1 Samuel 28 (Listen)
Saul and the Medium of En-dor
28:1 In those days the Philistines gathered their forces for war, to fight against Israel. And Achish said to David, “Understand that you and your men are to go out with me in the army.” 2 David said to Achish, “Very well, you shall know what your servant can do.” And Achish said to David, “Very well, I will make you my bodyguard for life.”
3 Now Samuel had died, and all Israel had mourned for him and buried him in Ramah, his own city. And Saul had put the mediums and the necromancers out of the land. 4 The Philistines assembled and came and encamped at Shunem. And Saul gathered all Israel, and they encamped at Gilboa. 5 When Saul saw the army of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart trembled greatly. 6 And when Saul inquired of the LORD, the LORD did not answer him, either by dreams, or by Urim, or by prophets. 7 Then Saul said to his servants, “Seek out for me a woman who is a medium, that I may go to her and inquire of her.” And his servants said to him, “Behold, there is a medium at En-dor.”
8 So Saul disguised himself and put on other garments and went, he and two men with him. And they came to the woman by night. And he said, “Divine for me by a spirit and bring up for me whomever I shall name to you.” 9 The woman said to him, “Surely you know what Saul has done, how he has cut off the mediums and the necromancers from the land. Why then are you laying a trap for my life to bring about my death?” 10 But Saul swore to her by the LORD, “As the LORD lives, no punishment shall come upon you for this thing.” 11 Then the woman said, “Whom shall I bring up for you?” He said, “Bring up Samuel for me.” 12 When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out with a loud voice. And the woman said to Saul, “Why have you deceived me? You are Saul.” 13 The king said to her, “Do not be afraid. What do you see?” And the woman said to Saul, “I see a god coming up out of the earth.” 14 He said to her, “What is his appearance?” And she said, “An old man is coming up, and he is wrapped in a robe.” And Saul knew that it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground and paid homage.
15 Then Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?” Saul answered, “I am in great distress, for the Philistines are warring against me, and God has turned away from me and answers me no more, either by prophets or by dreams. Therefore I have summoned you to tell me what I shall do.” 16 And Samuel said, “Why then do you ask me, since the LORD has turned from you and become your enemy? 17 The LORD has done to you as he spoke by me, for the LORD has torn the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbor, David. 18 Because you did not obey the voice of the LORD and did not carry out his fierce wrath against Amalek, therefore the LORD has done this thing to you this day. 19 Moreover, the LORD will give Israel also with you into the hand of the Philistines, and tomorrow you and your sons shall be with me. The LORD will give the army of Israel also into the hand of the Philistines.”
20 Then Saul fell at once full length on the ground, filled with fear because of the words of Samuel. And there was no strength in him, for he had eaten nothing all day and all night. 21 And the woman came to Saul, and when she saw that he was terrified, she said to him, “Behold, your servant has obeyed you. I have taken my life in my hand and have listened to what you have said to me. 22 Now therefore, you also obey your servant. Let me set a morsel of bread before you; and eat, that you may have strength when you go on your way.” 23 He refused and said, “I will not eat.” But his servants, together with the woman, urged him, and he listened to their words. So he arose from the earth and sat on the bed. 24 Now the woman had a fattened calf in the house, and she quickly killed it, and she took flour and kneaded it and baked unleavened bread of it, 25 and she put it before Saul and his servants, and they ate. Then they rose and went away that night.
(ESV)
1 Samuel 28 Commentary
In 1 Samuel 28, the Philistines prepared to attack Israel and Achish (Philistine king) told David he must march/fight with them. David gave a confident reply, and Achish promised to make him his permanent bodyguard (1 Samuel 28:1–2). Meanwhile, Saul became desperate for guidance but received no answer from the Lord. God did not answer even though Saul tried through dreams, the Urim, and prophets. So, he sought out a medium at En-dor despite having previously banned them from the land (1 Samuel 28:3–7).
Disguised, Saul asked the medium to summon Samuel. When she saw him, she was terrified and realized Saul’s identity. Samuel appeared and rebuked Saul for disturbing him and for disobeying God’s commands, particularly regarding Amalek. He told Saul the kingdom had been given to David and that Saul and his sons would die the next day, and Israel would fall to the Philistines (1 Samuel 28:8–19).
Terrified and physically weakened, Saul collapsed. The woman, seeing his condition, prepared a meal for him. After eating, Saul and his servants left that night (1 Samuel 28:20–25).
Initial Thoughts
This story is engrossing, and there is so much going on! The twists and tension in David’s life make it feel like a gripping drama. We see the full gamut of human experiences – loyalty, betrayal, desperation, faith, and strategy all woven together.
One moment, David is dodging spears and living in caves; the next, he’s playing the part of a Philistine ally. You can feel the heaviness on him, but he continually seeks God. He trusts God. He loves God. He knows God. And this is why some of his behaviors leave us with questions.
Is David fully committed to fighting with the Philistines against his Israelite brothers? How will he serve as a bodyguard and not compromise his convictions? Why was he so confident in his answer to Achish?
We will have to wait until 1 Samuel 29 to find out.
Saul’s Encounter At En-dor
It is important to note that the medium genuinely reacted to Samuel’s appearance. She was terrified. The text states she saw Samuel, and there is no reason to believe this isn’t Samuel himself. Everything he tells Saul is consistent with past encounters, and there are references made to situations that only the authentic Samuel would know (1 Sam 15:23, 1 Sam 16:1-13, 1 Sam 15:28). So, did the medium actually call Samuel up?
“It seems best to follow the early view that this was a genuine appearance of Samuel which God Himself brought about. Several points favor this interpretation: (1) The medium was surprised (v. 1Sa 28:12). (2) Saul identified the figure as Samuel (v. 1Sa 28:14). (3) The message Samuel spoke was clearly from God (vv. 1Sa 28:16-19). (4) The text says that the figure was Samuel (vv. 1Sa 28:12, 1Sa 28:15-16). There is no inherent difficulty with God bringing back the spirit of Samuel from heaven and allowing him to appear to Saul, in spite of the woman’s evil profession.”
Nelson’s New Illustrated Commentary
Her reaction seems intense for someone who does this for a living. It is possible this was rare and unexpected even by her standards, hence the terrifying reaction. She could actually see the prophet Samuel coming back from the dead, and that visual is underscored by the reality that she discovers King Saul’s true identity from Samuel’s appearance.
“An alternative reading of this passage suggests that it was not the skill of the medium but rather a unique act of God that brought Saul into contact with Samuel. The medium did not possess the capacity to disturb a dead saint; but God, as “a sign of his grace,” permitted Saul to have one last encounter with the prophet who had played such a determinative role in the king’s career.”
The New American Commentary
“In the present instance it seems reasonable to conclude that the medium’s words reflected a pagan belief that Samuel had become a “god”—a spirit-being possessing capabilities beyond those of mortals—following his death. The writer, wishing to demonstrate linguistically that she was speaking heretically, employed a plural verb form with the subject ʾĕlōhîm.”
The New American Commentary
The Tragedy Of King Saul
The desperation of Saul is both heartbreaking and ironic. He removed all witchcraft from the land and then disguised himself in order to go see a witch. It is sad that Saul had no compass. He has not listened or learned anything along the way. His foundation was not built on the fear of the Lord, but on himself. However, the circumstantial fear and hopelessness that grip him are a result of the lack of peace in his heart.
King Saul is the picture of someone who has trusted in all the wrong things. Repeatedly through 1 Samuel, we are presented with a narrative demonstrating Saul’s continual lack of believing loyalty to the Lord. He has no faith in the Lord. He doesn’t know the Lord’s ways.
Saul had some really good people around him. For starters, his son Jonathan was a man of God. He was humble, faithful, and loyal. Saul did not listen to Jonathan when he confronted him about David (1 Sam 20:24-33). Saul also had one of the greatest prophets of the entire Old Testament to lead him spiritually. Samuel had an unbroken, intimate connection with God since he was a child (1 Sam 3:19-21). Saul had opportunities to learn from Samuel. In the end, he didn’t listen to Samuel either (1 Sam 13:8–14).
There is a pattern with Saul. He didn’t listen. He wasn’t humble. He craved control and recognition. After his encounter with the medium at En-dor, we can look back and see that Saul never developed any kind of relationship with the Lord. His spiritual advisor was Samuel, and quite often, Saul would refer to God as “the Lord your God” when speaking to Samuel (1 Sam 15:15, 21, 30).
Today, it is much easier to hide behind the shadow of your favorite pastor or Bible teacher. It is helpful and convenient to get God’s Word articulated and lived out by someone else. However, if that person is the object of our faith, we will end up like Saul – devastated, heartbroken, and terrified. Saul trusted in Samuel so much that he was willing to disguise himself and go to a witch in En-dor. Imagine what his life would have been like had he put that much trust in the Lord.
If our relationship with God depends solely on someone else’s personal walk with Him, we are at risk.
Samuel’s Advice
The other issue with Saul is that he didn’t listen, and when Samuel returns, he doesn’t pull any punches. Samuel is disturbed by being summoned from the dead. He asks Saul why he has chosen to make things worse by consulting a medium instead of following God. Samuel reminds Saul that his past disobedience led to the Lord’s judgment, including the kingdom being taken from him and given to David (1 Sam 15:26-29).
Now, due to his ongoing lack of humility, Saul faces dire consequences: God will hand Israel over to the Philistines, and Saul and his sons will die the following day (1 Sam 28:16-19).
Saul’s current state didn’t happen overnight. It was a continual path that was chosen day after day. To rebel against God’s ways only leads to utter despair and hopelessness. This is the lesson of Saul’s life. Let it be a caution to us so that we may leverage it as wisdom. Let anyone who has ears to hear listen.
