1 Samuel 28:18 kjv
Because thou obeyedst not the voice of the LORD, nor executedst his fierce wrath upon Amalek, therefore hath the LORD done this thing unto thee this day.
1 Samuel 28:18 nkjv
Because you did not obey the voice of the LORD nor execute His fierce wrath upon Amalek, therefore the LORD has done this thing to you this day.
1 Samuel 28:18 niv
Because you did not obey the LORD or carry out his fierce wrath against the Amalekites, the LORD has done this to you today.
1 Samuel 28:18 esv
Because you did not obey the voice of the LORD and did not carry out his fierce wrath against Amalek, therefore the LORD has done this thing to you this day.
1 Samuel 28:18 nlt
The LORD has done this to you today because you refused to carry out his fierce anger against the Amalekites.
1 Samuel 28 18 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Sam 15:22 | "...to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams." | God values obedience over ritual. |
| 1 Sam 15:23 | "...Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has also rejected you from being king." | Direct consequence of Saul's rejection of God's word. |
| 1 Sam 15:28 | "...The Lord has torn the kingdom... and has given it to a neighbor of yours, who is better than you." | Samuel's declaration of kingdom transfer. |
| Deut 28:15 | "But if you will not obey the voice of the Lord your God... then all these curses shall come upon you..." | General principle of curses for disobedience. |
| Lev 26:14-17 | "But if you will not listen to me and will not do all these commandments... I will appoint over you panic..." | Curses for failure to obey. |
| Jos 7:11-12 | "Israel has sinned... and therefore the people of Israel cannot stand before their enemies..." | Corporate defeat due to individual disobedience to herem. |
| Exod 17:14 | "I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven." | God's divine curse and command regarding Amalek. |
| Deut 25:17-19 | "Remember what Amalek did to you... you shall blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven..." | Command to exterminate Amalek due to their attack. |
| 1 Chr 10:13-14 | "So Saul died for his breach of faith. He did not keep the word of the Lord, and also consulted a medium..." | Saul's death attributed to his unfaithfulness and seeking mediums. |
| Jer 7:23 | "But this command I gave them: 'Obey my voice, and I will be your God...'" | Covenant demand for obedience to God's voice. |
| Rom 1:18 | "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men..." | God's wrath as a response to unrighteousness. |
| Gal 6:7 | "Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap." | Principle of divine justice and consequence for actions. |
| Isa 45:7 | "I form light and create darkness, I make well-being and create calamity; I am the Lord, who does all these things." | God's sovereignty over all events, including adversity. |
| Amos 3:6 | "Does disaster come to a city unless the Lord has done it?" | God's direct involvement in calamities and judgments. |
| Ps 78:49 | "He let loose on them his burning anger, wrath, indignation, and distress..." | Description of God's fierce anger. |
| 1 Sam 28:6 | "And when Saul inquired of the Lord, the Lord did not answer him, either by dreams, or by Urim, or by prophets." | Immediate context of God's silence to Saul. |
| Lev 20:6 | "If a person turns to mediums and necromancers, whoring after them, I will set my face against that person..." | Divine judgment against consulting forbidden sources. |
| John 14:15 | "If you love me, you will keep my commandments." | Link between love for God and obedience. |
| Heb 10:26-27 | "For if we go on sinning deliberately... there remains no longer a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment..." | Grave consequences of deliberate disobedience. |
| Prov 13:13 | "Whoever despises the word will pay for it, but whoever respects the commandment will be rewarded." | The cost of disregarding God's word. |
1 Samuel 28 verses
1 Samuel 28 18 Meaning
1 Samuel 28:18 directly states the reason for Saul's dire predicament and God's rejection: his specific disobedience to the Lord's command concerning Amalek. It asserts that because Saul did not fully obey God's voice nor completely execute God's fierce wrath upon Amalek, the Lord has, therefore, brought this current calamitous situation upon him. This "thing" refers to Saul's immediate distress, the withdrawal of divine favor, God's silence, and his impending defeat and death, signifying God's sovereign and unwavering judgment against a disobedient king.
1 Samuel 28 18 Context
1 Samuel 28:18 is uttered by the spirit of Samuel (or an entity impersonating him) to King Saul during a forbidden consultation with the medium of Endor. Saul, facing an overwhelming Philistine army and desperate for divine guidance after God had ceased to answer him through legitimate means, sought out this medium. This act itself was a violation of God's law (Lev 19:31, Deut 18:10-12). The "voice" in verse 18 reiterates the pronouncement of God's rejection of Saul, a judgment first delivered by Samuel in 1 Samuel 15. Saul's cardinal sin was his partial obedience concerning the divine command to utterly destroy Amalek, a people eternally cursed by God for their hostility towards Israel upon their Exodus from Egypt. Saul spared King Agag and the best of the livestock, prioritizing personal gain and popular approval over absolute obedience. This grave act of defiance cemented his rejection and ultimately led to his downfall and death, directly linking this immediate prophetic word from Endor to the long-standing judgment pronounced chapters earlier.
1 Samuel 28 18 Word analysis
- Because (כִּי - kî): A causal conjunction, directly establishing the reason for the impending judgment. It underscores that God's actions are not arbitrary but justly consequential to human behavior.
- you did not obey (לֹא שָׁמַעְתָּ - lō’ šāma‘tā): "Obey" (šāma‘) means not just to hear, but to listen attentively and to heed or respond. The negative ("not") emphasizes Saul's deliberate and complete failure to heed the divine command given in 1 Samuel 15. This was an active act of defiance, not passive neglect.
- the voice (בְּקוֹל - bəqôl): Refers to the authoritative pronouncement or command of God, often delivered through a prophet (like Samuel). It signifies a personal and direct instruction from the Lord. Disregarding it is rejecting divine authority itself.
- of the Lord (יְהוָה - Yahweh): The covenant name of God, highlighting His character as the sovereign, personal, and ever-present God who entered into covenant with Israel and demanded their loyalty and obedience. This was a direct offense against Yahweh.
- and did not execute (וְלֹא עָשִׂיתָ - wə-lō’ ‘āśîtā): "Execute" (‘āśāh) implies carrying out a task or performing an action. It emphasizes that Saul’s disobedience was not just a failure to listen, but a failure to act according to the specific divine mandate of destruction, revealing his selective obedience.
- his fierce wrath (חֲרוֹן אַפּוֹ - ḥărôn ’appô): "Fierce wrath" (ḥārôn ‘aph) is a strong Hebrew idiom indicating a burning, intense, or kindled anger. "His nose/anger" denotes the immediate manifestation of God's righteous indignation, directed at Amalek for their persistent evil (Exod 17:16). Saul was meant to be the instrument of this divine judgment.
- on Amalek (בַּעֲמָלֵק - ba‘ămālēq): Specifies the target of God’s decree. Amalek symbolized a historical, relentless enemy of Israel, cursed by God. The command was herem, an act of devotion to destruction, against a particularly wicked nation that had attacked Israel in the wilderness.
- therefore (עַל כֵּן - ʿal kēn): A strong logical connector signifying immediate and direct consequence. It leaves no room for alternative interpretations or mitigating circumstances for the events befalling Saul.
- the Lord has done (עָשָׂה לְךָ יְהוָה - ‘āśāh ləkā Yahweh): Poetic and divine irony; Saul did not do (execute) God’s command, so God has done (inflicted) this consequence upon him. It underlines God’s sovereignty in enacting judgment.
- this thing (אֶת הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה - ’et haddābār hazzeh): "This thing" (dabar) refers to the totality of Saul’s immediate calamity: his rejection, the silence of God, his consultation with the medium, his terror, and his impending defeat and death on the battlefield. It’s the concrete manifestation of divine judgment.
- to you (לְךָ - lĕḵā): Clearly specifies Saul as the direct recipient and object of God's punitive action.
- this day (הַיּוֹם - hayyôm): Emphasizes the immediacy, finality, and culmination of the divine judgment, manifesting fully in the present reality of Saul’s desperate situation.
1 Samuel 28 18 Bonus section
The scene described in 1 Samuel 28 is unique, highlighting God's silence to Saul through conventional means (dreams, Urim, prophets), pushing Saul to desperate and unlawful spiritual consultation. The appearance of "Samuel" here, albeit under problematic circumstances, reaffirms the prophetic word from God previously given through the true prophet Samuel. It underscores that God's judgments, once decreed, stand firm, and even His silence or apparent absence does not negate His established word. The narrative serves as a warning against seeking guidance outside of God's revealed will, particularly when facing the consequences of one's own disobedience. Saul's fate illustrates that seeking answers through illicit means does not alter God's righteous decree but rather hastens the preordained judgment.
1 Samuel 28 18 Commentary
1 Samuel 28:18 serves as the climactic verbal pronouncement of God's long-standing rejection of Saul. It is a powerful theological statement about the absolute necessity of obedience to the Lord's commands. Saul’s selective obedience concerning Amalek (1 Sam 15) was not merely a lapse but a profound act of defiance that prioritized his own desires and prestige over the direct and clear will of Yahweh. The "fierce wrath on Amalek" highlights the severity and divine nature of the original command; Saul was meant to be God’s agent of holy judgment. His failure to fully carry out this divine herem directly negated God's plan and character. The phrase "therefore the Lord has done this thing to you this day" demonstrates a perfect divine correlation between sin and consequence. The very "doing" Saul failed to perform, God "did" to him in judgment. This is a vivid portrayal of God’s unwavering justice, His demand for uncompromising faithfulness, and the severe repercussions for kings who fail to submit to His ultimate authority. It reiterates that true leadership under God demands wholehearted submission, not partial compliance driven by human motivations.