1 Samuel 28:19 ASV

The People's Bible by Joseph Parker - 1 Samuel 28:1-25

Saul At Endor 1Sa 28:7 SAMUEL was dead, and all Israel had lamented him, and buried him in Ramah, even in his own city. The death of such a man so described! How graphic in its simplicity is this book of God! No common author could afford to treat his best materials in this way. The writer who spins himself into fine sentences would have dwelt long and carefully upon the death of Samuel; he would have told how dreary was the hollow sound of the moaning wind on the burial day, how tearfully... read more

Robert Hawker

Hawker's Poor Man's Commentary - 1 Samuel 28:8-20

(8) And Saul disguised himself, and put on other raiment, and he went, and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night: and he said, I pray thee, divine unto me by the familiar spirit, and bring me him up, whom I shall name unto thee. (9) And the woman said unto him, Behold, thou knowest what Saul hath done, how he hath cut off those that have familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land: wherefore then layest thou a snare for my life, to cause me to die? (10) And Saul sware to... read more

George Haydock

George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 28:19

To-morrow. Usher supposes some days afterwards. But all might take place the day after this was spoken. (Calmet) --- Sons, except Isboseth, who enjoyed, for a time, part of his father's kingdom. (Haydock) --- With me. That is, in the state of the dead, and in another world, though not in the same place. (Challoner) --- Saul was guilty of suicide, so that he could not be with Samuel in happiness, (chap. xxxi. 4. Tirinus) though he was in the other world. (Worthington) --- See St. Augustine, ad... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 28:7-19

7-19 When we go from the plain path of duty, every thing draws us further aside, and increases our perplexity and temptation. Saul desires the woman to bring one from the dead, with whom he wished to speak; this was expressly forbidden, Deuteronomy 18:11. All real or pretended witchcraft or conjuration, is a malicious or an ignorant attempt to gain knowledge or help from some creature, when it cannot be had from the Lord in the path of duty. While Samuel was living, we never read of Saul's... read more

Paul E. Kretzmann

The Popular Commentary by Paul E. Kretzmann - 1 Samuel 28:15-25

The Answer Received by Saul v. 15. And Samuel, the apparition of the evil spirit which had the form of Samuel, said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up? And Saul answered, I am sore distressed, in great straits; for the Philistines make war against me, and God is departed from me, and answereth me no more, neither by prophets nor by dreams; therefore I have called thee, have caused thee to be called, that thou mayest make known unto me what I shall do. There was a... read more

Johann Peter Lange

Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures: Critical, Doctrinal and Homiletical - 1 Samuel 28:1-25

FOURTH SECTIONSaul’s Downfall in War with the Philistines1 Samuel 28-31I. David in the Philistine Expedition against Israel. Saul’s Visit to the Witch of Endor1 Samuel 28:1-251And it came to pass in those days that the Philistines gathered their armies1 together for warfare,2 to fight with Israel. And Achish said unto David, Know thou assuredly that thou shalt go out with me to battle [in the army],1 thou and 2thy men. And David said to Achish, Surely [Therefore] thou3 shalt know what thy... read more

Frederick Brotherton Meyer

F.B. Meyer's 'Through the Bible' Commentary - 1 Samuel 28:15-25

Listening to His Own Doom 1 Samuel 28:15-25 That there should be an apparition of Samuel occasions no difficulty, for as Moses and Elijah were permitted to speak with our Lord of the “decease” to be accomplished at Jerusalem, so God may have specially permitted the prophet to speak with Saul. We may believe that these sentences passed between them, without any aid on the part of the medium. From the lips of the prophet came no words of comfort nor hope. Nothing could avert the descending... read more

G. Campbell Morgan

G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible - 1 Samuel 28:1-25

It is strange how this story has been made to serve in defense of things occult, which, as a matter of fact, it condemns. Let it be carefully read, and it becomes perfectly patent that this woman had nothing to do with bringing up Samuel. Still practicing her black art, and that in secret, because of the king's edict against all of her class, she commenced, on the occasion of Saul's visit, to practice the deceptions with which she was familiar. When in response to her incantations, as it... read more

Peter Pett

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 28:3-19

Saul Consults A Necromancer And Samuel Appears To Him (1 Samuel 28:3-19 ). Having been unable to obtain any response from God, Saul, in desperation, determined to turn to a necromancer. It would, however, only be in order to receive bad news. For Samuel’s message to him would be that his case was hopeless. Thus instead of receiving help he would learn of coming failure and death. It is a reminder that those who treat God lightly can be sure that one day they will reap what they have sown, and... read more

Arthur Peake

Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 28:2-25

1 Samuel 28:2 is continued by 1 Samuel 29:1; the connexion is broken by the insertion of— 1 Samuel 28:3-Lamentations : . Saul and the Witch of Endor.— This section interrupts the connexion; moreover, it would come naturally immediately before the battle of Gilboa. Saul is at Gilboa (p. 29) in 284. Opinions are divided; some hold that this section is from another source (E) than the bulk of 1 Samuel 25-31, and some that it is from the same source (J), that originally it stood in that document... read more