Day 78 – 1 Samuel 28:20-25

Scripture Review

1 Samuel 28:20-25

"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." (1 Samuel 28:20)

This is the collapse is Saul. One commentary says "all along" means his full length, literally the fulness of his stature, so the big king went down flat. Not to his knees in repentance. Not to an altar. Just down. Terror of mind and exhaustion of body emptied him at once.

"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." (1 Samuel 28:21)

Now the medium becomes hostess, "I have put my life in my hand" means she had exposed herself to the penalty of death by doing what Saul asked. Her concern may have been less tender mercy than real fear. I have heard old preachers say, half-grim and half-sad, that when a man refuses God long enough, he may find himself getting his last bit of sympathy from the wrong hands. The witch seems more composed than the king, and more practically helpful in the moment than the whole ruined machinery of Saul's court.

"Now therefore, I pray thee, hearken thou also unto the voice of thine handmaid, and let me set a morsel of bread before thee; and eat, that thou mayest have strength, when thou goest on thy way." (1 Samuel 28:22)

There is a good little observation here that is easy to miss. The woman draws an exact parallel between her obedience to Saul and the obedience she now asks from Saul. I hearkened to thy voice; now hearken thou also unto mine. She does not offer prophecy. She does not offer comfort. She offers bread. She offers worldly restoration so he can get back to camp. This is not a banquet of fellowship. It is field medicine in a haunted kitchen. Saul wanted a word from beyond the grave but what he gets is a bite of bread for the road back to judgment.

"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." (1 Samuel 28:23)

Saul's refusal sounds like the last spasm of a stubborn man who has not learned submission. He had to be persuaded with difficulty to take the bare minimum needed to return to his post. Saul can no longer govern himself enough to stand, enough to choose, enough even to refuse a meal without the whole room pressing him into it. Then he rises "from the earth" and sits "upon the bed," or couch.

"And the woman had a fat calf in the house; and she hasted, and killed it, and took flour, and kneaded it, and did bake unleavened bread thereof:" (1 Samuel 28:24)

This was not a dry crust tossed to a traveler. A fat calf meant something substantial, costly, and quick prepared from what was already on hand. The unleavened bread suits the haste of the hour. Everything in the verse moves fast. She hasted, killed, took, kneaded, baked. Saul, king of Israel, is now dining at a witch's table, filling his stomach instead of his soul.

"And she brought it before Saul, and before his servants; and they did eat. Then they rose up, and went away that night." (1 Samuel 28:25)

The woman's attentions and the servants' urging revived Saul enough for him to return to camp and await his doom. This is a reminder for me that seeking counsel or comfort any way other than God's institutions will end in disappointment, just as Saul was. Saul does eat. The food does help his body. But it does not change his standing with God by one hair's breadth.

"they rose up, and went away that night." is a picture of despair, defeat, and doom. No prayer. No repentance. No dawn breaking through. Just a meal, a rise, and a walk back into darkness. Saul is strengthened enough to die, but not restored enough to live. He goes out into the same night in which he came, only now he knows tomorrow's date with Gilboa has already been fixed. There is no word anywhere that Saul sought mercy. He sought information, got judgment, took supper, and went away.