SAUL AND THE WITCH OF ENDOR 1 Samuel 28:3 come from another document and interrupt the connexion, as will be seen if the account is read without them. In order of time their proper position is after 1 Samuel 30. In 1 Samuel 29:1 the Philistines are still in Aphek; in 1 Samuel 29:11 they advance to J... [ Continue Reading ]
KEEPER OF MINE HEAD] i.e. captain of my body-guard.... [ Continue Reading ]
This v. is inserted to explain what follows. BY FAMILIAR SPIRITS (Heb. _ob_) some form of witchcraft is intended. In 1 Samuel 28:7 the woman is said to be 'the mistress of an ob.' In Leviticus 20:27 the _ob_ is said to be in the man or woman: cp. 2 Kings 23:24. THE WIZARDS] From Leviticus 20:27 it... [ Continue Reading ]
SHUNEM] in the plain of Jezreel, 4 m. from Mt. Gilboa. GILBOA] a mountain range on the E. side of the valley of Jezreel.... [ Continue Reading ]
DREAMS] These are always regarded in the Bible as one method of divine revelation: see Numbers 12:6. URIM] see on Exodus 28:30. The ephod and the Urim had gone down with Abiathar to David (1 Samuel 23:6). PROPHETS] We may compare with this 1 Samuel 15:35. The action of Samuel was apparently followed... [ Continue Reading ]
ENDOR] 4 m. S. of Mt. Tabor, and 10 m. from Mt. Gilboa. 11, 12. This woman would seem to have been what is now called a 'medium'; she sees (very possibly having become entranced) a figure, and Saul from her description at once concludes that it is Samuel. Very possibly Saul saw nothing at all; the... [ Continue Reading ]
GODS] RV 'a god,' for Saul immediately said, 'What form is he of?' We must remember that Elohim in Hebrew is more general than the word 'god' is with us, and is, in fact, used generally for 'supernatural beings,' or even 'spirits': see Psalms 82:6.... [ Continue Reading ]
IS BECOME THINE ENEMY] LXX 'is on the side of thy neighbour.' This is based on a probable emendation. If 'neighbour' is right, it must be taken in the sense of 'rival' (which originally meant almost the same thing).... [ Continue Reading ]
TO HIM] LXX 'to thee.'... [ Continue Reading ]
MOREOVER.. THE PHILISTINES] LXX. omits. TO MORROW _shalt_ THOU AND THY SONS _be_ WITH ME] i.e. in Sheol, the place of departed spirits.... [ Continue Reading ]