This verse from 1 Samuel 28:8 describes a pivotal and desperate moment in the story of King Saul. Let's break it down:
"Saul disguised himself and put on other clothing...": Saul is in a state of panic. He's about to face the Philistine army in battle, and he is deeply worried because God has stopped communicating with him (through dreams, prophets, or the Urim and Thummim, as described earlier in the chapter). He knows that consulting a medium is forbidden (he himself had previously driven them out of the land - 1 Samuel 28:3), but he is so desperate for guidance that he is willing to break his own law. His disguise is an attempt to prevent the woman he's visiting from recognizing him and potentially refusing to help, or even denouncing him. It shows the depths of his shame and desperation.
"...and went, he and two men with him...": Saul doesn't go alone. He needs witnesses, and perhaps some level of reassurance or protection in this clandestine activity.
"...and they came to the woman by night.": The secrecy is emphasized by the nighttime visit. This further highlights the forbidden nature of the consultation.
"Then he said, “Please consult for me by the familiar spirit, and bring me up whomever I shall name to you.”": Here's the core of the issue. Saul is asking the woman, who is described as having a "familiar spirit" (a spirit that supposedly gives her occult powers), to perform necromancy – to conjure up a spirit of a dead person. In this case, he wants to speak with the prophet Samuel. This is explicitly forbidden by God in the Old Testament (e.g., Deuteronomy 18:10-12), and it represents a rejection of God's approved methods of communication. He's turning to the occult instead.
In summary, this verse illustrates:
Saul's desperation and fear: He's facing a crisis and feels abandoned by God.
Saul's disobedience: He knowingly breaks God's law in seeking guidance from a forbidden source.
Saul's descent into darkness: This act marks a significant low point in his reign and foreshadows his tragic downfall.
The prohibition against occult practices: The verse underscores the biblical condemnation of necromancy and other forms of spiritism.
The encounter that follows, where the woman seemingly conjures Samuel's spirit, is one of the most debated passages in the Bible, with various interpretations about the nature of the spirit, whether it was truly Samuel, and what its message signifies. However, the act of seeking out the medium itself is presented as a clear transgression on Saul's part.
This verse from 1 Samuel 28:8 describes a pivotal and desperate moment in the story of King Saul. Let's break it down:
"Saul disguised himself and put on other clothing...": Saul is in a state of panic. He's about to face the Philistine army in battle, and he is deeply worried because God has stopped communicating with him (through dreams, prophets, or the Urim and Thummim, as described earlier in the chapter). He knows that consulting a medium is forbidden (he himself had previously driven them out of the land - 1 Samuel 28:3), but he is so desperate for guidance that he is willing to break his own law. His disguise is an attempt to prevent the woman he's visiting from recognizing him and potentially refusing to help, or even denouncing him. It shows the depths of his shame and desperation.
"...and went, he and two men with him...": Saul doesn't go alone. He needs witnesses, and perhaps some level of reassurance or protection in this clandestine activity.
"...and they came to the woman by night.": The secrecy is emphasized by the nighttime visit. This further highlights the forbidden nature of the consultation.
"Then he said, “Please consult for me by the familiar spirit, and bring me up whomever I shall name to you.”": Here's the core of the issue. Saul is asking the woman, who is described as having a "familiar spirit" (a spirit that supposedly gives her occult powers), to perform necromancy – to conjure up a spirit of a dead person. In this case, he wants to speak with the prophet Samuel. This is explicitly forbidden by God in the Old Testament (e.g., Deuteronomy 18:10-12), and it represents a rejection of God's approved methods of communication. He's turning to the occult instead.
In summary, this verse illustrates:
Saul's desperation and fear: He's facing a crisis and feels abandoned by God.
Saul's disobedience: He knowingly breaks God's law in seeking guidance from a forbidden source.
Saul's descent into darkness: This act marks a significant low point in his reign and foreshadows his tragic downfall.
The prohibition against occult practices: The verse underscores the biblical condemnation of necromancy and other forms of spiritism.
The encounter that follows, where the woman seemingly conjures Samuel's spirit, is one of the most debated passages in the Bible, with various interpretations about the nature of the spirit, whether it was truly Samuel, and what its message signifies. However, the act of seeking out the medium itself is presented as a clear transgression on Saul's part.