1SA 28

1 Samuel 28:25

WEB

She brought it before Saul and before his servants, and they ate. Then they rose up and went away that night.

BSB

She served it to Saul and his servants, and they ate. And that night they got up and left.

KJV

And she brought it before Saul, and before his servants; and they did eat. Then they rose up, and went away that night.

Matthew Henry

Verses 20–25

1 Samuel 28:20–25

We are here told how Saul received this terrible message from the ghost he consulted. He desired to be told what he should do (Sa1 28:15), but was only told what he had not done and what should be done to him. Those that expect any good counsel or comfort otherwise than from God, and in the way of his institutions, will be as wretchedly disappointed as Saul here was. Observe,

I. How he sunk under the load, Sa1 28:20. He was indeed unfit to bear it, having eaten nothing all the day before, nor that night. He came fasting from the camp, and continued fasting; not for want of food, but for want of an appetite. The fear he was in of the power of the Philistines (Sa1 28:5) took away his appetite, or perhaps the struggle he had with his own conscience, after he had entertained the thought of consulting the witch, made him to nauseate even his necessary food, though ever so dainty. This made him an easy prey to this fresh terror that now came upon him like an armed man. He fell all along on the earth, as if the archers of the Philistines had already hit him, and there was no strength in him to bear up against these heavy tidings. Now he had enough of consulting witches, and found them miserable comforters. When God in his word speaks terror to sinners he opens to them, at the same time, a door of hope if they repent: but those that apply to the gates of hell for succour must there expect darkness without any glimpse of light.

II. With what difficulty he was persuaded to take so much relief as was necessary to carry him back to his post in the camp. The witch, it should seem, had left Saul alone with the spectre, to have his talk with him by himself; but perhaps hearing him fall and groan, and perceiving him to be in great agony, she came to him (Sa1 28:21), and was very importunate with him to take some refreshment, that he might be able to get clear from her house, fearing that if he should be ill, especially if he should die there, she should be punished for it as a traitor, though she had escaped punishment as a witch. This, it is probable, rather than any sentiment of kindness, made her solicitous to help him. But what a deplorable condition had he brought himself to when he needed so wretched a comforter! 1. She showed herself very importunate with him to take some refreshment. She pleaded (Sa1 28:21) that she had obeyed his voice to the endangering of her life, and why therefore should not he hearken to her voice for the relieving of his life? Sa1 28:22. She had a fat calf at hand (and the word signifies one that was made use of in treading out the corn, and therefore could the worse be spared); this she prepared for his entertainment, Sa1 28:24. Josephus is large in applauding the extraordinary courtesy and liberality of this woman, and recommending what she did as an example of compassion to the distressed, and readiness to communicate for their relief, though we have no prospect of being recompensed. 2. He showed himself very averse to it: He refused, and said, I will not eat (Sa1 28:23), choosing rather to die obscurely by famine than honourably by the sword. Had he laboured only under a defect of animal spirits, food might have helped him; but, alas! his case was out of the reach of such succours. What are dainty meats to a wounded conscience? As vinegar upon nitre, so is he that sings songs to a heavy heart, so disagreeable and unwelcome. 3. The woman at length, with the help of his servants, overpersuaded him, against his inclination and resolution, to take some refreshment. Not by force, but by friendly advice, they compelled him (Sa1 28:23), and of no other than such a rational and courteous compulsion are we to understand that in the parable, Compel them to come in, Luk 14:23. How forcible are right words, when men are pressed by them to that which is for their own interest! Job 6:25. Saul was somewhat revived with this entertainment; so that he and his servants, when they had eaten, rose up and went away before it was light (Sa1 28:25), that they might hasten to their business and that they might not be seen to come out of such a scandalous house. Josephus here much admires the bravery and magnanimity of Saul, that, though he was assured he should lose both his life and honour, yet he would not desert his army, but resolutely returned to the camp, and stood ready for an engagement. I wonder more at the hardness of his heart, that he did not again apply to God by repentance and prayer, in hopes yet to obtain at least a reprieve; but he desperately ran headlong upon his own ruin. Perhaps, indeed, now that rage and envy possessed him to the uttermost, he was the better reconciled to his hard fate, being told that his sons, and Jonathan among the rest, whom he hated for his affection to David, should die with him. If he must fall, he cared not what desolations of his family and kingdom accompanied his fall, hoping it would be the worse for his successor. Emou thanontos gaia michthetō puri - I care not if, when I am dead, the world should be set on fire. He begged not, as David, "Let thy hand be against me, but not against thy people."

Cross-references: 1Sam 28:15 · 1Sam 28:20 · 1Sam 28:5 · 1Sam 28:21 · 1Sam 28:22 · 1Sam 28:24 · 1Sam 28:23 · Luke 14:23 · Job 6:25 · 1Sam 28:25

Hebrew interlinear

H5066

נָגַשׁnâgash/naw-gash'/

v — be, come, bring, near, lie with, attack, worship, present, adduce, stand back

Derivation: a primitive root;

to be or come (causatively, bring) near (for any purpose); euphemistically, to lie with a woman; as an enemy, to attack; religious to worship; causatively, to present; figuratively, to adduce an argument; by reversal, to stand back

KJV: (make to) approach (nigh), bring (forth, hither, near), (cause to) come (hither, near, nigh), give place, go hard (up), (be, draw, go) near (nigh), offer, overtake, present, put, stand.

נָגַשׁ

vb — draw near

[נָגַשׁ] 125 vb. draw near, approach

Qal draw near or come near

Niph. draw near

Hiph. cause to approach, bring near, bring

Hoph. thy feet have not been brought near (put into) fetters; it (impers.) is offered to my name

Hithp. draw near!

H6440

פָּנִיםpânîym/paw-neem'/

n-m — face, before

Derivation: plural (but always as singular) of an unused noun פָּנֶה; from 6437);

the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition (before, etc.)

KJV: accept, a-(be-) fore(-time), against, anger, × as (long as), at, battle, because (of), beseech, countenance, edge, employ, endure, enquire, face, favour, fear of, for, forefront(-part), form(-er time, -ward), from, front, heaviness, × him(-self), honourable, impudent, in, it, look(-eth) (-s), × me, meet, × more than, mouth, of, off, (of) old (time), × on, open, out of, over against, the partial, person, please, presence, propect, was purposed, by reason of, regard, right forth, serve, × shewbread, sight, state, straight, street, × thee, × them(-selves), through ( -out), till, time(-s) past, (un-) to(-ward), upon, upside ( down), with(-in, -stand), × ye, × you.

פָּנֶה

n.m — face

[פָּנֶה], pl. פָּנִים 2123 n.m. face, also faces

I.

1. face, faces

2.

a. presence, person

b. technically, see one's face, i.e. appear before one, in one's presence

3. face of seraphim

4. face of animals

5. face (= surface) of ground

6. as adv.loc. before

7. for other phrases

II. with prepositions

H7586

שָׁאוּלShâʼûwl/shaw-ool'/

n-pr-m — Shaul

Derivation: passive participle of 7592; asked;

Shaul, the name of an Edomite and two Israelites

KJV: Saul, Shaul.

שָׁאוּל

n.pr.m — Saul

שָׁאוּל n.pr.m. (= asked)

1. 397 1st king of Isr.

2. a king of Edom

3. a son of Simeon

4. a Levite

H5650

עֶבֶדʻebed/eh'-bed/

n-m — servant

Derivation: from 5647;

a servant

KJV: × bondage, bondman, (bond-) servant, (man-) servant.

עֶ֫בֶד

n.m — slave

עֶ֫בֶד 799 n.m. slave, servant

1. slave, servant of household

2. Subjects, of chief

3. Servants, worshippers of God

4. Servant of י׳, in a special sense

5. Israel as a people is servant of י׳

6. In polite address of equals or superiors the Hebrews used עַבְדְּךָ thy servant = 1 pers. sing., I

7. Phrases

H398

אָכַלʼâkal/aw-kal'/

v — eat

Derivation: a primitive root;

to eat (literally or figuratively)

KJV: × at all, burn up, consume, devour(-er, up), dine, eat(-er, up), feed (with), food, × freely, × in...wise(-deed, plenty), (lay) meat, × quite.

אָכַל

vb — eat

אָכַל 806 vb. eat

Qal

1. eat, human subject

2. of beasts, birds, etc., eat, devour

3. fig. of fire, devour, consume

4. of sword, devour, slay

5. in genl., devour, consume, destroy

6. fig. of oppression, devour the poor

Niph.

1. be eaten by man

2. be devoured by fire, consumed

3. be wasted, destroyed, of flesh

Pu. be consumed

Hiph.

1. cause to eat, feed with

2. cause to devoure, obj. sword

H6965

קוּםqûwm/koom/

v — rise

Derivation: a primitive root;

to rise (in various applications, literal, figurative, intensive and causative)

KJV: abide, accomplish, × be clearer, confirm, continue, decree, × be dim, endure, × enemy, enjoin, get up, make good, help, hold, (help to) lift up (again), make, × but newly, ordain, perform, pitch, raise (up), rear (up), remain, (a-) rise (up) (again, against), rouse up, set (up), (e-) stablish, (make to) stand (up), stir up, strengthen, succeed, (as-, make) sure(-ly), (be) up(-hold, -rising).

לֵב קָמָי

Leb Qamay

לֵב קָמָי prob. late Atbash Je 51:1.

קוּם

vb — arise

קוּם 628 vb. arise, stand up, stand

Qal 460

1. arise

2. arise, in hostile sense (oft. with idea of suddenness)

3. arise, abs., = become powerful

4. arise = come on the scene, appear, of leader, prophet

5. arise for, i.e. to become

6.

a. arise for action

b. arise (out of inaction), introducing some specific deed

c. esp. arise = start, make a move, to go somewhere

7. stand

Pi.

1. fulfil

2.

a. confirm, ratify

b. confirm, establish

c. impose, an obligation

Pō‛l. raise up

Hithpō‛l. raise oneself, = rise up

Hiph. 146

1. cause to arise, raise

2.

a. raise, set up, stones

b. erect, build

c. fig, of setting up law

3. raise up = bring on the scene

4.

a. raise up = rouse, stir up

b. instigate, build

c. fig, of setting up law

5. raise up = constitute

6. cause to stand

Hoph. be raised up

H3212

יָלַךְyâlak/yaw-lak'/

v — walk, carry

Derivation: a primitive root (compare 1980);

to walk (literally or figuratively); causatively, to carry (in various senses)

KJV: × again, away, bear, bring, carry (away), come (away), depart, flow, follow(-ing), get (away, hence, him), (cause to, made) go (away, -ing, -ne, one's way, out), grow, lead (forth), let down, march, prosper, pursue, cause to run, spread, take away (-journey), vanish, (cause to) walk(-ing), wax, × be weak.

הָלַךְ

vb — go

הָלַךְ 1546 vb. go, come, walk

Qal Impf. usually (629 t.) as if from ילך

I. lit.

1. of persons

2. Also of animals, in similar meanings and combinations

3. in like manner of inanimate things

4. The inf. abs. is often used

a. as in other vbs., quite independently

b. to intensify meaning of finite form

c. most noteworthy is the joining of the Inf. abs.

(1). with a following Inf. abs. denoting a simutaneous action or process, and so emphasizing duration or continuance

(2). with a foll. vb. fin. c. ו consec. (rare)

(3). in cases where vb. fin. is foll. by Inf. abs. adj. denoting progress, advance

(4). twice, where vb. fin. is not הלך, but another vb. denoting motion

(5). quite by itself

(6). 13 t. the Inf. abs. = Imv. & is followed by Pf. consec.

d. akin to the use of Inf. abs. are some instances of Pt.

5. In combination with other verbal forms

II. Fig.; the most common uses follow; in most the origin in a literal meaning is evident:

1. pass away, die

2. live (‘walk’), in general

3. of moral and religious life

4. other fig. uses

Pi. (chiefly poet. and late)

1. walk in or with a throng

2. also of walking about = living

3. depart, go entirely away

4. fig. of mode of life, action, etc.

Hithp. walk, walk about, move to and fro

Hiph.

1. lead, bring

2. lead away

3. carry, bring

4. fig. of influence on character

5.

a. cause to walk, go

b. cause to flow, run

c. cause to depart, retire, go back

H3915

לַיִלlayil/lah'-yil/

n-m — twist, night, adversity

Derivation: or (Isaiah 21:11) לֵיל; also לַיְלָה; from the same as 3883;

properly, a twist (away of the light), i.e. night; figuratively, adversity

KJV: (mid-)night (season).

לַ֫יְלָה

n.m — night

לַ֫יְלָה, לַ֫יִל 242 n.m. night

H1931

הוּאhûwʼ/hoo/

p — he, she, it, self, same, this, that, as, are

Derivation: of which the feminine (beyond the Pentateuch) is הִיא; he a primitive word, the third person pronoun singular;

he (she or it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also (intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same; sometimes (as demonstrative) this or that; occasionally (instead of copula) as or are

KJV: he, as for her, him(-self), it, the same, she (herself), such, that (...it), these, they, this, those, which (is), who.

הוּא

m — he

הוּא m. הִיא f., pron. of the 3rd ps. sing. he, she, used also (in both genders) for the neuter it

1. an emph. he (she, it, they), sometimes equivalent to himself (herself, itself, themselves), or (esp. with the art.) that (those)

2. It resumes the subj. with emph.

3. Where, however, the pron. follows the pred., its position gives it the minimum of emphasis, and it expresses (or resumes) the subject as unobtrusively as possible

4. It anticipates (as it seems) the subject

5. As an emph. predicate, of God

6. In a neuter sense, that, it (of an action, occurrence, matte, etc.)

7. With the art.: so regularly when joined to a subst. defined itself by the art.

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