1 Samuel 28:21 kjv
And the woman came unto Saul, and saw that he was sore troubled, and said unto him, Behold, thine handmaid hath obeyed thy voice, and I have put my life in my hand, and have hearkened unto thy words which thou spakest unto me.
1 Samuel 28:21 nkjv
And the woman came to Saul and saw that he was severely troubled, and said to him, "Look, your maidservant has obeyed your voice, and I have put my life in my hands and heeded the words which you spoke to me.
1 Samuel 28:21 niv
When the woman came to Saul and saw that he was greatly shaken, she said, "Look, your servant has obeyed you. I took my life in my hands and did what you told me to do.
1 Samuel 28:21 esv
And the woman came to Saul, and when she saw that he was terrified, she said to him, "Behold, your servant has obeyed you. I have taken my life in my hand and have listened to what you have said to me.
1 Samuel 28:21 nlt
When the woman saw how distraught he was, she said, "Sir, I obeyed your command at the risk of my life.
1 Samuel 28 21 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Sam 28:5 | When Saul saw the army of the Philistines, he was afraid... | Saul's initial fear before seeking the medium. |
| 1 Sam 28:6 | And when Saul inquired of the LORD, the LORD did not answer him... | God's silence to Saul due to his persistent disobedience. |
| 1 Sam 28:9 | But the woman said to him, "Surely you know what Saul has done... how he has cut off the mediums... Why then are you laying a trap for my life to bring about my death?" | The medium's initial fear for her life from Saul's own laws. |
| 1 Sam 28:18 | "Because you did not obey the voice of the LORD..." | Samuel's direct indictment of Saul's prior disobedience. |
| 1 Sam 28:20 | Then Saul fell at once full length on the ground, greatly afraid because of the words of Samuel... | Saul's profound despair and physical collapse. |
| Lev 19:31 | Do not turn to mediums or necromancers... | Explicit prohibition against seeking mediums in God's Law. |
| Deut 18:10-12 | There shall not be found among you anyone... who practices divination or tells fortunes... | A comprehensive command against various forms of occult practices. |
| 1 Sam 15:22-23 | ...to obey is better than sacrifice... For rebellion is as the sin of divination... | Directly links Saul's disobedience (rebellion) to the sin of divination he later commits. |
| 1 Chron 10:13-14 | So Saul died for his breach of faith... and also for consulting a medium, seeking guidance... | Explicit biblical reason for Saul's demise, directly linking it to this act. |
| Isa 8:19 | And when they say to you, "Inquire of the mediums and the necromancers... should not a people inquire of their God?" | Prophet's challenge to seek God rather than forbidden sources. |
| Prov 1:28 | Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer; they will seek me diligently but will not find me. | Principle of God's silence to those who reject Him. |
| Jer 8:20 | "The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved." | Echoes the theme of profound despair when divine help is not found. |
| Psa 119:109 | I hold my life in my hand continually, but I do not forget your law. | Uses the idiom "life in my hand," but in context of faithfulness despite danger. |
| Job 13:14 | Why should I take my flesh in my teeth and put my life in my hand? | Another biblical instance of the "life in my hand" idiom, denoting extreme risk or desperation. |
| Judges 12:3 | And when I saw that you would not save me, I put my life in my hand and crossed over against the Ammonites... | Jephthah risking his life in battle when other options failed. |
| Esth 4:16 | If I perish, I perish. | Esther's resolute decision to risk her life for her people. |
| Phil 2:30 | ...because he nearly died for the work of Christ, risking his life... | New Testament example of risking one's life for spiritual service. |
| Heb 10:39 | But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls. | Contrasts the outcome of persistent faith versus despair. |
| 2 Sam 12:10 | 'Now therefore the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised me...' | Illustrates the severe, lasting consequences of despising God. |
| Matt 23:37 | O Jerusalem, Jerusalem... How often would I have gathered your children together... and you were not willing! | Tragic reflection of rejected divine invitations and ultimate abandonment. |
| Rom 11:22 | Note then the kindness and the severity of God... | God's dual nature, encompassing both compassion and righteous judgment. |
| Gal 6:7 | Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. | Illustrates the principle of consequence for actions, especially for rebellion against God's will. |
1 Samuel 28 verses
1 Samuel 28 21 Meaning
This verse describes the medium of Endor's compassionate response to King Saul, who has collapsed in terror and exhaustion after hearing Samuel's prophecy of impending doom. She approaches him with concern, asserting her prompt obedience to his desperate command despite the immense personal danger she faced by defying his own decree against mediums. Her words emphasize the profound risk she took to fulfill his urgent, forbidden request.
1 Samuel 28 21 Context
Chapter 28 of 1 Samuel depicts King Saul at the nadir of his spiritual and psychological state. Facing a formidable Philistine army, and completely abandoned by God, who refused to answer his inquiries through traditional means (dreams, Urim, or prophets), Saul desperately turns to forbidden spiritualism. Despite having previously enforced the very laws he now violates by executing mediums from the land, he disguises himself and seeks out a medium at Endor. The medium, after being assured of safety, appears to evoke the prophet Samuel from the dead. Samuel delivers a devastating prophecy to Saul, reaffirming his rejection by God and foretelling the demise of his kingdom, his sons, and his own death the following day. This overwhelming pronouncement causes Saul, already weakened by fasting and despair, to collapse to the ground, bringing us to verse 21, where the medium responds to his prostrate form.
1 Samuel 28 21 Word analysis
- Then the woman came: The medium, after her astonishing encounter and delivery of the news, now moves towards Saul. Her action shows initiative and perhaps a degree of empathy.
- to Saul: Indicates the direct focus and personal nature of her immediate attention.
- and saw that he was greatly troubled: (Hebrew: וַתֵּ֣רֶא כִּֽי־נִבְהַ֣ל מְאֹ֔ד, va-terre ki-nivhal m'od). Nivhal describes someone severely agitated, terrified, confused, or dismayed. Saul's state is one of utter despair, not merely upset. It suggests both mental and physical distress leading to his collapse.
- and said to him: She engages with him verbally, demonstrating concern and perhaps a professional duty of care after witnessing his severe reaction.
- "Behold, your servant has obeyed your voice": The medium identifies herself as Saul's '`amah* (אֲמָֽתְךָ֔), meaning "female servant" or handmaid, emphasizing a humble status while highlighting her dutiful execution of his command, despite its grave implications.
- "and I have put my life in my hand": (Hebrew: נַפְשִׁי בְכַפִּי, napshi bekapí). This is a vivid Hebrew idiom expressing that one has placed one's life in extreme jeopardy, risking it openly. She reminds Saul that her actions were not trivial but involved significant personal danger, given Saul's own law against mediums. This is a powerful, literal admission of defying the law to fulfill his wish.
- "and have heeded the words that you spoke to me": Reinforces her claim of complete and attentive compliance to his specific request. Heeded (שָׁמַ֔עְתִּי, shama'ti) carries the connotation of attentive listening and subsequent obedience.
Words-group analysis:
- "the woman came to Saul and saw that he was greatly troubled": This transition signals a shift from the extraordinary spiritual event to a scene of human interaction, driven by the woman's perception of Saul's profound distress. It highlights the physical manifestation of Saul's terror after the divine (or divinely permitted) revelation.
- "'Behold, your servant has obeyed your voice, and I have put my life in my hand": This declarative statement by the medium serves multiple purposes. It asserts her faithfulness to his command, implicitly reminding him of the severe personal cost involved in obeying him. It creates a stark contrast to Saul's persistent disobedience to God's voice, highlighting the tragic irony of his situation.
- "put my life in my hand and have heeded the words that you spoke to me": This phrase emphasizes the exceptional risk she undertook out of perceived obedience. The idiom vividly portrays holding one's life like a fragile object, easily lost or crushed, underscoring the seriousness of her act performed for him. Her 'heeding' to Saul's word stands in poignant contrast to Saul's long history of failing to 'heed' God's word.
1 Samuel 28 21 Bonus section
The idiom "put my life in my hand" (napshi bekapí) highlights the profound spiritual and moral vacuum Saul was in. While the medium physically risked her life to perform a forbidden act for Saul, Saul's own life was far more perilously "in his hand" spiritually, entrusted to his obedience to God's commands which he repeatedly neglected. The medium's humane reaction to Saul's terror is notable, especially considering the societal position of mediums under Saul's own edicts. Her active concern stands against Saul's spiritual paralysis and inaction toward God. This brief interaction humanizes a figure often demonized in the biblical narrative, showcasing that even those on the periphery of divine approval can exhibit compassion, even as the divinely appointed king is bereft of spiritual vitality and direction.
1 Samuel 28 21 Commentary
Verse 21 depicts a moment of startling humanity amidst Saul's spiraling divine judgment. The medium, after facilitating a terrifying divine encounter, shows empathy towards the king who enforced laws punishable by her own death. Her declaration, "I have put my life in my hand," is not merely a statement of fact but also an implicit appeal for consideration, emphasizing the grave personal risk she incurred by obeying Saul. This woman, operating outside God's direct covenant, models an obedience to a human request and a selfless risk-taking that stands in stark contrast to Saul's consistent rebellion and self-preserving actions against God's direct commands. The scene tragically underscores the depths of Saul's spiritual isolation, where human compassion and forbidden practices are sought in the absence of divine guidance and mercy.