What is the meaning of 1 Samuel 28:24? The woman had a fattened calf at her house • In ancient Israel, a “fattened calf” was special livestock set aside for honored guests or festive occasions (Genesis 18:7; Luke 15:23). • That the medium of Endor possesses such an animal shows God’s providential timing—He has already arranged the provision Saul will soon need, even in this dark setting. • Hospitality remains a biblical virtue regardless of who extends it (Judges 19:20–21; Hebrews 13:2). The narrative underscores that truth: while the woman’s vocation is sinful, her act of care is genuine and recorded without embellishment. • The calf’s presence emphasizes how far Saul has fallen; once the king who “took no food all day and all night” (1 Samuel 28:20), he now relies on a forbidden medium for sustenance and counsel. and she quickly slaughtered it • Speed communicates urgency. Saul is exhausted (v. 20) and night is approaching; the woman responds at once, mirroring Abraham’s swift service to the three visitors (Genesis 18:7–8). • Generosity costs something. Slaughtering a fattened calf meant sacrificing a prime source of income or celebration (2 Samuel 24:24). Her action illustrates Proverbs 3:27—“Do not withhold good from the one to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act.” • God’s Word repeatedly shows that tangible acts of service often precede moments of spiritual significance (Luke 10:34–35; Acts 16:33–34). Here, a meal frames Saul’s final encounter with Samuel’s prophecy of judgment. She also took flour, kneaded it • Flour represents daily provision (1 Kings 17:12–16). The woman shifts from an expensive meat dish to simple bread, reflecting both abundance and humility. • Kneading requires personal effort. As Gideon “prepared a young goat and unleavened bread” for the Angel of the LORD (Judges 6:19), so this woman personally serves, not delegating the work. • Even in the middle of spiritual darkness, ordinary tasks like kneading dough become vessels for God’s unfolding plan (Colossians 3:23). and baked unleavened bread • Unleavened bread bakes quickly; time is scarce and Saul must eat before returning to battle. The choice fits the moment, just as Israel’s haste required unleavened bread at the Exodus (Exodus 12:8, 39). • Leaven often pictures corruption (1 Corinthians 5:7–8). The narrative subtly contrasts the bread’s purity with Saul’s compromised heart. • The meal recalls earlier covenant meals in Scripture—places where God confirmed His word (Exodus 24:9–11). Here, however, the bread accompanies a pronouncement of judgment rather than blessing, reminding us that God’s word stands whether it promises life or warns of death (Deuteronomy 30:19). summary 1 Samuel 28:24 captures a simple yet profound scene: a woman—herself living in spiritual error—provides an urgent, costly meal for a king who has drifted far from God. Every detail, from the reserved fattened calf to the hastily baked unleavened bread, highlights God’s sovereignty in arranging provision, exposes Saul’s spiritual bankruptcy, and illustrates how ordinary acts of hospitality can serve God’s larger purposes. |
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