Amplified Bible
1 Samuel 28:3
3Now Samuel had died, and all Israel had mourned for him and buried him in Ramah, his own city. And Saul had removed the mediums and the spiritists (soothsayers) from the land.
1 Samuel 28:3 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had mourned for him and buried him in his own town of Ramah. Saul had expelled the mediums and spiritists from the land.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Now Samuel had died, and all Israel had mourned for him and buried him in Ramah, his own city. And Saul had put the mediums and the necromancers out of the land.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Now Samuel had died, and all Israel had lamented for him and buried him in Ramah, in his own city. And Saul had put the mediums and the spiritists out of the land.
Context of 1 Samuel 28:3
1In those days the Philistines gathered their forces for war to fight against Israel. Achish said to David, “Understand for certain that you and your men will go out with me to battle.” 2David said to Achish, “All right, you shall know what your servant can do.” So Achish said to David, “Therefore I will make you my bodyguard for life.” Now Samuel had died, and all Israel had mourned for him and buried him in Ramah, his own city. And Saul had removed the mediums and the spiritists (soothsayers) from the land. 4The Philistines assembled and came and camped at Shunem; and Saul gathered all the Israelites and they camped at Gilboa. 5When Saul saw the Philistine army, he was afraid and badly shaken.
Read all of 1 Samuel 281 Samuel 28:3 word by word
וּשְׁמוּאֵ֣ל מֵ֔ת וַיִּסְפְּדוּ־לוֹ֙ כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַיִּקְבְּרֻ֥הוּ בָרָמָ֖ה וּבְעִיר֑וֹ וְשָׁא֗וּל הֵסִ֛יר הָאֹב֥וֹת וְאֶת־הַיִּדְּעֹנִ֖ים מֵהָאָֽרֶץ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Now Samuelשְׁמוּאֵלshemû'êl · SamuelH8050
- was deadמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
- and all Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- had lamentedסָפַדsâphad · to mournH5594
- him, and buriedקָבַרqâbar · to buryH6912
- him in Ramahרָמָהrâmâh · RamahH7414
- even in his own cityעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
- And Saulשָׁאוּלshâ'ûl · SaulH7586
- had put awayסוּרsûr ώûr · to turn aside: removeH5493
- those that had familiar spiritsאוֹב'ôb · mediumH178
- and the wizardsיִדְּעֹנִיyidde‛ônîy · spiritistH3049
- out of the landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
Cross-references for 1 Samuel 28:3
- 1 Samuel 25:1Now Samuel died; and all Israel assembled and mourned for him, and they buried him at his house in Ramah. Then David left and went down to the Wilderness of Paran.
- Isaiah 57:1The righteous man perishes [at the hand of evil], and no one takes it to heart; Faithful and devout men are taken away, while no one understands That the righteous person is taken away [to be spared] from disaster and evil.
- 1 Samuel 28:9But the woman said to him, “See here, you know what Saul has done, how he has cut off (eliminated) those who are mediums and spiritists from the land. So why are you laying a trap for my life, to cause my death?”
- Exodus 22:18“You shall not allow a woman who practices sorcery to live.
- Leviticus 19:31‘Do not turn to mediums [who pretend to consult the dead] or to spiritists [who have spirits of divination]; do not seek them out to be defiled by them. I am the Lord your God.
- Leviticus 20:6‘As for the person who turns to mediums [who consult the dead] or to spiritists, to play the prostitute after them, I shall set My face against that person and will cut him off from his people [excluding him from the atonement made for them].
- Deuteronomy 18:10There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or daughter pass through the fire [as a sacrifice], one who uses divination and fortune-telling, one who practices witchcraft, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer,
- Acts 16:16It happened that as we were on our way to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave-girl who had a spirit of divination [that is, a demonic spirit claiming to foretell the future and discover hidden knowledge], and she brought her owners a good profit by fortune-telling.
Commentaries on 1 Samuel 28:3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3Samuel was dead - And there was no longer a public accredited prophet to consult. Those that had familiar spirits, and the wizards - See the note on Leviticus 19:31, and Exodus 22:18.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3It does not appear when Saul had suppressed witchcraft; it was probably in the early part of his reign. Familiar spirits wizards - i. e. ventriloquists wise or cunning men. See Leviticus 19:31 note.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3had removed … from the land: Saul had either forced most mediums (people who claimed they could communicate with the spirits of the dead) to leave the land or put them to death. Or he had made necromancy (the practice of trying to speak with the dead) illegal (see study note on 1 Samuel 28:9).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. Now Samuel is dead, &c.--This event is here alluded to as affording an explanation of the secret and improper methods by which Saul sought information and direction in the present crisis of his affairs. Overwhelmed in perplexity and fear, he yet found the common and legitimate channels of communication with Heaven shut against him. And so, under the impulse of that dark, distempered, superstitious spirit which had overmastered him, he resolved, in…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Samuel 28:3
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 1 Samuel 28
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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