1 Samuel 28:13 Meaning and Explanation
“And the king said unto her, Be not afraid: for what sawest thou? And the woman said unto Saul, I saw gods ascending out of the earth.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Saul calms the frightened woman and asks what she sees; she reports a figure of awesome appearance rising from the earth.
What Does 1 Samuel 28:13 Mean?
Saul, hearing her cry, tells her not to fear and presses her to describe what she sees. She answers that she beholds a being of striking, godlike appearance coming up out of the earth. The Hebrew word she uses conveys something solemn and otherworldly, a presence that fills her with awe.
The scene trembles with the weight of the unseen world breaking into the seen. Whatever else is happening, the reader senses that holy and fearful realities are not to be trifled with. Scripture treats the world beyond death with reverence, never as a plaything for human curiosity. The awe on the woman's face is itself a warning to approach such things only as God permits and directs.
1 Samuel 28:13 in the Original Language
elohim (אֱלֹהִים), 'gods' -- a word for a mighty or divine being, here describing the awesome figure she beholds.
Frequently Asked Questions About 1 Samuel 28:13
What does 1 Samuel 28:13 mean?
Saul calms the frightened woman and asks what she sees; she reports a figure of awesome appearance rising from the earth.