Saul’s last recorded meal with the medium at Endor concludes his clandestine visit and prepares him to face the impending doom announced through Samuel’s prophecy.
When King Saul (who reigned over Israel from approximately 1050-1010 BC) sought guidance through a medium at Endor, he was in a state of desperation because God had refused to answer him by any means, including the Urim (1 Samuel 28:6). After the medium conjured the spirit of the prophet Samuel and delivered a dire prophecy against Saul, she attempted to offer him some comfort and nourishment. The text tells us, version, that the woman prepared food for him so that he might regain his strength. Then we read, in the closing words of the chapter, how she served this meal: “She brought it before Saul and his servants, and they ate. Then they arose and went away that night.” (1 Samuel 28:25).
Endor was located north of the Hill of Moreh near the Jezreel Valley, a region frequently associated with battle scenes in Scripture (Judges 4:12; 1 Samuel 29:1). Saul’s visit there took place under the cover of darkness as he traveled in disguise, highlighting how far he had wandered from the guidance he once received from the LORD. This narration in 1 Samuel 28:25 shows that, even after a frightening spiritual encounter, Saul took the physical sustenance offered to him before continuing on the path that would ultimately lead to his defeat. The woman’s actions reflect a traditional form of hospitality, but it also underscores the tragic irony of Saul’s final efforts—he was physically nourished but remained in spiritual darkness.
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1 Samuel 28:25 meaning
When King Saul (who reigned over Israel from approximately 1050-1010 BC) sought guidance through a medium at Endor, he was in a state of desperation because God had refused to answer him by any means, including the Urim (1 Samuel 28:6). After the medium conjured the spirit of the prophet Samuel and delivered a dire prophecy against Saul, she attempted to offer him some comfort and nourishment. The text tells us, version, that the woman prepared food for him so that he might regain his strength. Then we read, in the closing words of the chapter, how she served this meal:
“She brought it before Saul and his servants, and they ate. Then they arose and went away that night.” (1 Samuel 28:25).
Endor was located north of the Hill of Moreh near the Jezreel Valley, a region frequently associated with battle scenes in Scripture (Judges 4:12; 1 Samuel 29:1). Saul’s visit there took place under the cover of darkness as he traveled in disguise, highlighting how far he had wandered from the guidance he once received from the LORD. This narration in 1 Samuel 28:25 shows that, even after a frightening spiritual encounter, Saul took the physical sustenance offered to him before continuing on the path that would ultimately lead to his defeat. The woman’s actions reflect a traditional form of hospitality, but it also underscores the tragic irony of Saul’s final efforts—he was physically nourished but remained in spiritual darkness.