1 Samuel 28:3 Meaning and Explanation
“Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him, and buried him in Ramah, even in his own city. And Saul had put away those that had familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The narrator reminds us that Samuel has died and been mourned, and that Saul himself had once banished mediums and spiritists from Israel.
What Does 1 Samuel 28:3 Mean?
This verse sets up everything that follows. Samuel, the prophet who anointed Saul and then announced his rejection, is gone, so Saul has lost his living link to God's word. And Saul had earlier obeyed the law by driving out those who consulted the dead, a practice Israel was strictly forbidden. Both facts will press hard on the king in his hour of fear.
How telling that Saul once enforced the very law he is about to break. Knowing what is right is not the same as holding to it when terror comes. The verse quietly warns every reader: the convictions we uphold in calm seasons must be the ones we cling to in desperate ones, lest fear undo what obedience once built.
1 Samuel 28:3 in the Original Language
ov (אוֹב), 'familiar spirit' -- the term for a medium or the spirit consulted, a practice Israel's law forbade.
Frequently Asked Questions About 1 Samuel 28:3
What does 1 Samuel 28:3 mean?
The narrator reminds us that Samuel has died and been mourned, and that Saul himself had once banished mediums and spiritists from Israel.