1 Samuel 28:9
in 1 Samuel 28But the woman replied, “Surely you know what Saul has done, how he has killed the mediums and spiritists in the land. Why have you set a trap to get me killed?”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And the woman said unto him, Behold, thou knowest what Saul hath done, how he hath cut off those that have familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land: wherefore then layest thou a snare for my life, to cause me to die?
KJV
And the woman said unto him, Behold, thou knowest what Saul hath done, how he hath cut off those that have familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land: wherefore then layest thou a snare for my life, to cause me to die?
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This verse in 1 Samuel 28
Commentary
6 notes on this verseA commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
On the other hand, many eminent writers (considering that the apparition came before her arts were put in practice; that she herself was surprised and alarmed; that the prediction of Saul's own death and the defeat of his forces was confidently made), are of opinion that Samuel really appeared.
This site's exposition
Surely you know what Saul has done
on 1 Samuel 28:9-10
The woman names Saul's own law to him without knowing who he is. Henry notes that her fear is for her life rather than the sin, the common order among sinners. Saul answers with an oath by the LORD, promising a safety the law gave him no right to promise.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
She considered what Saul had done, not what God had done, against such practices, and feared a snare laid for her life more than a snare laid for her soul. It is common for sinners to be more afraid of punishment from men than of God's righteous judgment. Saul promises with an oath not to betray her,
Samuel appears, and foretells his defeat and death, ver. 12-19. Saul faints, and is with difficulty persuaded to take any sustenance, ver. 20-25. Commentary on Chapter XXVIII 2.
quarantine:anchor (2026-07-29) — cites-ver-20-anchored-7-11
And the woman said unto him,....
Many seem zealous against sin, when they themselves are any way hurt by it (they will inform against swearers if they swear at them, or against drunkards if in their drink they abuse them), who otherwise have no concern for the glory of God, nor any dislike of sin as sin. However it was commendable in Saul thus to use his power for the terror and restraint of these evil-doers.
The words behind it
23 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַתֹּ֨אמֶר | vatomer | and she said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| הָֽאִשָּׁ֜ה | haishah | the woman | H802 → | 781 times |
| אֵלָ֗יו | ʾelav | to him | H413 → | 5510 times |
| הִנֵּ֨ה | hineh | here! | H2009 → | 843 times |
| אַתָּ֤ה | ʾatah | you | H859 → | 1094 times |
| יָדַ֙עְתָּ֙ | yada'ta | you know | H3045 → | 945 times |
| אֵ֣ת | ʾet | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| אֲשֶׁר־ | ʾasher- | [that] which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| עָשָׂ֣ה | ʾasah | he has done | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| שָׁא֔וּל | shaul | Saul | H7586 → | 402 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֥ר | ʾasher | that | H834 → | 5497 times |
| הִכְרִ֛ית | hikhrit | he has cut off | H3772 → | 288 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הָאֹב֥וֹת | haovot | the necromancers | H178 → | 17 times |
| וְאֶת־ | veet | and <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הַיִּדְּעֹנִ֖י | haiyideoni | the soothsayer | H3049 → | |
| מִן־ | min- | from | H4480 → | 1188 times |
| הָאָ֑רֶץ | haaretz | the land | H776 → | 2504 times |
| וְלָמָ֥ה | velamah | and <to> why? | H4100 → | 752 times |
| אַתָּ֛ה | ʾatah | [are] you | H859 → | 1094 times |
| מִתְנַקֵּ֥שׁ | mitnakesh | setting traps | H5367 → | |
| בְּנַפְשִׁ֖י | benafshi | on life my | H5315 → | 754 times |
| לַהֲמִיתֵֽנִי׃ | lahamiteni | to cause to die me | H4191 → | 839 times |
וַתֹּ֨אמֶרand she said
vatomerH559 →5305 times
הָֽאִשָּׁ֜הthe woman
haishahH802 →781 times
אֵלָ֗יוto him
ʾelavH413 →5510 times
הִנֵּ֨הhere!
hinehH2009 →843 times
אַתָּ֤הyou
ʾatahH859 →1094 times
יָדַ֙עְתָּ֙you know
yada'taH3045 →945 times
אֵ֣ת<obj.>
ʾetH853 →10935 times
אֲשֶׁר־[that] which
ʾasher-H834 →5497 times
עָשָׂ֣הhe has done
ʾasahH6213 →2628 times
שָׁא֔וּלSaul
shaulH7586 →402 times
אֲשֶׁ֥רthat
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
הִכְרִ֛יתhe has cut off
hikhritH3772 →288 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
הָאֹב֥וֹתthe necromancers
haovotH178 →17 times
וְאֶת־and <obj.>
veetH853 →10935 times
הַיִּדְּעֹנִ֖יthe soothsayer
haiyideoniH3049 →
מִן־from
min-H4480 →1188 times
הָאָ֑רֶץthe land
haaretzH776 →2504 times
וְלָמָ֥הand <to> why?
velamahH4100 →752 times
אַתָּ֛ה[are] you
ʾatahH859 →1094 times
מִתְנַקֵּ֥שׁsetting traps
mitnakeshH5367 →
בְּנַפְשִׁ֖יon life my
benafshiH5315 →754 times
לַהֲמִיתֵֽנִי׃to cause to die me
lahamiteniH4191 →839 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
2 Kings 5:7When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and asked, “Am I God, killing and giving life, that this man expects me to cure a leper? Surely you can see…
it leads to
- 1 Samuel 2:6
The LORD brings death and gives life; He brings down to Sheol and raises up.
- Genesis 30:2
Jacob became angry with Rachel and said, “Am I in the place of God, who has withheld children from you?”
- 1 Kings 20:7
Then the king of Israel summoned all the elders of the land and said, “Please take note and see that this man is looking for trouble, for when he demanded my wives, my children,…
- Deuteronomy 32:39
See now that I am He; there is no God besides Me. I bring death and I give life; I wound and I heal, and there is no one who can deliver from My…
- 1 Samuel 2:6
Through
1 Samuel 28:3Now by this time Samuel had died, and all Israel had mourned for him and buried him in Ramah, his own city. And Saul had removed the mediums and spiritists from the land.
it leads to
- Leviticus 19:31
You must not turn to mediums or spiritists; do not seek them out, or you will be defiled by them. I am the LORD your God.
- 1 Samuel 25:1
When Samuel died, all Israel gathered to mourn for him; and they buried him at his home in Ramah. Then David set out and went down to the Wilderness of Paran.
- Leviticus 20:27
A man or a woman who is a medium or spiritist must surely be put to death. They shall be stoned; their blood is upon them.’”
- Exodus 22:18
You must not allow a sorceress to live.
- Leviticus 19:31
Where this verse is studied
About 1 Samuel
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.