1 Samuel 28 24

1 Samuel 28:24 kjv

And the woman had a fat calf in the house; and she hasted, and killed it, and took flour, and kneaded it, and did bake unleavened bread thereof:

1 Samuel 28:24 nkjv

Now the woman had a fatted calf in the house, and she hastened to kill it. And she took flour and kneaded it, and baked unleavened bread from it.

1 Samuel 28:24 niv

The woman had a fattened calf at the house, which she butchered at once. She took some flour, kneaded it and baked bread without yeast.

1 Samuel 28:24 esv

Now the woman had a fattened calf in the house, and she quickly killed it, and she took flour and kneaded it and baked unleavened bread of it,

1 Samuel 28:24 nlt

The woman had been fattening a calf, so she hurried out and killed it. She took some flour, kneaded it into dough and baked unleavened bread.

1 Samuel 28 verses

1 Samuel 28 24 Meaning

This verse details the immediate and practical actions of the medium of Endor. Observing King Saul's extreme weakness and distress, she swiftly prepares a nourishing meal. She slaughters a pre-fattened calf from her house and, with haste, bakes unleavened bread. This urgent act of hospitality aims to restore Saul's physical strength before he departs for what will be his final battle.

1 Samuel 28 24 Context

The setting for 1 Samuel 28:24 is fraught with desperation and spiritual darkness. King Saul, facing a formidable Philistine army, is gripped by immense fear because God has withdrawn His presence and refuses to answer Saul's inquiries through dreams, the Urim, or prophets (1 Sam 28:5-6). In his spiritual bankruptcy and rebellion, Saul violates God's strict command against consulting mediums, ironically having earlier purged them from the land (1 Sam 28:3). He disguises himself and seeks out the medium of Endor to conjure the deceased prophet Samuel. The medium's act, divinely overridden or perhaps facilitated by God's unique intervention, results in Samuel (or a likeness) appearing, delivering a chilling prophecy of Saul's imminent defeat and death.

Overwhelmed by this pronouncement and weakened by fear and a day of fasting, Saul collapses to the ground (1 Sam 28:20). It is in this precise moment of extreme physical and psychological distress that verse 24 takes place. The woman, seeing Saul's utterly depleted state, expresses unexpected compassion. This act of hospitality, though arising in a context of spiritual illicit activity, focuses on the immediate physical need to sustain a distressed human being. The meal provided is critical to give Saul the minimal strength required to face his ultimate fate, signifying a poignant, human moment amidst a profound divine judgment.

1 Samuel 28 24 Word analysis

• "And the woman": (Hebrew: וְהָאִשָּׁה, veha'ishah) This refers specifically to the medium of Endor, the main character of this portion of the narrative apart from Saul. Her identity is not hidden; she is the person Saul sought. While engaging in a forbidden practice, the text highlights her immediate and tangible response of human kindness and compassion in the face of Saul's complete collapse.
• "had a fatted calf": (Hebrew: עֵגֶל מַרְבֵּק, egev marbeq, literally "calf of the stall" or "fed calf") This is a calf specifically kept and fattened for special occasions or important guests, signifying readiness for a feast. It implies abundance, luxury, and generous hospitality beyond mere sustenance. The immediate availability of such an animal highlights the depth of the woman's readiness to serve a prestigious or important visitor, or her genuine compassion to help a profoundly weak and hungry man. Its quick preparation emphasizes the urgency.
• "in the house": (Hebrew: בַּבַּיִת, baba'yith) This simple phrase grounds the act of hospitality in a domestic setting, making the extraordinary event of consulting the dead also intersect with mundane, immediate human needs for survival.
• "and she hasted": (Hebrew: וַתְּמַהֵר, vatmaher) This verb emphasizes speed and urgency. It reflects her promptness in addressing Saul's physical need, understanding the dire circumstances (dawn approaching, Philistine battle imminent). The haste is a key element defining the quality and nature of the meal.
• "and killed it": (Hebrew: וַתִּשְׁחָטֵהוּ, vatishchatehu) This signifies the slaughter of the calf. Despite its significant size and the labor involved, it was done quickly. This was not a ritual sacrifice but the practical action to prepare meat for food.
• "and took flour": (Hebrew: קֶמַח, qemach) The basic ingredient for bread. This indicates her self-sufficiency and preparation for making a meal on demand.
• "and kneaded it": (Hebrew: וַתָּלֹשׁ, vatalosh) This is the act of mixing and working the flour and water to form dough. It highlights the manual labor involved in preparing fresh bread.
• "and did bake unleavened bread thereof": (Hebrew: וַתֹּפֵהוּ מַצּוֹת, vatofehu matstsot) "Unleavened bread" (matstsot) is bread made without yeast. It is very quick to prepare and bake, as it doesn't require rising time. This reinforces the theme of "haste" seen earlier in the verse. This type of bread is culturally associated with urgency and rapid movement (e.g., the hasty departure of Israelites from Egypt during Passover). Its provision here speaks to the need for immediate physical nourishment for Saul's critical, impending encounter.
• Words-group: "a fatted calf... killed it, ... took flour, and kneaded it, and did bake unleavened bread thereof": This entire phrase describes a comprehensive and urgent culinary process. The "fatted calf" speaks to quality and abundance, while the "unleavened bread" speaks to speed and necessity. This sequence emphasizes the total commitment and efficient execution of hospitality to revive Saul swiftly. The inclusion of meat and bread constitutes a full, sustaining meal in the ancient Near East, prepared from scratch under immense pressure.

1 Samuel 28 24 Bonus section

• Contrast of Realms: This verse portrays the very mundane (preparing a meal) intruding into an overwhelmingly spiritual and dramatic context (forbidden divination, communication with the dead, pronouncement of doom). It shows that even in the face of the supernatural and the dire consequences of disobedience, basic human needs and compassionate responses persist.
• The Medium's Role: While Saul's actions are presented as wicked rebellion, the woman's role here is complex. She does not profit from the food; instead, she sacrifices valuable resources (a fatted calf) out of genuine concern. This makes her a multifaceted character, not purely villainous, serving to highlight human kindness even in forbidden territory.
• Divine Allowance: The narrative strongly suggests that the encounter with "Samuel" was a unique divine allowance, not the medium's inherent power, designed to deliver God's final judgment. In this light, even the woman's hospitality serves, unwittingly, the divine purpose of preparing Saul for his appointed end, making him fit for battle even if it leads to his death.
• Irony of Sustenance: The meal, while providing physical strength, serves only to enable Saul to walk to his inevitable doom. It doesn't alter his spiritual state or his fate, underscoring that physical sustenance is ultimately futile when spiritual connection to God is broken.

1 Samuel 28 24 Commentary

1 Samuel 28:24 encapsulates a vivid display of compassionate pragmatism amidst a tragic spiritual downturn. Following a devastating prophecy, Saul's utter collapse triggers a surprisingly human response from the medium of Endor, despite her engagement in divinely forbidden practices. This verse focuses on her swift, material actions to provide sustenance. The provision of a "fatted calf" signifies extraordinary hospitality, a gesture typically reserved for honored guests, highlighting her concern for Saul's well-being. Her decision to prepare "unleavened bread" further underscores the urgency of the situation; this bread, made without yeast, bakes quickly, perfectly fitting the need to strengthen Saul before dawn and his final, fateful confrontation. The scene, therefore, paints a picture of urgent physical restoration given to a man who had lost all spiritual connection with God. It demonstrates a basic human kindness, paradoxically offered from an unlikely source in a moment of ultimate despair and divine judgment upon Israel's first king.