Lectionary Calendar
Wednesday, December 24th, 2025
Christmas Eve
Attention!
Tired of seeing ads while studying? Now you can enjoy an "Ads Free" version of the site for as little as 10¢ a day and support a great cause!
Click here to learn more!

Read the Bible

New Century Version

1 Samuel 28:21

Then the woman came to Saul and saw that he was really frightened. She said, "Look, I, your servant, have obeyed you. I have risked my life and done what you told me to do.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - En-Dor;   Familiar Spirits;   Saul;   Sorcery;   Witchcraft;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Endor;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Descent into Hell (Hades);   Holman Bible Dictionary - Divination and Magic;   Maid, Maiden;   Samuel, Books of;   Urim and Thummim;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Death;   En-Dor;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Descent into Hades;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Saul;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Hebrew Monarchy, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Hand;   Handmaid;   Samuel, Books of;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Endor, the Witch of;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
The woman came over to Saul, and she saw that he was terrified and said to him, “Look, your servant has obeyed you. I took my life in my hands and did what you told me to do.
Hebrew Names Version
The woman came to Sha'ul, and saw that he was sore troubled, and said to him, Behold, your handmaid has listened to your voice, and I have put my life in my hand, and have listened to your words which you spoke to me.
King James Version
And the woman came unto Saul, and saw that he was sore troubled, and said unto him, Behold, thine handmaid hath obeyed thy voice, and I have put my life in my hand, and have hearkened unto thy words which thou spakest unto me.
Lexham English Bible
Then the woman came to Saul and realized that he was absolutely terrified, so she said to him, "Look, your female servant has obeyed you, and I have risked my life. I have listened to your words that you have spoken to me.
English Standard Version
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.
New English Translation
When the woman came to Saul and saw how terrified he was, she said to him, "Your servant has done what you asked. I took my life into my own hands and did what you told me.
Amplified Bible
The woman came to Saul and saw that he was greatly troubled, and she said to him, "Look, your maidservant has obeyed you, and I have taken my life in my hand and have listened to everything you said to me.
New American Standard Bible
The woman came to Saul and saw that he was utterly horrified, and she said to him, "Behold, your servant has obeyed you, and I have taken my life in my hand and have listened to your words which you spoke to me.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Then the woman came vnto Saul, & sawe that he was sore troubled, and said vnto him, See, thine handmaide hath obeyed thy voyce, and I haue put my soule in mine hande, and haue obeyed thy wordes which thou saydest vnto me.
Legacy Standard Bible
And the woman came to Saul and saw that he was terrified and said to him, "Behold, your servant-woman has listened to your voice, and I have taken my life in my hand and have listened to your words which you spoke to me.
Contemporary English Version
The woman came over to Saul, and when she saw that he was completely terrified, she said, "Your Majesty, I listened to you and risked my life to do what you asked.
Complete Jewish Bible
The woman approached Sha'ul, saw that he was panic-stricken and said to him, "Here, your servant listened to what you said; I put my life in my hands and did what you requested me to do.
Darby Translation
And the woman came to Saul, and saw that he was sore troubled, and said to him, Behold, thy bondmaid has hearkened to thy voice, and I have put my life in my hand, and have hearkened to thy words which thou spokest to me.
Easy-to-Read Version
The woman came over to Saul and saw how afraid he was. She said, "Look, I am your servant. I have obeyed you. I risked my life and did what you told me to do.
George Lamsa Translation
And the woman came to Saul, and saw that he was exceedingly afraid, and said to him, Behold, your handmaid has obeyed your voice, and I have put my life in your hand, and have listened to the words which you spoke to me.
Good News Translation
The woman went over to him and saw that he was terrified, so she said to him, "Please, sir, I risked my life by doing what you asked.
Literal Translation
And the woman came to Saul. And she saw that he was much terrified, and said to him, Behold, your servant has listened to your voice, and I put my life in my hand, and I obeyed your words which you spoke to me.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And the woman wente into Saul, & sawe that he was sore vexed, and sayde vnto him: Beholde, thy handmayde hath herkened vnto thy voyce, and I haue put my soule in my hande, so that I haue herkened vnto yi wordes which thou spakest vnto me.
American Standard Version
And the woman came unto Saul, and saw that he was sore troubled, and said unto him, Behold, thy handmaid hath hearkened unto thy voice, and I have put my life in my hand, and have hearkened unto thy words which thou spakest unto me.
Bible in Basic English
And the woman came to Saul and saw that he was in great trouble, and said to him, See now, your servant has given ear to your words, and I have put my life in danger by doing what you said.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And the woman came vnto Saul, & sawe that he was sore troubled, & sayde vnto him: See, thyne handmayde hath obeyed thy voyce, & haue put my soule in my hand, and haue hearkened vnto thy wordes which thou sayedst vnto me.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And the woman came unto Saul, and saw that he was sore affrighted, and said unto him: 'Behold, thy handmaid hath hearkened unto thy voice, and I have put my life in my hand, and have hearkened unto thy words which thou spokest unto me.
King James Version (1611)
And the woman came vnto Saul, and saw that he was sore troubled, and sayd vnto him, Behold, thine handmayd hath obeyed thy voice, and I haue put my life in my hand, and haue hearkened vnto thy words which thou spakest vnto me:
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And the woman went in to Saul, and saw that he was greatly disquieted, and said to him, Behold now, thine handmaid has hearkened to thy voice, and I have put my life in my hand, and have heard the words which thou has spoken to me.
English Revised Version
And the woman came unto Saul, and saw that he was sore troubled, and said unto him, Behold, thine handmaid hath hearkened unto thy voice, and I have put my life in my hand, and have hearkened unto thy words which thou spakest unto me.
Berean Standard Bible
When the woman came to Saul and saw how distraught he was, she said to him, "Look, your maidservant has obeyed your voice. I took my life in my hands and did as you told me.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Therfor thilke womman entride to Saul, and seide; for he was disturblid greetli; and sche seide to hym, Lo! thin handmayde obeiede to thi vois, and Y haue put my lijf in myn hond, and Y herde thi wordis, whiche thou spakist to me.
Young's Literal Translation
And the woman cometh in unto Saul, and seeth that he hath been greatly troubled, and saith unto him, `Lo, thy maid-servant hath hearkened to thy voice, and I put my soul in my hand, and I obey thy words which thou hast spoken unto me;
Update Bible Version
And the woman came to Saul, and saw that he was very troubled, and said to him, Look, your female slave has listened to your voice, and I have put my life in my hand, and have listened to your words which you spoke to me.
Webster's Bible Translation
And the woman came to Saul, and saw that he was greatly troubled, and said to him, Behold, thy handmaid hath obeyed thy voice, and I have put my life in my hand, and have hearkened to thy words, which thou didst speak
World English Bible
The woman came to Saul, and saw that he was sore troubled, and said to him, Behold, your handmaid has listened to your voice, and I have put my life in my hand, and have listened to your words which you spoke to me.
New King James Version
And the woman came to Saul and saw that he was severely troubled, and said to him, "Look, your maidservant has obeyed your voice, and I have put my life in my hands and heeded the words which you spoke to me.
New Living Translation
When the woman saw how distraught he was, she said, "Sir, I obeyed your command at the risk of my life.
New Life Bible
The woman came to Saul and saw that he was filled with fear. She said to him, "See, your woman servant has obeyed you. I have put my life in danger and have listened to what you said to me.
New Revised Standard
The woman came to Saul, and when she saw that he was terrified, she said to him, "Your servant has listened to you; I have taken my life in my hand, and have listened to what you have said to me.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And the woman came unto Saul, and, when she saw that he was greatly terrified, she said unto him - Lo! thy handmaid hearkened unto thy voice, and I put my life into my hand, and heard thy words which thou didst speak unto me.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And the woman came to Saul, (for he was very much troubled) and said to him: Behold thy handmaid hath obeyed thy voice, and I have put my life in my hand: and I hearkened unto the words which thou spokest to me.
Revised Standard Version
And the woman came to Saul, and when she saw that he was terrified, she said to him, "Behold, your handmaid has hearkened to you; I have taken my life in my hand, and have hearkened to what you have said to me.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
The woman came to Saul and saw that he was terrified, and said to him, "Behold, your maidservant has obeyed you, and I have taken my life in my hand and have listened to your words which you spoke to me.

Contextual Overview

20 Saul quickly fell flat on the ground and was afraid of what Samuel had said. He was also very weak because he had eaten nothing all that day and night. 21 Then the woman came to Saul and saw that he was really frightened. She said, "Look, I, your servant, have obeyed you. I have risked my life and done what you told me to do. 22 Now please listen to me. Let me give you some food so you may eat and have enough strength to go on your way." 23 But Saul refused, saying, "I won't eat." His servants joined the woman in asking him to eat, and he listened to them. So he got up from the ground and sat on the bed. 24 At the house the woman had a fat calf, which she quickly killed. She took some flour and mixed dough with her hands. Then she baked some bread without yeast. 25 She put the food before them, and they ate. That same night they got up and left.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

I have put: 1 Samuel 19:5, Judges 12:3, Job 13:14

Reciprocal: 2 Kings 6:11 - Therefore

Cross-References

Exodus 15:2
The Lord gives me strength and makes me sing; he has saved me. He is my God, and I will praise him. He is the God of my ancestors, and I will honor him.
Deuteronomy 26:17
Today you have said that the Lord is your God, and you have promised to do what he wants you to do—to keep his rules, commands, and laws. You have said you will obey him.
Judges 11:31
I will give you as a burnt offering the first thing that comes out of my house to meet me when I return from the victory. It will be the Lord 's."
2 Samuel 15:8
while I was living in Geshur in Aram. I said, ‘If the Lord takes me back to Jerusalem, I will worship him in Hebron.'"
2 Samuel 19:24
Mephibosheth, Saul's grandson, also went down to meet King David. Mephibosheth had not cared for his feet, cut his beard, or washed his clothes from the time the king had left Jerusalem until he returned safely.
2 Samuel 19:30
Mephibosheth said to the king, "Let Ziba take all the land now that my master the king has arrived safely home."
2 Kings 5:17
Then Naaman said, "If you won't take the gift, then please give me some soil—as much as two of my mules can carry. From now on I'll not offer any burnt offering or sacrifice to any other gods but the Lord .

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And the woman came unto Saul,.... Having left him and the apparition in a room by themselves to converse together, and perhaps on hearing him fall to the ground came in:

and saw that he was sore troubled: by his lying on the ground, and the agonies he seemed to be in, and the uneasiness that sat upon his countenance:

and said unto him, behold, thine handmaid hath obeyed thy voice; in divining by her familiar spirit for him, and in bringing up Samuel to him, as he desired:

and I have put my life in my hand; exposed it to the utmost danger, since a person of her profession, and token in the exercise of it, was punishable with death; and especially she was in the greater danger, as it was Saul himself, who had by an edict expelled all such persons from his dominions, who now employed her, as she perceived:

and have hearkened unto thy words which thou spakest unto me: to the oath he had taken, that no hurt should come to her, which she confided in, and relied upon, and to what he bid her do, according to her art of divination.


 
adsfree-icon
Ads FreeProfile