I Samuel 28:10
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Then Saul swore to her by the LORD: “As surely as the LORD lives, no punishment shall come upon you for this.”
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
David in the Army of the Philistines. Attack upon Israel. Saul and the Witch of Endor - 1 Samuel 28 The danger into which David had plunged through his flight into the land of the Philistines, and still more through the artifice with which he had deceived the king Achish as to his real feelings, was to be very soon made apparent to him. For example, when the Philistines went to war again with Israel, Achish summoned him to go with his men in the army of the Philistines to the war against his own people and land, and David could not disregard the summons. But even if he had not brought himself into this danger without some fault of his own, he had at any rate only taken refuge with the Philistines in the greatest extremity; and what further he had done, was only done to save his own life. The faithful covenant God helped him therefore out of this trouble, and very soon afterwards put an end to his persecution by the fact that Saul lost his life in the war.
Open source ↗Preparations are herein making for that war which will put an end to the life and reign of Saul, and so make way for David to the throne. In this war, I. The Philistines are the aggressors and Achish their king makes David his confidant (Sa1 28:1, Sa1 28:2). II. The Israelites prepare to receive them, and Saul their king makes the devil his privy-counsellor, and thereby fills the measure of his iniquity. Observe, 1. The despairing condition which Saul was in (Sa1 28:3-6). 2. The application he made to a witch, to bring him up Samuel (Sa1 28:7-14). 3. His discourse with the apparition (Sa1 28:15-19). The damp it struck upon him (Sa1 28:20-25).
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
Cross-references
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“Please,” she replied, “may the king invoke the LORD your God to prevent the avenger of blood from increasing the devastation, so that my son may not be destroyed!” “As surely as the LORD lives,” he vowed, “not a hair of your son’s head will fall to the ground.”
And again he denied it with an oath: “I do not know the man!”
Saul listened to the voice of Jonathan and swore an oath: “As surely as the LORD lives, David will not be put to death.”
As surely as the LORD who saves Israel lives, even if it is my son Jonathan, he must die!” But not one of the troops said a word.
You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not leave anyone unpunished who takes His name in vain.
And he swore to her, “Whatever you ask of me, I will give you, up to half my kingdom!”
“For God knows that in the day you eat of it, your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”