1 Samuel 28:23 - Printer Friendly

ESV: He refused and said, "I will not eat." But his servants, together with the woman, urged him, and he listened to their words. So he arose from the earth and sat on the bed.

NIV: He refused and said, "I will not eat." But his men joined the woman in urging him, and he listened to them. He got up from the ground and sat on the couch.

NASB: But he refused and said, 'I will not eat.' However, his servants together with the woman urged him, and he listened to them. So he got up from the ground and sat on the bed.

CSB: He refused, saying, "I won’t eat," but when his servants and the woman urged him, he listened to them. He got up off the ground and sat on the bed.

NLT: But Saul refused to eat anything. Then his advisers joined the woman in urging him to eat, so he finally yielded and got up from the ground and sat on the couch.

KJV: But he refused, and said, I will not eat. But his servants, together with the woman, compelled him; and he hearkened unto their voice. So he arose from the earth, and sat upon the bed.

NKJV: 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.

Saul was afraid before. Now, he's in complete despair. He's facing a huge Philistine army. The only way he could get spiritual advice was by going to a medium to summon the spirit of Samuel. He's just learned he and his sons will die the next day. And he hasn't eaten anything (1 Samuel 28:3–19).

All these struggles are Saul's own fault. He has been disobeying God since his early battles (1 Samuel 13:8–12; 15:22–23). Samuel told him repeatedly that God would take the kingdom from him and give it to another (1 Samuel 13:13–14; 15:26–30). And Saul knows his successor is David.

It's all too much. He crumples to the ground and refuses to get up. The woman gently demands he do what she says and eat a little bread. He still refuses. But between her insistence and his servants' encouragement, he realizes she's right and sits up on the bed (1 Samuel 28:20–22). While he eats, the woman shows the hospitality of the culture. She kills her fattened calf, cooks it, and makes fresh bread. Saul and his servants eat and return to camp (1 Samuel 28:24–25).

In the morning, Saul and his army will battle the Philistines. They will flee and be defeated on Mount Gilboa. Jonathan and two of his brothers will be slain. Archers will wound Saul. When his armor-bearer refuses to put him out of his misery, Saul will fall on his own sword (1 Samuel 31:1–7).

For tonight, however, Saul and his servants share one last meal.

First Samuel 28:20–25 records King Saul's last known meal on earth. This gives him just enough strength to meet his doom. He's about to face the combined armies of the Philistines. Samuel's spirit has told him the Philistines will win, and Saul and his sons will die (1 Samuel 28:3–19). Saul hasn't eaten and collapses on the ground. The witch prepares them food, and she and his servants convince him to eat. The next day, three of Saul's sons, including Jonathan, will die. When Saul is wounded, he will fall on his sword (1 Samuel 31). Because of Saul's rebellion against God, David will be king.

Israelites and the Philistines prepare for war. The Philistine king Achish demands that David fight with him against Israel. Terrified at the amassed Philistine army and unable to reach the Lord for help, Saul finds a medium to contact Samuel's spirit. Samuel repeats that the Lord has taken the kingdom from Saul and adds that Saul and his sons will fall, along with Israel, the next day. The medium serves Saul and his men a large meal, and the men leave under the cover of darkness. David is saved from having to fight his own people, but Saul and his sons do die. David will soon be king (1 Samuel 29; 31).

David and his men have escaped Saul (1 Samuel 27) and begun been fighting Israel's enemies under the protection of the Philistine king Achish (1 Samuel 28). Now, Achish wants David to fight Israel with him. Saul sees the Philistine army and is terrified. He finds a medium to call up Samuel's spirit. Samuel tells Saul that he, his sons, and Israel will fall. Fortunately, the other Philistine kings refuse to fight with David, and Achish sends him home. But Saul's sons are killed. Mortally wounded, Saul will take his own life (1 Samuel 29; 31).

First Samuel introduces the key figures who led Israel after the era of the judges. The books of 1 and 2 Samuel were originally part of a single text, split in certain translations shortly before the birth of Christ. Some of the Bible’s most famous characters are depicted in this book. These including the prophet Samuel, Israel’s first king, Saul, her greatest king, David, and other famous names such as Goliath and Jonathan. By the end of this book, Saul has fallen; the book of 2 Samuel begins with David’s ascension to the throne.