastic, now! It is as though Saul is reliving the events of chapter 13, when he did not wait for Samuel and tried to offer sacrifice himself, only this time Saul’s sense of impending doom is even greater. The Philistines are camped in Shunem, and Saul and his army are camped in Gilboa. The Philistines are poised to attack, and Saul knows he doesn’t stand a chance. He must act, and quickly — or so Saul supposes. And so he makes a very desperate and dangerous decision.

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4. Who are “mediums and the necromancers” and why had they been put out of the land?

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The definition of necromancy is the practice of supposedly communicating with the spirits of the dead in order to predict the future.

A medium is a person thought to have the power to communicate with the spirits of the dead or with agents of another world or dimension. Also called psychic.

By divine law, they were banned from Israel, and Israel was not to be defiled by them. Turning to them was tantamount to playing the harlot and would result in God setting His face against the person and cutting him off from among His people. Mediums and spiritists were to be put to death by stoning. Even Saul understood this and had previously dealt with the issue. MSBN

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There shall not be found among you anyone who burns his son or his daughter as an offering, anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens, or a sorcerer or a charmer or a medium or a necromancer or one who inquires of the dead, for whoever does these things is an abomination to the Lord. Deut 18:10-12 (ESV)

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“Do not turn to mediums or necromancers; do not seek them out, and so make yourselves unclean by them: I am the Lord your God. Lev 19:31 (ESV)

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“If a person turns to mediums and necromancers, whoring after them, I will set my face against that person and will cut him off from among his people. Lev 20:6 (ESV)

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“A man or a woman who is a medium or a necromancer shall surely be put to death. They shall be stoned with stones; their blood shall be upon them.” Lev 20:27 (ESV)

Seems pretty clear.

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7 Then Saul said to his servants, “Seek out for me a woman who is a medium, that I may go to her and inquire of her.”And his servants said to him, “Behold, there is a medium at En-dor.”

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5. Where was Endor?

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En-dor. Located about 3.5 mi. NW of Shunem between Mt. Tabor and the Hill of Moreh. Saul risked his life by venturing into the Philistine-held territory to seek out the counsel of the medium; thus he went in disguise by night.

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So Saul disguised himself and put on other garments and went, he and two men with him. And they came to the woman by night. And he said, “Divine for me by a spirit and bring up for me whomever I shall name to you.” 9 The woman said to him, “Surely you know what Saul has done, how he has cut off the mediums and the necromancers from the land. Why then are you laying a trap for my life to bring about my death?” 10 But Saul swore to her by the Lord, “As the Lordlives, no punishment shall come upon you for this thing.”

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6. Is there maybe a little inconsistency here with Saul’s logic?

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Though blatantly walking in disobedience to God, it is ironic that Saul would swear by the very existence of the Lord as a means of assuring his credibility to the medium. Even more, Saul swore that no punishment would come upon her when the Levitical law required her to be stoned to death. MSBN

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Evidently Saul knew the woman would not cooperate with him if she knew who he was, so he disguised himself. He further hid his hypocrisy by visiting her under cover of darkness. Saul sank so low as to swear to the woman in the Lord’s name that he would not punish her for breaking the Lord’s Law. This too was hypocrisy. He wanted to give a public impression of upholding the Mosaic Law, but really he broke it by seeking her out. Saul asked her to bring Samuel up from Sheol, the place of departed spirits. CN

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11 Then the woman said, “Whom shall I bring up for you?”He said, “Bring up Samuel for me.” 12 When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out with a loud voice. And the woman said to Saul, “Why have you deceived me? You are Saul.” 13 The king said to her, “Do not be afraid. What do you see?” And the woman said to Saul, “I see a god coming up out of the earth.” 14 He said to her, “What is his appearance?” And she said, “An old man is coming up, and he is wrapped in a robe.” And Saul knew that it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground and paid homage. 15 Then Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?” Saul answered, “I am in great distress, for the Philistines are warring against me, and God has turned away from me and answers me no more, either by prophets or by dreams. Therefore I have summoned you to tell me what I shall do.” 16 And Samuel said, “Why then do you ask me, since the Lord has turned from you and become your enemy? 17 TheLord has done to you as he spoke by me, for the Lord has torn the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbor, David. 18 Because you did not obey the voice of the Lordand did not carry out his fierce wrath against Amalek, therefore the Lord has done this thing to you this day. 19 Moreover, the Lord will give Israel also with you into the hand of the Philistines, and tomorrow you and your sons shall be with me. The Lord will give the army of Israel also into the hand of the Philistines.”20 Then Saul fell at once full length on the ground, filled with fear because of the words of Samuel. And there was no strength in him, for he had eaten nothing all day and all night. 21 And the woman came to Saul, and when she saw that he was terrified, she said to him, “Behold, your servant has obeyed you. I have taken my life in my hand and have listened to what you have said to me. 22 Now therefore, you also obey your servant. Let me set a morsel of bread before you; and eat, that you may have strength when you go on your way.”23 He refused and said, “I will not eat.” But his servants, together with the woman, urged him, and he listened to their words. So he arose from the earth and sat on the bed. 24 Now the woman had a fattened calf in the house, and she quickly killed it, and she took flour and kneaded it and baked unleavened bread of it, 25 and she put it before Saul and his servants, and they ate. Then they rose and went away that night.

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6. Why did the witch scream, was this really Samuel who had been raised from the dead, and if the spirit was not Samuel how did he know about things on the past and what was going to happen to Saul?

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I think it is most likely that God allowed Samuel, or perhaps a vision or apparition of Samuel, to appear, as the text states (vv. 12,15, 16), with another prophecy from the Lord (vv. 16-19). The woman also saw who Saul really was, and this surprise terrified her because she discovered that her life was in danger. Some interpreters have concluded that a demon who impersonated Samuel came up. However what this being proceeded to say in verses 16-19 argues against this view. It was a message from God. Others have suggested that the woman tricked Saul into thinking that the person he saw was Samuel, but he was not. However her own surprise argues against this view (v. 12). Evidently she expected contact with a demon posing as Samuel, but, to her amazement, God really permitted Samuel, or a vision of him, to appear. This seems to have been a divine revelation to Saul, the last one God gave him.

Mediums and spiritists do not have access to the dead but communicate with evil spirits posing as people who have died. That is why these spirits are called “lying spirits” (1 Kings 22:22). This passage does not say that the witch brought up Samuel from the dead. God revealed Samuel to Saul. CN

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Though questions have arisen as to the nature of Samuel’s appearance, the text clearly indicates that Samuel, not an apparition, was evident to the eyes of the medium. God miraculously permitted the actual spirit of Samuel to speak (vv. 16–19). Because she understood her inability to raise the dead in this manner, she immediately knew 1) that it must have been by the power of God and 2) that her disguised inquirer must be Saul.

From the medium’s perspective, Samuel appeared to be “like a divine being” ascending out of the earth. There is no other such miracle as this in all of Scripture.

“old man … with a robe” Obviously age and clothing do not exist in the realm of the spirits of those who have died, but God miraculously gave such appearances so that Saul was able to perceive that the spirit was Samuel. The question arises whether all believers will remain in the form they were in when they died. Samuel may have been as such simply for the benefit of Saul, or he might be in this state until he receives his resurrection body. Since Scripture teaches that the resurrection of OT saints is yet future (see Dan 12:1, 2), Samuel must have temporarily been in this condition solely for the benefit of Saul. MSBN

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The character of this event has long been debated—whether the spirit was really Samuel, or how the medium could command the spirit of a holy prophet. As far as the narrator is concerned, this really is the spirit of the dead prophet Samuel. He is called “Samuel” in vv. 15–16. He speaks much as he had spoken to Saul during his lifetime (cf. vv. 16–18with 15:18, 26–28: in both places, Samuel describes David as Saul’s “neighbor”). He uses the name of theLord seven times, and adds the true prophecy that Saul and his sons will die. It is hard to think that the narrator thought this was a deceptive illusion performed by the woman or some demonic spirit deceiving Saul. An evil spirit would not deliver a true prophecy or true words to Saul, as Samuel does in 28:16–19. That the woman’s actions brought Samuel up is implied by v. 15,Why have you disturbed me? So whatever the limits on a medium’s power normally were, in this case the Lord let her rouse the spirit of Samuel himself. ESVSN

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10. Can humans communicate with the dead?

The idea that dead people’s spirits can be contacted for information is false. Those who attempt such contact inevitably contact demonic spirits, not the spirits of dead loved ones. Those who die go immediately to heaven or hell—heaven if they believed in Jesus as Savior, and hell if they did not. There is no contact between the dead and the living. Therefore, seeking the dead is unnecessary and very dangerous.  http://www.gotquestions.org/Bible-necromancy.html

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11. What is Samuel’s message?

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“The Lord will give Israel also with you into the hand of the Philistines, and tomorrow you and your sons shall be with me. The Lord will give the army of Israel also into the hand of the Philistines.”

Saul is history.

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         ACC …. Adam Clarke’s Commentary

·        CN …… Constables Notes

·        ESVN………….ESV Study Bible Notes                          

·        Gill………..John Gill Exposition of the Bible                                                        

·        JFB…………..Jamieson  Fausset Brown Commentary

·        JVM ….J Vernon McGee,

·        MH………..Matthew Henry Commentary

·        MSBN…….MacArthur NASB Study Notes      

·        NET………Net Bible Study Notes.

·        RD………….Robert Deffinbaugh  bible.org

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