# 1 Samuel 28 đź“–: Saul and the Medium at Endor
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> [!info] Table of Contents
> [[#đź“ś Scripture Text (NET)]]
> [[#đź“– Verse-by-Verse Commentary]]
> [[#🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights]]
> [[#🧠Chapter Summary]]
> [[#✝️ Christ in This Chapter]]
> [[#🔎 Key Principles / 🛟 Life Application]]
> [[#đź’¬ Discussion Questions]]
> [[#✍️ Key Verses to Remember]]
> [[#đź”— Related Passages/Cross Reference]]
> [[#🙏 Devotional Reflection]]
> [[#đź“‚ Internal Notes]]
## đź“ś Scripture Text (NET)
(The NET Bible: New English Translation. Biblical Studies Press, 2005)
### The Witch of Endor
[[#Verse 01.]] In those days the Philistines gathered their troops for war in order to fight Israel. Achish said to David, “You should fully understand that you and your men must go with me into the battle.”Â
[[#Verse 02.]] David replied to Achish, “That being the case, you will come to know what your servant can do!” Achish said to David, “Then I will make you my bodyguard from now on.”
[[#Verse 03.]] Now Samuel had died, and all Israel had lamented over him and had buried him in Ramah, his hometown. In the meantime Saul had removed the mediums and magicians from the land.Â
[[#Verse 04.]]Â The Philistines assembled; they came and camped at Shunem. Saul mustered all Israel and camped at Gilboa.Â
[[#Verse 05.]]Â When Saul saw the camp of the Philistines, he was absolutely terrified.Â
[[#Verse 06.]] So Saul inquired of the Lord, but the Lord did not answer him—not by dreams nor by Urim nor by the prophets.Â
[[#Verse 07.]] So Saul instructed his servants, “Find me a woman who is a medium, so that I may go to her and inquire of her.” His servants replied to him, “There is a woman who is a medium in Endor.”
[[#Verse 08.]] So Saul disguised himself and put on other clothing and left, accompanied by two of his men. They came to the woman at night and said, “Use your ritual pit to conjure up for me the one I tell you.”
[[#Verse 09.]] But the woman said to him, “Look, you are aware of what Saul has done; he has removed the mediums and magicians from the land! Why are you trapping me so you can put me to death?”Â
[[#Verse 10.]] But Saul swore an oath to her by the Lord, “As surely as the Lord lives, you will not incur guilt in this matter!”Â
[[#Verse 11.]] The woman replied, “Who is it that I should bring up for you?” He said, “Bring up for me Samuel.”
[[#Verse 12.]] When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out loudly. The woman said to Saul, “Why have you deceived me? You are Saul!”Â
[[#Verse 13.]] The king said to her, “Don’t be afraid! But what have you seen?” The woman replied to Saul, “I have seen a divine being coming up from the ground!”Â
[[#Verse 14.]] He said to her, “What about his appearance?” She said, “An old man is coming up! He is wrapped in a robe!” Then Saul realized it was Samuel, and he bowed his face toward the ground and kneeled down.Â
[[#Verse 15.]] Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?” Saul replied, “I am terribly troubled! The Philistines are fighting against me and God has turned away from me. He does not answer me anymore—not by the prophets nor by dreams. So I have called on you to tell me what I should do.”
[[#Verse 16.]] Samuel said, “Why are you asking me, now that the Lord has turned away from you and has become your enemy?Â
[[#Verse 17.]] The Lord has done exactly as I prophesied! The Lord has torn the kingdom from your hand and has given it to your neighbor David!Â
[[#Verse 18.]] Since you did not obey the Lord and did not carry out his fierce anger against the Amalekites, the Lord has done this thing to you today.Â
[[#Verse 19.]] The Lord will hand you and Israel over to the Philistines! Tomorrow both you and your sons will be with me. The Lordwill also hand the army of Israel over to the Philistines!”
[[#Verse 20.]] Saul quickly fell full length on the ground and was very afraid because of Samuel’s words. He was completely drained of energy, having not eaten anything all that day and night.Â
[[#Verse 21.]] When the woman came to Saul and saw how terrified he was, she said to him, “Your servant has done what you asked. I took my life into my own hands and did what you told me.Â
[[#Verse 22.]] Now it’s your turn to listen to your servant! Let me set before you a bit of bread so that you can eat. When you regain your strength, you can go on your way.”
[[#Verse 23.]] But he refused, saying, “I won’t eat!” Both his servants and the woman urged him to eat, so he gave in. He got up from the ground and sat down on the bed.Â
[[#Verse 24.]] Now the woman had a well-fed calf at her home that she quickly slaughtered. Taking some flour, she kneaded it and baked bread without leaven.Â
[[#Verse 25.]]Â She brought it to Saul and his servants, and they ate. Then they arose and left that same night.
## đź“– Verse-by-Verse Commentary
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## 🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights
1. The Law forbade consulting mediums and spiritists (Leviticus 19:31; Deuteronomy 18:10-12), and Saul had earlier removed them from the land (28:3).
2. The Philistines camped at Shunem, and Israel camped at Gilboa (28:4), a few miles apart in the Jezreel Valley.
3. God did not answer Saul through dreams, the Urim, or prophets (28:6), the three normal ways of seeking His guidance.
4. Endor (28:7) lay north of the Philistine camp, so Saul had to slip past the enemy at night.
5. Saul disguised himself in different clothes (28:8).
6. The woman cried out in shock when she saw Samuel (28:12), suggesting this was not what she expected.
7. Saul recognized Samuel by his robe (28:14), the same robe that tore when Samuel announced the kingdom would be taken from Saul (15:27-28).
8. Interpreters debate whether this was truly Samuel, allowed by God to appear, or a deceptive spirit. The text itself calls him Samuel, and his message matches God's word.
9. The woman fed Saul a fattened calf and bread made without yeast (28:24).
10. 1 Chronicles 10:13-14 says Saul died because he was unfaithful to the Lord and consulted a medium instead of seeking the Lord.
## 🧠Chapter Summary
> [!note] 🌱 Still growing. This section is on its way.
## ✝️ Christ in This Chapter
Christ is the One who holds the keys of death and the grave (Revelation 1:18). Saul turned to a medium to hear from a dead prophet when God was silent (28:6-7), but in Jesus we have a living Savior who speaks and saves.
## 🔎 Key Principles / 🛟 Life Application
> [!note] 🌱 Still growing. This section is on its way.
## đź’¬ Discussion Questions
1. Saul had expelled the mediums, yet he went to one when he was desperate (28:3, 7). Why do people turn to forbidden things in times of fear?
2. The Lord did not answer Saul (28:6). What had happened earlier in Saul's life that led to this silence?
3. Samuel's message repeated what God had already said (28:17-18). What does this teach about seeking a new word when we have ignored God's clear word?
## ✍️ Key Verses to Remember
- đź“– verse 6: Saul asks the Lord, but the Lord does not answer him by dreams, Urim, or prophets.
- đź“– verse 7: Saul tells his servants to find him a woman who is a medium.
- đź“– verse 18: Samuel reminds Saul that he did not obey the Lord concerning the Amalekites.
## đź”— Related Passages/Cross Reference
- đź”— [[Deuteronomy 18#Verse 10.|Deuteronomy 18:10-14]] - Do not consult the dead.
- đź”— [[Isaiah 08#Verse 19.|Isaiah 8:19-20]] - Should people consult the dead instead of their God?
- đź”— [[1 Chronicles 10#Verse 13.|1 Chronicles 10:13-14]] - Saul died for his unfaithfulness.
- đź”— [[Luke 16#Verse 29.|Luke 16:29-31]] - They have Moses and the Prophets.
- đź”— [[Revelation 01#Verse 17.|Revelation 1:17-18]] - Jesus holds the keys of death.
## 🙏 Devotional Reflection
đź“ť SOAP: [[1 Samuel 28 - SOAP|The Importance of Perspective]]
## đź“‚ Internal Notes