DeclinetoState
Member (Idle past 6460 days) Posts: 158 Joined: 01-16-2006
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Message 1 of 2 (306800)
04-26-2006 4:53 PM
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1 Samuel 28 (KJV):
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3 Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him, and buried him in Ramah, even in his own city. And Saul had put away those that had familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land.
The next few verses go on to say that the Philistines got ready to fight the Israelites, and Saul tried to speak to the Lord, but the Lord didn't answer. Apparently the Almighty was still displeased with Saul.
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7 Then said Saul unto his servants, Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and enquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman that hath a familiar spirit at Endor. 8 And Saul disguised himself, and put on other raiment, and he went, and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night: and he said, I pray thee, divine unto me by the familiar spirit, and bring me him up, whom I shall name unto thee.
Guess Saul didn't get rid of all the fortune tellers after all, despite the statement in vs. 3. Her business wasn't that much of a secret either, despite its illegality.
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9 And the woman said unto him, Behold, thou knowest what Saul hath done, how he hath cut off those that have familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land: wherefore then layest thou a snare for my life, to cause me to die? 10 And Saul sware to her by the LORD, saying, As the LORD liveth, there shall no punishment happen to thee for this thing.
A cagey witch, wasn't she?
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11 Then said the woman, Whom shall I bring up unto thee? And he said, Bring me up Samuel. 12 And when the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice: and the woman spake to Saul, saying, Why hast thou deceived me? for thou art Saul.
The woman saw Samuel--or someone she thought was Samuel, but that's a topic for another day--but apparently Saul didn't see anything. Was she looking into a crystal ball, or what?
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13 And the king said unto her, Be not afraid: for what sawest thou? And the woman said unto Saul, I saw gods ascending out of the earth.
"Gods"?
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14 And he said unto her, What form is he of? And she said, An old man cometh up; and he is covered with a mantle. And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he stooped with his face to the ground, and bowed himself.
Now we're back to the singular, and no more mention of "god" or "gods."
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15 And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up? And Saul answered, I am sore distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God is departed from me, and answereth me no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams: therefore I have called thee, that thou mayest make known unto me what I shall do. 16 Then said Samuel, Wherefore then dost thou ask of me, seeing the LORD is departed from thee, and is become thine enemy?
Samuel then continued to read the riot act to Saul. Did he do so directly, or through the medium?
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20 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. 21 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. 22 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.
She had to give the king strength to go out and die the next day on the battlefield. How considerate!
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24 And the woman had a fat calf in the house; and she hasted, and killed it,
Poor calf.
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and took flour, and kneaded it, and did bake unleavened bread thereof: 25 And she brought it before Saul, and before his servants; and they did eat. Then they rose up, and went away that night.
THE END My questions are, What did Samuel, the unnamed woman (and why wasn't she ever named?), and the servants actually see during this exchange? It looks like only the woman "saw" anything; Saul merely "perceived" that whatever the woman had conjured up was Samuel. And how did she know that Saul was Saul, since she grew alarmed in verse 12, before Saul perceived that the spirit was Samuel? And what's with the reference to "gods"? Some modern translations (eg., NIV) change the word to "spirit(s)." As the conversation progresses, there seems to be only one "spirit" or "god," meaning either that several came up, but only one was of importance, or we have two stories awkwardly mixed together here. Unless an "Accuracy/Inerrancy" approach seems promising here, this should probably go in "Bible Study."
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