New Living Translation
1 Samuel 28:3
3Meanwhile, Samuel had died, and all Israel had mourned for him. He was buried in Ramah, his hometown. And Saul had banned from the land of Israel all mediums and those who consult the spirits of the dead.
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
1About that time the Philistines mustered their armies for another war with Israel. King Achish told David, “You and your men will be expected to join me in battle.” 2“Very well!” David agreed. “Now you will see for yourself what we can do.” Then Achish told David, “I will make you my personal bodyguard for life.” Meanwhile, Samuel had died, and all Israel had mourned for him. He was buried in Ramah, his hometown. And Saul had banned from the land of Israel all mediums and those who consult the spirits of the dead. 4The Philistines set up their camp at Shunem, and Saul gathered all the army of Israel and camped at Gilboa. 5When Saul saw the vast Philistine army, he became frantic with fear.
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 gathered for his funeral. They buried him at his house in Ramah. Then David moved down to the wilderness of Maon.
- Isaiah 57:1Good people pass away; the godly often die before their time. But no one seems to care or wonder why. No one seems to understand that God is protecting them from the evil to come.
- 1 Samuel 28:9“Are you trying to get me killed?” the woman demanded. “You know that Saul has outlawed all the mediums and all who consult the spirits of the dead. Why are you setting a trap for me?”
- Exodus 22:18“You must not allow a sorceress to live.
- Leviticus 19:31“Do not defile yourselves by turning to mediums or to those who consult the spirits of the dead. I am the Lord your God.
- Leviticus 20:6“I will also turn against those who commit spiritual prostitution by putting their trust in mediums or in those who consult the spirits of the dead. I will cut them off from the community.
- Deuteronomy 18:10For example, never sacrifice your son or daughter as a burnt offering. And do not let your people practice fortune-telling, or use sorcery, or interpret omens, or engage in witchcraft,
- Acts 16:16One day as we were going down to the place of prayer, we met a slave girl who had a spirit that enabled her to tell the future. She earned a lot of money for her masters by telling fortunes.
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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