1Sa 28 | MHM | STEP | The Philistines Make War on Israel This passage describes how the Philistines gathered their army to attack Israel, taking advantage of the weakened state of Saul's kingdom. Saul, now abandoned by God, was terrified and unable to find guidance, while David found himself in an awkward position as an ally of the Philistines. v. 1 : The Philistines decided to go to war against Israel . They likely saw an opportunity with Saul's declining power and the presence of David, a former Israelite hero, among the Philistines. The Philistines expected David to fight alongside them against his own people.

‏ 1 Samuel 28

The Philistines Make War on Israel

This passage describes how the Philistines gathered their army to attack Israel, taking advantage of the weakened state of Saul's kingdom. Saul, now abandoned by God, was terrified and unable to find guidance, while David found himself in an awkward position as an ally of the Philistines.

v. 1: The Philistines decided to go to war against Israel . They likely saw an opportunity with Saul's declining power and the presence of David, a former Israelite hero, among the Philistines. The Philistines expected David to fight alongside them against his own people.

v. 2: Achish told David he would go with the Philistine army to battle. David gave an ambiguous response, saying Achish would see what David could do, without committing to fight against Israel . David wanted to keep his options open and avoid directly opposing his own people.

v. 3: The passage notes that Samuel had died, which made Saul even more afraid, as he had relied on Samuel's counsel and prayers . It also mentions that Saul had banned mediums and spiritists, though he would later seek one out in desperation.

This situation highlights the consequences of Saul's disobedience and rejection by God. With no divine guidance or protection, Saul and Israel faced a grave threat from their enemies. David's divided loyalties also put him in a difficult position, caught between two sides. The passage foreshadows the climactic battle that is about to unfold.

v. 4: The Philistine army marched deep into Israelite territory, all the way to Shunem, while Saul gathered his forces on Mount Gilboa . This showed how vulnerable Israel had become under Saul's leadership, as the Philistines were able to penetrate so far into the land.

v. 5-6: When Saul saw the Philistine army, he was filled with great fear and trembling. He tried to inquire of the Lord for guidance, but God did not answer him (1 Samuel 28:5-6 ^a). Saul had rejected God, and now God had rejected him in his time of need.

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Saul Consults the Witch at Endor

Saul was desperate because God did not answer his prayers by dreams, prophets, or the Urim. Instead of repenting and continuing to seek the Lord, Saul made a terrible choice. He decided to go to a medium, someone who talked to spirits, even though he himself had banned such people from Israel. This story shows how far Saul had fallen when he turned from God. It also teaches us that turning away from God and seeking forbidden things can only bring more trouble and confusion.

v. 7: Saul tells his servants, “Seek me a woman that has a familiar spirit” . When Saul could not find comfort from God or people (Isaiah 8:21-22 ^b), he looked for answers from a forbidden source. His servants quickly tell him about a woman at Endor who is a medium. Saul’s actions show that he did not respect God, because he turned to evil after God stopped speaking to him. It was also hypocritical, because Saul had earlier worked to remove all witches and mediums from the land. Now, he was doing the very thing he once condemned. This reminds us that people can sometimes speak strongly against certain sins, but later fall into them themselves. If someone had told Saul during his campaign against witches that he would one day seek one out, he would have denied it, just like Hazael did (What? Is thy servant a dog?). But when people leave God, there is no telling how far they will go into sin.

v. 8: Saul disguises himself and goes to the woman at night, taking two servants with him . He does not want anyone to recognize him, especially the woman herself, because he had made it illegal to practice witchcraft. This act of sneaking around shows how sin can make even a king act lowly and afraid. Saul dresses like a regular soldier, not like a king, because he is ashamed and afraid. Evil deeds are often done in secret because people are embarrassed or afraid of being caught.

v. 9: Saul tells the woman what he wants: to bring up the spirit of someone from the dead so he can talk to them. This practice, called necromancy, is forbidden by God’s law (Deuteronomy 18:11; Isaiah 8:19 ^c). The woman is afraid and says, “You know what Saul has done” (1 Samuel 28:9 ^d). She thinks this might be a trap. It is interesting that she cares more about breaking Saul’s law than God’s law, which shows that people often fear human punishment more than God’s judgment. She might also mention the danger to get more money from Saul, as such services would cost a lot. Saul promises her safety, even though as king, it was his job to punish such acts. He takes an oath, saying, “There shall no punishment happen to thee” (1 Samuel 28:10 ^e), but this is a promise he cannot truly make, since he cannot protect her from God’s punishment.

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v. 11: Saul asks the woman to bring up Samuel, the prophet. Samuel had once helped and guided Saul, so now, in his fear and confusion, Saul wants his advice. When Samuel was alive, Saul did not seek him out for help, but now, after Samuel’s death, Saul desperately wants to talk to him. This shows that many people only value God’s messengers after they are gone (Luke 16:24-27 ^f). The woman, feeling safe after Saul’s promise, asks, “Whom shall I bring up to thee?” . Sometimes, when people think they will not be punished, they feel more comfortable doing wrong things.

v. 12: Suddenly, the woman sees Samuel and realizes that her visitor is actually King Saul . She is shocked and scared, because Saul is the one who had tried to destroy all mediums. This shows that she believed in the power of her spirit, but feared Saul more than God. She tells Saul that she knows who he is, probably because her spirit told her. Even though she sees Samuel, she is not as afraid of him, a good prophet, as she is of Saul, a sinful king. This shows that people often fear earthly rulers more than God.

v. 13: Saul tells the woman not to be afraid and asks her what she sees . She replies, “I saw gods ascending out of the earth.” Here, “gods” means “spiritual beings.” She uses the language of people who believed in spirits from the underworld. Saul is eager to know what the spirit looks like. He is so desperate that he does not even feel horror at what is happening. The woman describes seeing an old man covered with a mantle, which was Samuel’s usual clothing as a judge (Psalm 82:1 ^g). Saul did not see anything himself. He had to rely on the woman’s words.

v. 14: Saul recognizes from the woman’s description that it is Samuel, and he bows down with his face to the ground. This could be out of respect for Samuel, or maybe to listen more closely to the spirit’s voice, as people believed that spirits spoke softly and quietly (Isaiah 8:19 ^h). The voice of a spirit was said to come out of the ground, and whisper out of the dust (Isaiah 29:4 ⁱ). Saul is willing to humble himself before a spirit, but he would not humble himself before God’s word.

Saul's Death Foretold

This section describes the sad conversation between Saul and the spirit pretending to be Samuel. Saul wanted advice from God, but when he could not get it, he turned to a forbidden source. The evil spirit, dressed like Samuel, recognized Saul, even though Saul was in disguise. Saul, however, could not see through the spirit’s disguise. This event shows how dangerous it is to deal with evil powers, because they know us even when we do not know their tricks (the rulers of the darkness of this world, Ephesians 6:12 ^j).

v. 15: The spirit, appearing as Samuel, asks Saul, “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?” . This question shows that it was not really Samuel, because good people cannot be called back from the dead by magic. The real Samuel would not have come through witchcraft, or agreed that such magic had power over him. But to Saul, this trick made the spirit look powerful and important, making him trust in the wrong place.

v. 16: Saul tells his problems to the spirit, thinking it is Samuel. He says he is in great trouble because the Philistines are attacking, but the real problem is that God has departed from me. Earlier, Saul did not seek God, but now that he is in trouble, he is upset that God will not answer him—neither by dreams nor by prophets. Saul does not admit his own fault, but blames God and turns away even more. He says, “Therefore I have called you”, as if Samuel could help when God would not. This shows how desperate Saul is; when he cannot get help from God, he tries to get help from anywhere else, even from a forbidden spirit.

v. 17: The spirit gives Saul no comfort, only hopelessness. If this had been the real Samuel, he would have told Saul to repent and turn back to God, and to make peace with David. Instead, the spirit reminds Saul that God has left him and become his enemy. The spirit says, “Why do you ask me, since the Lord has departed from you and become your enemy?” (1 Samuel 28:16 ^k). The spirit mentions that David has been chosen to be king , which would hurt Saul even more. The devil can speak religious-sounding words, but his goal is to make people lose hope. Even words that sound good can be used for evil, as shown here.

v. 18: The spirit also reminds Saul of his old sin—he did not obey God’s command to destroy the Amalekites . Before, the devil helped Saul make excuses for this sin, but now he brings it up to make Saul lose hope in God’s mercy. This shows that when people listen to the devil, he first tempts them to sin and later accuses and discourages them. Those who lead others into sin often end up blaming them for it.

v. 19: The spirit predicts Saul’s defeat and death. He says, The Lord will deliver Israel into the hands of the Philistines, and that Saul and his sons will die in the coming battle—Tomorrow you and your sons will be with me . This means they would soon die and enter the world of the dead. If this had been the real Samuel, he could only have known this if God revealed it to him. Sometimes, God allows evil spirits to speak about the future to accomplish His purposes, like when an evil spirit helped cause Ahab’s fall (1 Kings 22:20-23 ^l). The spirit’s words bring fear, not hope. Whether the devil tries to scare people or make them laugh, there is no peace for those under his power (whether he rage or laugh, there is no rest, Proverbs 29:9 ^m).

Saul's Despair

Then Saul fell straightway all along on the earth, and was sore afraid, because of the words of Samuel: and there was no strength in him; for he had eaten no bread all the day, nor all the night. And the woman came unto Saul, and saw that he was sore troubled, and said unto him, Behold, thine handmaid hath obeyed thy voice, and I have put my life in my hand, and have hearkened unto thy words which thou spakest unto me. Now therefore, I pray thee, hearken thou also unto the voice of thine handmaid, and let me set a morsel of bread before thee; and eat, that thou mayest have strength, when thou goest on thy way. But he refused, and said, I will not eat. But his servants, together with the woman, compelled him; and he hearkened unto their voice. So he arose from the earth, and sat upon the bed. And the woman had a fat calf in the house; and she hasted, and killed it, and took flour, and kneaded it, and did bake unleavened bread thereof: And she brought it before Saul, and before his servants; and they did eat. Then they rose up, and went away that night.

We are here told how Saul received this terrible message from the ghost he consulted. He desired to be told what he should do (v. 15 ⁿ), 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,

v. 20: Saul was indeed unfit to bear it, having eaten nothing all the day before, nor that night. He came fasting from the camp, and continued fasting; not for want of food, but for want of an appetite. The fear he was in of the power of the Philistines (v. 5 ^o) took away his appetite, or perhaps the struggle he had with his own conscience, after he had entertained the thought of consulting the witch, made him to nauseate even his necessary food, though ever so dainty. This made him an easy prey to this fresh terror that now came upon him like an armed man. He fell all along on the earth, as if the archers of the Philistines had already hit him, and there was no strength in him to bear up against these heavy tidings.

v. 21-23: The woman, it should seem, had left Saul alone with the spectre, to have his talk with him by himself; but perhaps hearing him fall and groan, and perceiving him to be in great agony, she came to him, and was very importunate with him to take some refreshment, that he might be able to get clear from her house, fearing that if he should be ill, especially if he should die there, she should be punished for it as a traitor, though she had escaped punishment as a witch. This, it is probable, rather than any sentiment of kindness, made her solicitous to help him. But what a deplorable condition had he brought himself to when he needed so wretched a comforter! She showed herself very importunate with him to take some refreshment. He showed himself very averse to it: He refused, and said, I will not eat (v. 23 ^p), choosing rather to die obscurely by famine than honourably by the sword. At length, the woman at length, with the help of his servants, overpersuaded him, against his inclination and resolution, to take some refreshment.

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v. 24-25: The woman had a fat calf at hand (and the word signifies one that was made use of in treading out the corn, and therefore could the worse be spared); this she prepared for his entertainment. Saul was somewhat revived with this entertainment; so that he and his servants, when they had eaten, rose up and went away before it was light (v. 25 ^q), that they might hasten to their business and that they might not be seen to come out of such a scandalous house.