1 Samuel 28:8

Contextual Overview

⁷ Then Saul said to his slaves, Seek me a woman that is mistress of a spirit, that I may go to her, and inquire of her. And his slaves said to him, Look, there is a woman at En-dor that is mistress of a spirit. ⁷ Saul then said to his advisers, "Find a woman who is a medium, so I can go and ask her what to do." His advisers replied, "There is a medium at Endor." ⁷ Then said Saul unto his servants, Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and inquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman that hath a familiar spirit at En–dor. ⁷ Then Saul said to his servants, "Find me a woman who is a medium so I may go and ask her what will happen." His servants answered, "There is a medium in Endor." ⁷ 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." ⁷ Then said Saul to his servants, seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and inquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, [there is] a woman that hath a familiar spirit at En-dor. ⁷ Then said Saul to his servants, Seek me a woman who has a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and inquire of her. His servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman who has a familiar spirit at En-dor. ⁷Then Saul said to his servants, "Find for me a woman who is a medium [between the living and the dead], so that I may go to her and ask her advice." His servants said to him, "There is a woman who is a medium at En-dor." 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." ⁷ And Saul seide to hise seruauntis, Seke ye to me a womman hauynge a feend spekynge in the wombe; and Y schal go to hir, and Y schal axe bi hir. And hise seruauntis seiden to hym, A womman hauynge a feend spekynge in the wombe is in Endor.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

disguised: 1 Kings 14:2, 1 Kings 14:3, 1 Kings 22:30, 1 Kings 22:34, Job 24:13-15, Jeremiah 23:24, John 3:19

I pray thee: Deuteronomy 18:11, 1 Chronicles 10:13, Isaiah 8:19

bring me: 1 Samuel 28:15

Reciprocal: 2 Chronicles 18:29 - I will disguise Ezekiel 12:6 - cover

Cross-References

Genesis 24:3
that I may make you swear by the Lord , the God of heaven and God of the earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell,

Genesis 24:3
And I will make you swear by Yahweh, the God of heaven and the God of the earth, that you will not take a wife for my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell.

Genesis 24:3
Make a promise to me before the Lord , the God of heaven and earth. Don't get a wife for my son from the Canaanite girls who live around here.

Genesis 24:3
so that I may make you solemnly promise by the Lord , the God of heaven and the God of the earth: You must not acquire a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I am living.

Genesis 24:3
And I will make thee swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and the God of the earth, that thou wilt not take a wife for my son of the daughters of the Canaanites among whom I dwell:

Genesis 24:3
I will make you swear by Yahweh, the God of heaven and the God of the earth, that you shall not take a wife for my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I live.

Genesis 24:3
and I will make you swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and the God of earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I live,

Genesis 24:3
that Y coniure thee bi the Lord God of heuene and of erthe, that thou take not a wijf to my sone of the douytris of Chanaan, among whiche Y dwelle;

Genesis 24:3
and I cause thee to swear by Jehovah, God of the heavens, and God of the earth, that thou dost not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanite, in the midst of whom I am dwelling;

Genesis 24:3
and I will have you swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and the God of earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites among whom I am dwelling,

Gill's Notes on the Bible

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 gone, and especially whither he was gone:

and he went, and two men with him: these, according to the tradition of the Jews e, were Abner and Amasa; but it is not probable that Saul should leave his army destitute of their general at such a time as this:

and they came to the woman by night; not only that they might not be seen, but because it was a work of darkness they were going about, and it was only in the night season that such persons exercised their black art; though the Jews f say it was day, only because of their distress it was like tonight with them; but the literal sense is best:

and he said, I pray thee divine unto me by the familiar spirit; exercise her art of divination, by the assistance of the familiar spirit she conversed with:

and bring me up whom I shall name unto thee: that is, from the dead; for necromancy was the kind of divination she professed; and such persons pretended to have a power to bring up a deceased person, and consult with him about secret and future things.

e Vajikra Rabba, sect. 26. fol. 167. 1. Shalshalet ib. f Tanchuma apud Jarchiura in loc.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Divine - Compare to 1 Samuel 6:2, note; Numbers 23:23, note.

Bring me him up - The art of the ventriloquist seems to have been always connected with necromancy. The Greeks had necromancers who called up departed spirits to give answers to those who consulted them.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Samuel 28:8. Saul disguised himself — That he might not be known by the woman, lest she, being terrified, should refuse to use her art.