1 Samuel 28:21
New International Version
When the woman came to Saul and saw that he was greatly shaken, she said, “Look, your servant has obeyed you. I took my life in my hands and did what you told me to do.

New Living Translation
When the woman saw how distraught he was, she said, “Sir, I obeyed your command at the risk of my life.

English Standard Version
And the woman came to Saul, and when she saw that he was terrified, she said to him, “Behold, your servant has obeyed you. I have taken my life in my hand and have listened to what you have said to me.

Berean Standard Bible
When the woman came to Saul and saw how distraught he was, she said to him, “Look, your maidservant has obeyed your voice. I took my life in my hands and did as you told me.

King James Bible
And the woman came unto Saul, and saw that he was sore troubled, and said unto him, Behold, thine handmaid hath obeyed thy voice, and I have put my life in my hand, and have hearkened unto thy words which thou spakest unto me.

New King James Version
And the woman came to Saul and saw that he was severely troubled, and said to him, “Look, your maidservant has obeyed your voice, and I have put my life in my hands and heeded the words which you spoke to me.

New American Standard Bible
The woman came to Saul and saw that he was utterly horrified, and she said to him, “Behold, your servant has obeyed you, and I have taken my life in my hand and have listened to your words which you spoke to me.

NASB 1995
The woman came to Saul and saw that he was terrified, and said to him, “Behold, your maidservant has obeyed you, and I have taken my life in my hand and have listened to your words which you spoke to me.

NASB 1977
And the woman came to Saul and saw that he was terrified, and said to him, “Behold, your maidservant has obeyed you, and I have taken my life in my hand, and have listened to your words which you spoke to me.

Legacy Standard Bible
And the woman came to Saul and saw that he was terrified and said to him, “Behold, your servant-woman has listened to your voice, and I have taken my life in my hand and have listened to your words which you spoke to me.

Amplified Bible
The woman came to Saul and saw that he was greatly troubled, and she said to him, “Look, your maidservant has obeyed you, and I have taken my life in my hand and have listened to everything you said to me.

Christian Standard Bible
The woman came over to Saul, and she saw that he was terrified and said to him, “Look, your servant has obeyed you. I took my life in my hands and did what you told me to do.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
The woman came over to Saul, and she saw that he was terrified and said to him, “Look, your servant has obeyed you. I took my life in my hands and did what you told me to do.

American Standard Version
And the woman came unto Saul, and saw that he was sore troubled, and said unto him, Behold, thy handmaid hath hearkened unto thy voice, and I have put my life in my hand, and have hearkened unto thy words which thou spakest unto me.

Contemporary English Version
The woman came over to Saul, and when she saw that he was completely terrified, she said, "Your Majesty, I listened to you and risked my life to do what you asked.

English Revised Version
And the woman came unto Saul, and saw that he was sore troubled, and said unto him, Behold, thine handmaid hath hearkened unto thy voice, and I have put my life in my hand, and have hearkened unto thy words which thou spakest unto me.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The woman came over to Saul and saw that he was terrified. "I listened to you," she told him, "and I took my life in my hands when I did what you told me to do.

Good News Translation
The woman went over to him and saw that he was terrified, so she said to him, "Please, sir, I risked my life by doing what you asked.

International Standard Version
Then the woman came to Saul and saw that he was very disturbed. She told him, "Look, your servant obeyed you. I put my life into your hands, and I listened to your words that you spoke to me.

Majority Standard Bible
When the woman came to Saul and saw how distraught he was, she said to him, “Look, your maidservant has obeyed your voice. I took my life in my hands and did as you told me.

NET Bible
When the woman came to Saul and saw how terrified he was, she said to him, "Your servant has done what you asked. I took my life into my own hands and did what you told me.

New Heart English Bible
And the woman came to Saul and saw that he was terrified, and said to him, "Look, your servant has obeyed you, and I have put my life in my hand and have listened to your words which you spoke to me.

Webster's Bible Translation
And the woman came to Saul, and saw that he was greatly troubled, and said to him, Behold, thy handmaid hath obeyed thy voice, and I have put my life in my hand, and have hearkened to thy words, which thou didst speak

World English Bible
The woman came to Saul and saw that he was very troubled, and said to him, “Behold, your servant has listened to your voice, and I have put my life in my hand, and have listened to your words which you spoke to me.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And the woman comes to Saul, and sees that he has been greatly troubled, and says to him, “Behold, your maidservant has listened to your voice, and I put my soul in my hand, and I obey your words which you have spoken to me;

Young's Literal Translation
And the woman cometh in unto Saul, and seeth that he hath been greatly troubled, and saith unto him, 'Lo, thy maid-servant hath hearkened to thy voice, and I put my soul in my hand, and I obey thy words which thou hast spoken unto me;

Smith's Literal Translation
And the woman will come to Saul, and she will see that he trembled greatly, and she will say to him, Behold, thy servant heard to thy voice, and I will put my soul in my hand, and heard thy words which thou spake to me.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And the woman came to Saul (for he was very much troubled) and said to him: Behold thy handmaid hath obeyed thy voice, and I have put my life in my hand: and I hearkened unto the words which thou spokest to me.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And so, the woman entered to Saul, (for he was very troubled) and she said to him: “Behold, your handmaid has obeyed your voice, and I have placed my life in my hand. And I have heeded the words which you spoke to me.

New American Bible
Then the woman came to Saul and, seeing that he was quite terror-stricken, said to him: “Remember, your maidservant obeyed you: I took my life in my hands and carried out the request you made of me.

New Revised Standard Version
The woman came to Saul, and when she saw that he was terrified, she said to him, “Your servant has listened to you; I have taken my life in my hand, and have listened to what you have said to me.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And the woman came to Saul, and saw that he was exceedingly afraid, and said to him, Behold, your handmaid has obeyed your voice, and I have put my life in your hand, and have listened to the words which you spoke to me.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And the woman came and she saw that he was very afraid, and she said to him: “See, your Maid Servant has listened to your voice, and I have placed my life into your hands, and I have listened to your words which you told me
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And the woman came unto Saul, and saw that he was sore affrighted, and said unto him: 'Behold, thy handmaid hath hearkened unto thy voice, and I have put my life in my hand, and have hearkened unto thy words which thou spokest unto me.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the woman went in to Saul, and saw that he was greatly disquieted, and said to him, Behold now, thine handmaid has hearkened to thy voice, and I have put my life in my hand, and have heard the words which thou has spoken to me.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Saul and the Medium of Endor
20Immediately Saul fell flat on the ground, terrified by the words of Samuel. And his strength was gone, because he had not eaten anything all that day and night. 21When the woman came to Saul and saw how distraught he was, she said to him, “Look, your maidservant has obeyed your voice. I took my life in my hands and did as you told me. 22Now please listen to your servant and let me set a morsel of bread before you so you may eat and have the strength to go on your way.”…

Cross References
Leviticus 19:31
You must not turn to mediums or spiritists; do not seek them out, or you will be defiled by them. I am the LORD your God.

Deuteronomy 18:10-12
Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, practices divination or conjury, interprets omens, practices sorcery, / casts spells, consults a medium or spiritist, or inquires of the dead. / For whoever does these things is detestable to the LORD. And because of these detestable things, the LORD your God is driving out the nations before you.

Isaiah 8:19
When men tell you to consult mediums and spiritists who whisper and mutter, shouldn’t a people consult their God instead? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living?

1 Chronicles 10:13-14
So Saul died for his unfaithfulness to the LORD, because he did not keep the word of the LORD and even consulted a medium for guidance, / and he failed to inquire of the LORD. So the LORD put him to death and turned the kingdom over to David son of Jesse.

2 Kings 21:6
He sacrificed his own son in the fire, practiced sorcery and divination, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did great evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking Him to anger.

Acts 16:16-18
One day as we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl with a spirit of divination, who earned a large income for her masters by fortune-telling. / This girl followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation!” / She continued this for many days. Eventually Paul grew so aggravated that he turned and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” And the spirit left her at that very moment.

Galatians 5:19-21
The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, and debauchery; / idolatry and sorcery; hatred, discord, jealousy, and rage; rivalries, divisions, factions, / and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Revelation 21:8
But to the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and sexually immoral and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their place will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur. This is the second death.”

2 Chronicles 33:6
He sacrificed his sons in the fire in the Valley of Ben-hinnom. He practiced sorcery, divination, and witchcraft, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did great evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking Him to anger.

Isaiah 47:12-13
So take your stand with your spells and with your many sorceries, with which you have wearied yourself from your youth. Perhaps you will succeed; perhaps you will inspire terror! / You are wearied by your many counselors; let them come forward now and save you—your astrologers who observe the stars, who monthly predict your fate.

Micah 5:12
I will cut the sorceries from your hand, and you will have no fortune-tellers.

Acts 8:9-11
Prior to that time, a man named Simon had practiced sorcery in the city and astounded the people of Samaria. He claimed to be someone great, / and all the people, from the least to the greatest, heeded his words and said, “This man is the divine power called the Great Power.” / They paid close attention to him because he had astounded them for a long time with his sorcery.

Matthew 7:15-20
Beware of false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. / By their fruit you will recognize them. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? / Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. ...

2 Corinthians 11:14-15
And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. / It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their actions.

Ephesians 5:11
Have no fellowship with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.


Treasury of Scripture

And the woman came to Saul, and saw that he was sore troubled, and said to him, Behold, your handmaid has obeyed your voice, and I have put my life in my hand, and have listened to your words which you spoke to me.

I have put

1 Samuel 19:5
For he did put his life in his hand, and slew the Philistine, and the LORD wrought a great salvation for all Israel: thou sawest it, and didst rejoice: wherefore then wilt thou sin against innocent blood, to slay David without a cause?

Judges 12:3
And when I saw that ye delivered me not, I put my life in my hands, and passed over against the children of Ammon, and the LORD delivered them into my hand: wherefore then are ye come up unto me this day, to fight against me?

Job 13:14
Wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in mine hand?

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Affrighted Hand Handmaid Hearkened Life Maidservant Obeyed Saul Shaken Sore Spakest Speak Spokest Terrified Troubled Voice Words
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Affrighted Hand Handmaid Hearkened Life Maidservant Obeyed Saul Shaken Sore Spakest Speak Spokest Terrified Troubled Voice Words
1 Samuel 28
1. Achish puts confidence in David
3. Saul having destroyed the witches
4. and now in his fear forsaken of God
7. has recourse to a witch
8. who, encouraged by Saul, raises up Samuel
15. Saul hearing his ruin, faints
21. The woman and his servants refresh him with meat














When the woman came to Saul
The woman referred to here is the medium of Endor, often called the witch of Endor. In the Hebrew text, the word for "woman" is "ishah," which simply means a female person. Her role as a medium is significant, as it highlights the desperate state of Saul, who had previously expelled such practices from Israel (1 Samuel 28:3). This encounter underscores the spiritual decline of Saul, who, in his fear and desperation, seeks guidance from a source he once condemned.

and saw that he was terrified
The Hebrew word for "terrified" is "charad," which conveys a deep sense of fear and trembling. Saul's terror is not just physical but spiritual, as he faces the consequences of his disobedience to God. This fear is a stark contrast to the courage he once displayed as Israel's anointed king. It serves as a reminder of the importance of faithfulness to God and the peace that comes from trusting in Him, rather than succumbing to fear.

she said to him
The medium's willingness to speak to Saul, despite the potential danger, indicates her recognition of his authority and her own fear of the supernatural events she has witnessed. Her words are a mixture of concern and self-preservation, as she seeks to reassure Saul while also justifying her actions.

Look, your maidservant has obeyed you
The term "maidservant" is "amah" in Hebrew, denoting a female servant or slave. By referring to herself in this way, the woman emphasizes her subservience and obedience to Saul's command. This phrase highlights the irony of Saul's situation: the king of Israel, who should be leading his people in righteousness, is now dependent on the obedience of a medium, a practice he once outlawed.

I have taken my life in my hands
This expression indicates the risk the woman took in performing the act of summoning Samuel's spirit. The phrase "taken my life in my hands" is a Hebrew idiom that conveys the idea of endangering one's life. It reflects the gravity of the situation and the potential consequences she faced for engaging in forbidden practices. This highlights the seriousness of Saul's request and the lengths to which he has gone in his desperation.

and have done what you told me to do
The woman's compliance with Saul's request, despite the danger, underscores the authority Saul still holds, even in his fallen state. Her actions also reflect the moral ambiguity present in the narrative, as she fulfills a request that goes against God's commandments. This serves as a cautionary tale about the consequences of straying from God's will and the moral complexities that arise when one does so.

(21) And the woman.--The story is completed in these few concluding verses (1Samuel 28:21-25) in a most natural and unaffected style. The witch, though a grievous sinner, is struck with a woman's pity for the stricken king, and with kind words and still kinder acts does her best to recover him from the death-like swoon into which the hapless Saul had fallen. Her whole behaviour contradicts the supposition that she was moved by a bitter hatred against Saul (see Excursus L at end of this Book) to desire the appearance of Samuel, and to imitate his voice by means of ventriloquism. Firstly, she was herself terrified at the apparition; and secondly, she was saddened by the effect of the dead seer's words on the king, and did her poor best to restore him to composure and strength again. We read in the next verse how the woman, with Saul's servants, used even a gentle compulsion to induce the king to take the nourishment he was so sorely in need of.



Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
When the woman
הָֽאִשָּׁה֙ (hā·’iš·šāh)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 802: Woman, wife, female

came
וַתָּב֤וֹא (wat·tā·ḇō·w)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go

to
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

Saul
שָׁא֔וּל (šā·’ūl)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 7586: Saul -- first king of Israel, also an Edomite and two Israelites

and saw
וַתֵּ֖רֶא (wat·tê·re)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 7200: To see

how
כִּי־ (kî-)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

distraught he was,
נִבְהַ֣ל (niḇ·hal)
Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 926: To tremble inwardly, be, alarmed, agitated, to hasten anxiously

she said
וַתֹּ֣אמֶר (wat·tō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

to him,
אֵלָ֗יו (’ê·lāw)
Preposition | third person masculine singular
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

“Look,
הִנֵּ֨ה (hin·nêh)
Interjection
Strong's 2009: Lo! behold!

your maidservant
שִׁפְחָֽתְךָ֙ (šip̄·ḥā·ṯə·ḵā)
Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 8198: Maid, maidservant

has obeyed
שָׁמְעָ֤ה (šā·mə·‘āh)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 8085: To hear intelligently

your voice.
בְּקוֹלֶ֔ךָ (bə·qō·w·le·ḵā)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 6963: A voice, sound

I took
וָאָשִׂ֤ים (wā·’ā·śîm)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular
Strong's 7760: Put -- to put, place, set

my life
נַפְשִׁי֙ (nap̄·šî)
Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 5315: A soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, passion, appetite, emotion

in my hands
בְּכַפִּ֔י (bə·ḵap·pî)
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 3709: Hollow or flat of the hand, palm, sole (of the foot), a pan

and did
וָֽאֶשְׁמַע֙ (wā·’eš·ma‘)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular
Strong's 8085: To hear intelligently

as
אֲשֶׁ֥ר (’ă·šer)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

you told
דִּבַּ֖רְתָּ (dib·bar·tā)
Verb - Piel - Perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 1696: To arrange, to speak, to subdue

me.
אֵלָֽי׃ (’ê·lāy)
Preposition | first person common singular
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to


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OT History: 1 Samuel 28:21 The woman came to Saul and saw (1Sa iSam 1 Sam i sa)
1 Samuel 28:20
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