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Friday, July 25th, 2025
the Week of Proper 11 / Ordinary 16
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Read the Bible

New King James Version

1 Samuel 28:20

Immediately Saul fell full length on the ground, and was dreadfully afraid because of the words of Samuel. And there was no strength in him, for he had eaten no food all day or all night.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - En-Dor;   Familiar Spirits;   Samuel;   Saul;   Sorcery;   Witchcraft;   Thompson Chain Reference - Fasting;   Self-Indulgence-Self-Denial;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Fear, Unholy;  

Dictionaries:

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

Encyclopedias:

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

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Immediately, Saul fell flat on the ground. He was terrified by Samuel’s words and was also weak because he had not eaten anything all day and all night.
Hebrew Names Version
Then Sha'ul fell immediately his full length on the eretz, and was sore afraid, because of the words of Shemu'el: and there was no strength in him; for he had eaten no bread all the day, nor all the night.
King James Version
Then Saul fell straightway all along on the earth, and was sore afraid, because of the words of Samuel: and there was no strength in him; for he had eaten no bread all the day, nor all the night.
Lexham English Bible
Then Saul immediately fell prostrate to the ground, and he was very afraid because of the words of Samuel; there was no more strength in him, for he had not eaten food all day and all night.
English Standard Version
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.
New Century Version
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.
New English Translation
Saul quickly fell full length on the ground and was very afraid because of Samuel's words. He was completely drained of energy, not having eaten anything all that day and night.
Amplified Bible
Then Saul immediately fell full length on the earth [floor of the medium's house], and was very afraid because of Samuel's words; and he was thoroughly exhausted because he had not eaten all day and all night.
New American Standard Bible
Then Saul immediately fell full length to the ground and was very afraid because of Samuel's words; there was no strength in him either, because he had eaten no food all day and all night.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Then Saul fell streight way all along on the earth, and was sore afraide because of the wordes of Samuel, so that there was no strength in him: for he had eaten no bread all the day nor all the night.
Legacy Standard Bible
Then Saul quickly fell full length upon the ground and was very afraid because of the words of Samuel; also there was no strength in him, for he had eaten no food all day and all night.
Contemporary English Version
At once, Saul collapsed and lay stretched out on the floor, terrified at what Samuel had said. He was weak because he had not eaten anything since the day before.
Complete Jewish Bible
Sha'ul immediately fell full length on the ground and became terribly frightened because of what Sh'mu'el had said. He had no strength left in him, for he had eaten nothing all that day and night.
Darby Translation
And Saul fell straightway his full length on the earth, and was sore afraid because of the words of Samuel; and there was no strength in him, for he had eaten no bread all the day nor all the night.
Easy-to-Read Version
Saul quickly fell to the ground and lay stretched out there. Saul was afraid because of what Samuel said. Saul was also very weak because he had not eaten any food all that day and night.
George Lamsa Translation
Then Saul fell straightway upon his face on the ground, and was exceedingly afraid because of the words of Samuel; and there was no strength in him; for he had eaten no bread all that day, nor all that night.
Good News Translation
At once Saul fell down and lay stretched out on the ground, terrified by what Samuel had said. He was weak, because he had not eaten anything all day and all night.
Literal Translation
And Saul hurried and fell the full length of his stature to the earth, and greatly feared from the words of Samuel. And there was no power in him, for he had not eaten food all that day, and all the night.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Then fell Saul immediatly vnto the earth, for he coulde not stonde, and was sore afrayed at these wordes of Samuel, so that there was nomore strength in him: for he had eaten no bred all that daye and all that night.
American Standard Version
Then Saul fell straightway his full length upon the earth, and was sore afraid, because of the words of Samuel: and there was no strength in him; for he had eaten no bread all the day, nor all the night.
Bible in Basic English
Then Saul went down flat on the earth, and was full of fear because of Samuel's words: and there was no strength in him, for he had taken no food all that day or all that night.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Then Saul fell straightway all along on the earth, and was sore afrayde because of the wordes of Samuel. And there was no strength in him: for he had eaten no bread all the day, nor all the night.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
Then Saul fell straightway his full length upon the earth, and was sore afraid, because of the words of Samuel; and there was no strength in him; for he had eaten no bread all the day, nor all the night.
King James Version (1611)
Then Saul fell straightway all along on the earth, and was sore afraid, because of the words of Samuel, & there was no strength in him: for he had eaten no bread all the day, nor al the night.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And Saul instantly fell at his full length upon the earth, and was greatly afraid because of the words of Samuel; and there was no longer any strength in him, for he had eaten no bread all that day, and all that night.
English Revised Version
Then Saul fell straightway his full length upon the earth, and was sore afraid, because of the words of Samuel: and there was no strength in him; for he had eaten no bread all the day, nor all the night.
Berean Standard Bible
Immediately Saul fell flat on the ground, terrified by the words of Samuel. And his strength was gone, because he had not eaten anything all that day and night.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And anoon Saul felde stretchid forth to erthe; for he dredde the wordis of Samuel, and strengthe was not in hym, for he hadde not ete breed in al that dai and al nyyt.
Young's Literal Translation
And Saul hasteth and falleth -- the fulness of his stature -- to the earth, and feareth greatly because of the words of Samuel; also power was not in him, for he had not eaten bread all the day, and all the night.
Update Bible Version
Then Saul fell immediately his full length on the earth, and was very afraid, because of the words of Samuel: and there was no strength in him; for he had eaten no bread all the day, nor all the night.
Webster's Bible Translation
Then Saul fell immediately all along on the earth, and was exceedingly afraid, because of the words of Samuel: and there was no strength in him; for he had eaten no bread all the day, nor all the night.
World English Bible
Then Saul fell immediately his full length on the earth, and was sore afraid, because of the words of Samuel: and there was no strength in him; for he had eaten no bread all the day, nor all the night.
New Living Translation
Saul fell full length on the ground, paralyzed with fright because of Samuel's words. He was also faint with hunger, for he had eaten nothing all day and all night.
New Life Bible
At once Saul fell to the ground with his whole body. He was very afraid because of Samuel's words. And there was no strength in him, for he had eaten no food all day and all night.
New Revised Standard
Immediately Saul fell 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.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Then Saul hastened, and fell prostrate - the whole length of him - to the earth, and was sore afraid, at the words of Samuel, and indeed, no, strength, was left in him, for he had not eaten food all the day and all the night.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And forthwith Saul fell all along on the ground; for he was frightened with the words of Samuel, and there was no strength in him, for he had eaten no bread all that day.
Revised Standard Version
Then Saul fell at once full length upon 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.
THE MESSAGE
Saul dropped to the ground, felled like a tree, terrified by Samuel's words. There wasn't an ounce of strength left in him—he'd eaten nothing all day and all night. The woman, realizing that he was in deep shock, said to him, "Listen to me. I did what you asked me to do, put my life in your hands in doing it, carried out your instructions to the letter. It's your turn to do what I tell you: Let me give you some food. Eat it. It will give you strength so you can get on your way."
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Then Saul immediately fell full length upon the ground and was very afraid because of the words of Samuel; also there was no strength in him, for he had eaten no food all day and all night.

Contextual Overview

20 Immediately Saul fell full length on the ground, and was dreadfully afraid because of the words of Samuel. And there was no strength in him, for he had eaten no food all day or all night. 21 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. 22 Now therefore, please, heed also the voice of your maidservant, and let me set a piece of bread before you; and eat, that you may have strength when you go on your way." 23 But he refused and said, "I will not eat." So his servants, together with the woman, urged him; and he heeded their voice. Then he arose from the ground and sat on the bed. 24 Now the woman had a fatted calf in the house, and she hastened to kill it. And she took flour and kneaded it, and baked unleavened bread from it. 25 So she brought it before Saul and his servants, and they ate. Then they rose and went away that night.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

fell straightway: Heb. made haste and fell with the fullness of his stature

sore afraid: 1 Samuel 28:5, 1 Samuel 25:37, Job 15:20-24, Job 26:2, Psalms 50:21, Psalms 50:22

Reciprocal: Esther 6:13 - If Mordecai Psalms 73:19 - they are Isaiah 23:10 - no more Hebrews 10:27 - a certain

Cross-References

Genesis 28:1
Then Isaac called Jacob and blessed him, and charged him, and said to him: "You shall not take a wife from the daughters of Canaan.
Genesis 28:2
Arise, go to Padan Aram, to the house of Bethuel your mother's father; and take yourself a wife from there of the daughters of Laban your mother's brother.
Genesis 28:3
"May God Almighty bless you, And make you fruitful and multiply you, That you may be an assembly of peoples;
Genesis 28:7
and that Jacob had obeyed his father and his mother and had gone to Padan Aram.
Genesis 28:10
Now Jacob went out from Beersheba and went toward Haran.
Genesis 28:12
Then he dreamed, and behold, a ladder was set up on the earth, and its top reached to heaven; and there the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.
Genesis 28:15
Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you."
Genesis 28:20
Then Jacob made a vow, saying, "If God will be with me, and keep me in this way that I am going, and give me bread to eat and clothing to put on,
Genesis 31:13
I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed the pillar and where you made a vow to Me. Now arise, get out of this land, and return to the land of your family."'
1 Samuel 1:11
Then she made a vow and said, "O LORD of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a male child, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall come upon his head."

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Then Saul fell straightway all along on the earth,.... Fell at his full length at once, as if he had been thunderstruck, or pierced through with a dart or sword:

and was sore afraid, because of the words of Samuel; as he supposed they were, whose words never failed:

and there was no strength in him: to rise up again, he was quite dispirited and strengthless:

for he had eaten no bread all the day, nor all the night; which contributed the more to his weakness; not only his fears, but not eating any food, occasioned his weakness, and that through want of an appetite, by reason of the great concern of his mind in his present troubles.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Samuel 28:20. Then Saul fell straightway all along on the earth. — Literally, he fell with his own length, or with the fullness of his stature. He was so overwhelmed with this most dreadful message, that he swooned away, and thus fell at his own length upon the ground. The woman, being terrified, had probably withdrawn to some distance at the first appearance of the prophet; and Saul was left alone with Samuel. After some short time, the woman came again unto Saul, found him sore troubled, and offered him those succours which humanity dictated.


 
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