1 Samuel 28:3

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

1Now it came about in those days that the Philistines gathered their armed camps for war, to fight against Israel. And Achish said to David, “Know assuredly that you will go out with me in the camp, you and your men.” 2David said to Achish, “Very well, you shall know what your servant can do.” So Achish said to David, “Very well, I will make you my bodyguard for life.” Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him and buried him in Ramah, his own city. And Saul had removed from the land those who were mediums and spiritists. 4So the Philistines gathered together and came and camped in Shunem; and Saul gathered all Israel together and they camped in Gilboa. 5When Saul saw the camp of the Philistines, he was afraid and his heart trembled greatly.

1 Samuel 28:3 word by word

וּשְׁמוּאֵ֣ל מֵ֔ת וַיִּסְפְּדוּ־לוֹ֙ כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַיִּקְבְּרֻ֥הוּ בָרָמָ֖ה וּבְעִיר֑וֹ וְשָׁא֗וּל הֵסִ֛יר הָאֹב֥וֹת וְאֶת־הַיִּדְּעֹנִ֖ים מֵהָאָֽרֶץ׃Read the interlinear

• Samuelשְׁמוּאֵלshemû'êl · SamuelH8050
• was deadמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
• and allכֹּלkôl kôl · allH3605
• Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
• had lamentedסָפַדsâphad · to mournH5594
• him and buriedקָבַרqâbar · to buryH6912
• in Ramahרָמָהrâmâh · RamahH7414
• his own cityעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
• And Saulשָׁאוּלshâ'ûl · SaulH7586
• had removedסוּרsûr ώûr · to turn aside: removeH5493
• from the landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
• were mediumsאוֹב'ôb · mediumH178
• and spiritistsיִדְּעֹנִיyidde‛ônîy · spiritistH3049

Cross-references for 1 Samuel 28:3

• 1 Samuel 25:1Then Samuel died; and all Israel gathered together and mourned for him, and buried him at his house in Ramah. And David arose and went down to the wilderness of Paran.
• Isaiah 57:1The righteous man perishes, and no man takes it to heart; And devout men are taken away, while no one understands. For the righteous man is taken away from evil,
• 1 Samuel 28:9But the woman said to him, “Behold, you know what Saul has done, how he has cut off those who are mediums and spiritists from the land. Why are you then laying a snare for my life to bring about my death?”
• Exodus 22:18“You shall not allow a sorceress to live.
• Leviticus 19:31‘Do not turn to mediums or spiritists; 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 and to spiritists, to play the harlot after them, I will also set My face against that person and will cut him off from among his people.
• Deuteronomy 18:10There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, one who uses divination, one who practices witchcraft, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer,
• Acts 16:16It happened that as we were going to the place of prayer, a slave-girl having a spirit of divination met us, who was bringing her masters much 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

• Familiar Spirits
• Ramah
• Samuel
• Saul
• Witchcraft

In the dictionaries

• Israel
• Samuel
• Saul
• Ramah
• Israel, Israelites
• Jacob, Israel
• Paul, Saul
• Along
• David
• Disquiet

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