Tree of Life Version
1 Samuel 28:3
3Now Samuel had died, and all Israel had lamented him and buried him in Ramah, his hometown. Saul had removed from the land those who were mediums and spiritists.
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
1At that time, the Philistines gathered their armed forces to fight against Israel. Achish said to David, “You surely know that you and your men must march out with me in the army.” 2David said to Achish, “Well then, you know what your servant will do.” “Well then, I appoint you my bodyguard for life,” Achish said to David. Now Samuel had died, and all Israel had lamented him and buried him in Ramah, his hometown. Saul had removed from the land those who were mediums and spiritists. 4So the Philistines mustered and came and camped in Shunem; and Saul gathered all Israel together and they camped at Gilboa. 5Now when Saul saw the camp of the Philistines, he was afraid and his heart trembled greatly.
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 25:1Then Samuel died, and all Israel gathered and lamented him, and buried him at his house in Ramah. David then arose and went down to the wilderness of Paran.
- Isaiah 57:1The righteous one perishes, but no one takes it to heart. Godly men are taken away, but no one discerns that the righteous man is taken from evil.
- 1 Samuel 28:9“Look, you know what Saul has done,” she said, “how he has cut off the mediums and spiritists from the land. So why then are you setting a trap for my life to get me killed?”
- Exodus 22:18“Anyone who lies with an animal must surely be put to death.
- Leviticus 19:31“Do not turn to those who are mediums or to soothsayers. Do not seek them out to be defiled by them. I am Adonai your God.
- Leviticus 20:6“The soul that turns to mediums or to soothsayers, prostituting himself with them, I will set My face against that soul and will cut him off from among his people.
- Deuteronomy 18:10There must not be found among you anyone who makes his son or daughter pass through the fire, or a fortune-teller, soothsayer, omen reader, or sorcerer,
- Acts 16:16It so happened that as we were going to prayer, we met a slave girl who had a spirit of divination, who was bringing her masters much profit from her 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
Tree of Life Version — © 2015 The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society
Commentaries