Saul, in a moment of tragic desperation, disobeyed the LORD by seeking a medium in Endor to raise the prophet Samuel from the grave for one last message.
Saul, Israel’s first king (circa 1050-1010 BC), found himself in desperate circumstances as the Philistines assembled for battle. The prophet Samuel, who had anointed Saul as king years before and served as Israel’s last judge (circa 1105-1010 BC), had already died. With no one else to consult, Saul sought out a medium in the region of Endor, a village likely located near the Jezreel Valley in northern Israel. Although Saul had previously removed mediums from the land in obedience to the LORD’s command (1 Samuel 28:3), he now violated his own decree. In the midst of this forbidden practice, Scripture records these words: Then the woman said, “Whom shall I bring up for you?” And he said, “Bring up Samuel for me.” (1 Samuel 28:11)
The scene depicts Saul’s departure from trusting the LORD to relying on an occult ritual. The medium’s question, Whom shall I bring up for you? underscores the grave offense of attempting to summon the dead. According to Deuteronomy 18:10-11, God’s people were prohibited from seeking out spirits or using divination. Yet, Saul, desperate for guidance and petrified by the enemy’s forces, demanded, “Bring up Samuel for me,” hoping Samuel’s prophetic wisdom would rescue him from disaster. This action reveals both the deep rift between Saul and the true Source of Israel’s authority, and the tragic irony of a king who had once listened to Samuel’s counsel but was now reduced to seeking him through a practice God forbade.
Ultimately, Saul’s meeting with the medium results in a final pronouncement of judgment. The passage illustrates the seriousness of violating God’s boundaries, particularly in seeking spiritual counsel from sources other than Him. It also marks the final break in Saul’s leadership, foreshadowing his coming defeat and contrasting him with David, who relied more directly on divine guidance even as he struggled. Saul’s choice to consult a medium, rather than repenting and turning back to the LORD, further exemplifies the tragic downfall of Israel’s first monarch.
Samuel’s summoned image would soon inform Saul of his downfall, underscoring that relying on forbidden practices cannot circumvent God’s unchanging purposes.
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1 Samuel 28:11 meaning
Saul, Israel’s first king (circa 1050-1010 BC), found himself in desperate circumstances as the Philistines assembled for battle. The prophet Samuel, who had anointed Saul as king years before and served as Israel’s last judge (circa 1105-1010 BC), had already died. With no one else to consult, Saul sought out a medium in the region of Endor, a village likely located near the Jezreel Valley in northern Israel. Although Saul had previously removed mediums from the land in obedience to the LORD’s command (1 Samuel 28:3), he now violated his own decree. In the midst of this forbidden practice, Scripture records these words: Then the woman said, “Whom shall I bring up for you?” And he said, “Bring up Samuel for me.” (1 Samuel 28:11)
The scene depicts Saul’s departure from trusting the LORD to relying on an occult ritual. The medium’s question, Whom shall I bring up for you? underscores the grave offense of attempting to summon the dead. According to Deuteronomy 18:10-11, God’s people were prohibited from seeking out spirits or using divination. Yet, Saul, desperate for guidance and petrified by the enemy’s forces, demanded, “Bring up Samuel for me,” hoping Samuel’s prophetic wisdom would rescue him from disaster. This action reveals both the deep rift between Saul and the true Source of Israel’s authority, and the tragic irony of a king who had once listened to Samuel’s counsel but was now reduced to seeking him through a practice God forbade.
Ultimately, Saul’s meeting with the medium results in a final pronouncement of judgment. The passage illustrates the seriousness of violating God’s boundaries, particularly in seeking spiritual counsel from sources other than Him. It also marks the final break in Saul’s leadership, foreshadowing his coming defeat and contrasting him with David, who relied more directly on divine guidance even as he struggled. Saul’s choice to consult a medium, rather than repenting and turning back to the LORD, further exemplifies the tragic downfall of Israel’s first monarch.
Samuel’s summoned image would soon inform Saul of his downfall, underscoring that relying on forbidden practices cannot circumvent God’s unchanging purposes.