What is the meaning of 1 Samuel 28:23? Saul refused, saying, “I will not eat.” • The verse opens with Saul’s flat refusal. Moments earlier he had “fallen full length on the ground, filled with fear because of Samuel’s words; his strength was gone, for he had eaten nothing all that day and all that night” (1 Samuel 28:20). • His words echo other biblical scenes where grief, guilt, or dread led to a self-imposed fast—see 2 Samuel 12:17; 1 Kings 21:4; Psalm 102:4. • Literally, Saul’s body is exhausted, but the statement also reveals a heart paralyzed by divine judgment (1 Samuel 15:24-26; 28:15-19). He cannot bring himself to accept help, because his deepest need—restoration to God—remains unmet. But his servants joined the woman in urging him • Though Saul had earlier expelled mediums (28:3), this very woman now shows him practical compassion. Like Abigail who interceded for Nabal (25:32-33), she steps into danger to preserve life. • The servants know their king’s physical collapse threatens the entire army on the eve of battle (31:1). Their joint pleading mirrors the concern of David’s servants when he fasted for his sick child (2 Samuel 12:17). • God often uses unexpected voices to press His mercies upon stubborn hearts. And he heeded their voice • The king who once refused to heed the voice of the Lord through Samuel (15:19-22) now listens to human persuasion. The reversal is tragic: he is quick to obey people, slow to obey God. • Yet even this small obedience shows God’s common grace at work, keeping Saul alive long enough for the final events to unfold (29:1; 31:1-6). • The phrase recalls repeated biblical counsel: “Listen to wise advice” (Proverbs 12:15; 19:20). Sadly, Saul receives only physical relief, not spiritual renewal. He got up from the ground • Rising from the ground marks a change in posture. Where lying prostrate symbolized despair (Joshua 7:10; Ezra 9:5), standing or sitting signifies regained composure. • The movement anticipates his last campaign; strength returns, but destiny is fixed. Saul is living proof that outward recovery can mask inward ruin (Matthew 23:27). And sat on the bed • The bed (or couch) in ancient homes served as a place for eating and resting (Judges 19:6-7; Luke 7:37-38). By taking this position, Saul accepts the hospitality extended to him. • Ironically, the man who once shared covenant meals with Samuel (9:22-24) now dines in a forbidden house, sealing the contrast between past favor and present alienation. • The setting underscores the mercy of God: food is provided even to an unrepentant king, paralleling Jesus’ teaching that the Father “is kind to the ungrateful and wicked” (Luke 6:35). summary 1 Samuel 28:23 captures a moment of physical care against the backdrop of spiritual catastrophe. Saul’s initial refusal shows the depth of his fear; the united plea of servants and medium reflects God’s sustaining providence; his eventual compliance brings temporary strength but no heart change. The verse reminds us that even when divine judgment is certain, the Lord still offers tangible mercies—and that listening to human counsel can never substitute for obeying the voice of God. |
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