27 matching verse commentaries
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
INTRODUCTION TO FIRST SAMUEL 28 The Philistines gathering together, to fight with Israel, Saul trembled at it, not being able to get any answer from the Lord about it in any way whatever, 1 Samuel 28:1; upon which he applies to a woman that had a familiar spirit to bring him up Samuel, which she did, 1 Samuel 28:7; and what passed between Saul and...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And it came to pass in those days,.... That David was in the country of the Philistines: that the Philistines gathered their armies together: out of their five principalities or lordships: for warfare to fight with Israel; with whom they were continually at war, and though sometimes there was a cessation of arms, yet never any settled peace; and...
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry
Preparations are herein making for that war which will put an end to the life and reign of Saul, and so make way for David to the throne. In this war, I. The Philistines are the aggressors and Achish their king makes David his confidant, ver. 1, 2. II. The Israelites prepare to receive them, and Saul their king makes the devil his...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And David said to Achish, surely thou shalt know what thy servant can do,.... By which he would have Achish understand, and so he did, that he would exert himself in favour of the Philistines, and against Israel, and do great and brave things, of which Achish would be, made sensible, through his heroic courage and valour; though he meant rather...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Now Samuel was dead,.... Had been so for some time; which is mentioned before, 1 Samuel 25:1; and here repeated, partly to observe the reason of the Philistines renewing the war, and partly to account for the conduct of Saul, in seeking to a witch to raise Samuel, and for the sake of that story: and all Israel lamented him; as they had great...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the Philistines gathered themselves together,.... From different parts, and formed a considerable army: and came and pitched in Shunem; a city, in the borders of the tribe of Issachar, of which [See comments on Joshua 19:18]; and Saul gathered all Israel together, and they pitched in Gilboa; a range of mountains, near Jezreel, and which Jerom...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And when Saul saw the host of the Philistines,.... From the mountains of Gilboa, where he had pitched his camp: he was afraid, and his heart greatly trembled; on sight of the numbers of them, and thinking perhaps of the death of Samuel, and of the loss of David; who was now among the Philistines, and might possibly fight against him, and for the...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And when Saul inquired of the Lord,.... And this being not done truly and heartily, nor continued in, it was as if he had not inquired, and especially after he had inquired of one that had a familiar spirit, as Kimchi observes; for so it is said, 1 Chronicles 10:14; the Lord answered him not, neither by dreams; which he dreamed himself, from...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Then said Saul unto his servants,.... That waited upon him, to some of them, to such as he could place most confidence in to keep a secret; perhaps only the two after mentioned: seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and inquire of her; that was mistress of the bottle, a ventriloquist, that spoke out of her belly, or...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And Saul disguised himself, and put on other raiment,.... Stripped himself of his royal robes, or military apparel, as supreme commander, and clothed himself in the habit of a peasant or a common soldier; and this not only that he might not be known by the woman, but that he might pass from his army incognito, and it might not be known that he was...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the woman said unto him,.... Not knowing who he was: behold, thou knowest what Saul hath done; for by his speech and habit she perceived he was an Israelite, and so must be acquainted with what had passed in the nation, especially of a public nature, and which made a great noise, as doubtless this, lid: how he both cut off those that have...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And Saul sware to her by the Lord,.... By the Word of the Lord, as the Targum: it is much that Saul, being about such a work of darkness and wickedness, could take the name of the Lord into his mouth, and swear by him in such a solemn manner; which must surely put him in mind of his omniscience, from whom this wicked action could not be hid:...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Then said the woman, whom shall I bring up unto thee?.... For such persons, according to their profession, pretended they were able to bring up any of the dead, that he who inquired of them should name: and he said, bring me up Samuel; the prophet Samuel he meant, and no doubt the woman so understood him, whose name was well known; he had been an...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And when the woman saw Samuel,.... The appearance of him whom she took for Samuel; no mention is made of the methods she used to raise him, to check the curiosity of such as might be desirous to know them, and to prevent the imitation of them; though some think that Samuel, or the apparition, was seen before she made use of any, which surprised...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the king said unto her, be not afraid,.... Meaning not of the apparition, but of him; since he had sworn no punishment should come upon her, and he should inviolably observe his oath: for what sawest thou? for as yet Saul himself saw not anything, the woman being between him and the apparition; or she might be in another room with her familiar...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And he said unto her, what form [is] he of?.... Of what stature is he? or rather of what age does he seem to be? and what clothes has he on? as appears from the answer: and she said, an old man cometh up, and he is covered with a mantle; such as either priests or judges wore, and Samuel did in his lifetime: and Saul perceived that it [was] Samuel;...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And Samuel said to Saul, why hast thou disquieted me to bring me up?.... This makes it a clear case that this was not the true Samuel; his soul was at rest in Abraham's bosom, in the state of bliss and happiness in heaven, and it was not in the power of men and devils to disquiet it; nor would he have talked of his being brought up, but rather of...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Then said Samuel, wherefore then dost thou, ask of me,.... Whom thou knowest to have been a prophet of the Lord, and therefore can say nothing more or less than what comes from him, and is according to his will, if anything at all; the "devil" representing Samuel, whom Saul had called for, and reasons in such language as might be thought to be his...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the Lord hath done to him,.... To David, Saul's enemy, as he insinuated he was: as he spake by me; pretending to be the true Samuel, and wearing the guise of him, he speaks his very words, which he was well acquainted with, and could deliver exactly as he did: for the Lord hath rent the kingdom out of thine hand, and given it to thy neighbour;...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Because thou obeyedst not the voice of the Lord,.... At Gilgal, as Abarbinel thinks; which is the first thing for which the kingdom was threatened to be taken from him, 1 Samuel 13:13; nor executedst his fierce wrath upon Amalek: in sparing Agag, and the best of the cattle, 1 Samuel 15:9; therefore hath the Lord done this thing unto thee this day;...