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1 Samuel 28:1 open_in_new
men. Hebrew. '. enosh. App-14.
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1 Samuel 28:2 open_in_new
Surely. Therefore; which Achish repeats in his reply.
keeper of mine head: i.e. captain of my body-guard.
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1 Samuel 28:3 open_in_new
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.
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1 Samuel 28:6 open_in_new
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. 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.
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1 Samuel 28:7 open_in_new
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.
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1 Samuel 28:8 open_in_new
by the familiar spirit. Hence called necromancy.
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1 Samuel 28:9 open_in_new
life. soul. Hebrew. nephesh. App-13.
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1 Samuel 28:11 open_in_new
up. Note: not down, or forth. Compare 1 Samuel 28:13.
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1 Samuel 28:12 open_in_new
saw Samuel. Or, the materialisation of. 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. communication from the spirit.
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1 Samuel 28:13 open_in_new
gods. Plural of Elohim. Either "a god "or. spirit manifestation.
out of the earth. Not down, or forth, as in John 11:43; John 11:44.
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1 Samuel 28:14 open_in_new
man. Hebrew. 'ish. App-14. Not. spirit. mantle. If. spirit, why. 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.
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1 Samuel 28:15 open_in_new
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.
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1 Samuel 28:16 open_in_new
Then said Samuel. Jehovah might have sent "a lying spirit", and given by it. 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.
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1 Samuel 28:17 open_in_new
as. according as.
by me. by my hand.
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1 Samuel 28:18 open_in_new
obeyedst not. hearkenedst not to.
wrath. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Cause), App-6, for the judgment in consequence of it.
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1 Samuel 28:19 open_in_new
with me: i.e. with the dead.
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1 Samuel 28:20 open_in_new
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.
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1 Samuel 28:21 open_in_new
Behold. Figure of speech Asterismos. App-6.
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1 Samuel 28:24 open_in_new
house. shed.