1 Samuel 28:3

1 Now ^ait happened in those days that the Philistines gathered their armies together for war, to fight with Israel. And Achish said to David, “You assuredly know that you will go out with me to battle, you and your men.”

2 So David said to Achish, “Surely you know what your servant can do.” And Achish said to David, “Therefore I will make you one of my chief guardians forever.”

Saul Consults a Medium

3 Now ^aSamuel had died, and all Israel had lamented for him and buried him in ^bRamah, in his own city. And Saul had put ^cthe mediums and the spiritists out of the land.

4 Then the Philistines gathered together, and came and encamped at ^aShunem. So Saul gathered all Israel together, and they encamped at ^bGilboa.

5 When Saul saw the army of the Philistines, he was ^aafraid, and his heart trembled greatly.

6 And when Saul inquired of the Lord, ^athe Lord did not answer him, either by ^bdreams or ^cby Urim or by the prophets.

7 Then Saul said to his servants, “Find me a woman who is a medium, ^athat I may go to her and inquire of her.” And his servants said to him, “In fact, there is a woman who is a medium at En Dor.”

Commentaries:

Forerunner Commentary
What is the Forerunner Commentary?

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What Does 1 Samuel 28:3 Mean?

1 Samuel 28:3

As the story opens in I Samuel 28:3, the author fills the reader in on a couple of background details vital to his tale:

1. The prophet Samuel had died, probably about five years before, when David was hiding in the wilderness from Saul. The king could not have seen the real Samuel in the flesh, as it was well after the prophet's death.

2. Sometime before, Saul had gone to great lengths to rid Israel of mediums and spiritists. Apparently, his agents had not done a thorough job, but his decree had driven those practices underground, and their practitioners feared the punishment of violating the law—death (I Samuel 28:9).

More than anything, these details provide insight into Saul's state of mind.

Richard T. Ritenbaugh
What Happened at En Dor?

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Saul Consults a Medium

What Does 1 Samuel 28:3 Mean?

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