in Ramah , &c. Hebrew "in Ramah and in his own city". Figure of speech Hendiadys ( App-6 ) = in his own city, Ramah.
had familiar spirits . Familiar spirits are demons pretending to be dead persons; hence the word "necromancy". See notes on Leviticus 19:31 and Isaiah 8:19 .
enquired = asked. Hebrew. sha'al, to ask. Not darash, "to seek out". See note on 1 Samuel 28:7 , and 1Ch 10:13 , 1 Chronicles 10:14 .
the LORD . Hebrew. Jehovah . App-4 .
answered him not . Not likely therefore to answer now by a way He had forbidden. Samuel had been dead two years.
Urim. See note on Exodus 28:30 . Numbers 26:55 . It must have been an ephod of his own making, as Abiathar the High Priest was with David. Saul makes no mention of this in 1 Samuel 28:13 .
man. Hebrew. 'ish. App-14 . Not a spirit. mantle. If a spirit, why a mantle? Samuel's spirit was with God (Ecclesiastes 12:7 ). And if Samuel's body, it would be with "grave-clothes" (John 11:44 ).
perceived = understood: i.e. from what the medium said. He saw nothing.
Samuel said : i.e. the spirit personating Samuel said. Just as it is done in the present day by the medium: never directly.
disquieted . If Samuel, then it shows he was "quiet" before.
me . Not my spirit.
God. Hebrew. Elohim . App-4 .
no more . Therefore certainly not by means which He had expressly forbidden. See Leviticus 19:31 ; Leviticus 20:6 , Leviticus 20:27 . Deuteronomy 18:10 , Deuteronomy 18:13 , &c.
by prophets . Saul omits the reference to "Urim" because it would remind him of the murder of the priests (1 Samuel 22:18 , 1 Samuel 22:19 ). See note on 1 Samuel 28:6 .
Then said Samuel . Jehovah might have sent "a lying spirit", and given by it a true message, just as He did in 2 Chronicles 18:19-22 . Nothing was said but what was well known before.
become thine enemy . The Septuagint reads "and hath come to be with thy neighbour". Compare 1 Samuel 28:17 with 1 Samuel 15:28 .
Verse 1
men . Hebrew. '. enosh. App-14 .
Verse 2
Surely = Therefore; which Achish repeats in his reply.
keeper of mine head : i.e. captain of my body-guard.
Verse 3
in Ramah , &c. Hebrew "in Ramah and in his own city". Figure of speech Hendiadys ( App-6 ) = in his own city, Ramah.
had familiar spirits . Familiar spirits are demons pretending to be dead persons; hence the word "necromancy". See notes on Leviticus 19:31 and Isaiah 8:19 .
wizards = wise, cunning, or knowing ones.
Verse 6
enquired = asked. Hebrew. sha'al, to ask. Not darash, "to seek out". See note on 1 Samuel 28:7 , and 1Ch 10:13 , 1 Chronicles 10:14 .
the LORD . Hebrew. Jehovah . App-4 .
answered him not . Not likely therefore to answer now by a way He had forbidden. Samuel had been dead two years.
Urim. See note on Exodus 28:30 . Numbers 26:55 . It must have been an ephod of his own making, as Abiathar the High Priest was with David. Saul makes no mention of this in 1 Samuel 28:13 .
Verse 7
a woman . Answering to the modern "mediums".
hath = owneth, possesses as mistress. See note on Leviticus 19:31 .
enquire = seek out. Hebrew. darash, a deeper meaning than 1 Samuel 28:6 . See note above. Compare 1 Chronicles 10:13 , 1 Chronicles 10:14 .
Behold. Figure of speech Asterismos. App-6 .
Verse 8
by the familiar spirit . Hence called necromancy.
Verse 9
life = soul. Hebrew. nephesh. App-13 .
Verse 11
up . Note: not down, or forth. Compare 1 Samuel 28:13 .
Verse 12
saw Samuel . Or, the materialisation of a deceiving spirit personating Samuel, as is done by "mediums" to-day.
she cried , &c. Evidently surprised, and getting more than she expected.
thou art Saul . How should she know this but by a communication from the spirit.
Verse 13
gods . Plural of Elohim. Either "a god "or a spirit manifestation.
out of the earth . Not down, or forth, as in John 11:43 , John 11:44 .
Verse 14
man. Hebrew. 'ish. App-14 . Not a spirit. mantle. If a spirit, why a mantle? Samuel's spirit was with God (Ecclesiastes 12:7 ). And if Samuel's body, it would be with "grave-clothes" (John 11:44 ).
perceived = understood: i.e. from what the medium said. He saw nothing.
stooped = did obeisance.
Verse 15
Samuel said : i.e. the spirit personating Samuel said. Just as it is done in the present day by the medium: never directly.
disquieted . If Samuel, then it shows he was "quiet" before.
me . Not my spirit.
God. Hebrew. Elohim . App-4 .
no more . Therefore certainly not by means which He had expressly forbidden. See Leviticus 19:31 ; Leviticus 20:6 , Leviticus 20:27 . Deuteronomy 18:10 , Deuteronomy 18:13 , &c.
by prophets . Saul omits the reference to "Urim" because it would remind him of the murder of the priests (1 Samuel 22:18 , 1 Samuel 22:19 ). See note on 1 Samuel 28:6 .
Verse 16
Then said Samuel . Jehovah might have sent "a lying spirit", and given by it a true message, just as He did in 2 Chronicles 18:19-22 . Nothing was said but what was well known before.
become thine enemy . The Septuagint reads "and hath come to be with thy neighbour". Compare 1 Samuel 28:17 with 1 Samuel 15:28 .
Verse 17
as = according as.
by me = by my hand.
Verse 18
obeyedst not = hearkenedst not to.
wrath . Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Cause), App-6 , for the judgment in consequence of it.
Verse 19
with me : i.e. with the dead.
Verse 20
fell straightway = remained motionless. Compare Acts 9:7 , where "stood.
speechless = remained speechless. See Acts 26:14 . The two passages
together = fell, and remained so.
bread = food. Figure of speech Synecdoche (of Species). App-6 .
Verse 21
Behold . Figure of speech Asterismos. App-6 .
Verse 24
house = shed.