1 Samuel 28:23
New International Version
He refused and said, “I will not eat.” But his men joined the woman in urging him, and he listened to them. He got up from the ground and sat on the couch.

New Living Translation
But Saul refused to eat anything. Then his advisers joined the woman in urging him to eat, so he finally yielded and got up from the ground and sat on the couch.

English Standard Version
He refused and said, “I will not eat.” But his servants, together with the woman, urged him, and he listened to their words. So he arose from the earth and sat on the bed.

Berean Standard Bible
Saul refused, saying, “I will not eat.” But his servants joined the woman in urging him, and he heeded their voice. He got up from the ground and sat on the bed.

King James Bible
But he refused, and said, I will not eat. But his servants, together with the woman, compelled him; and he hearkened unto their voice. So he arose from the earth, and sat upon the bed.

New King James Version
But he refused and said, “I will not eat.” So his servants, together with the woman, urged him; and he heeded their voice. Then he arose from the ground and sat on the bed.

New American Standard Bible
But he refused and said, “I will not eat.” However, his servants together with the woman urged him, and he listened to them. So he got up from the ground and sat on the bed.

NASB 1995
But he refused and said, “I will not eat.” However, his servants together with the woman urged him, and he listened to them. So he arose from the ground and sat on the bed.

NASB 1977
But he refused and said, “I will not eat.” However, his servants together with the woman urged him, and he listened to them. So he arose from the ground and sat on the bed.

Legacy Standard Bible
But he refused and said, “I will not eat.” However, his servants together with the woman urged him, and he listened to them. So he arose from the ground and sat on the bed.

Amplified Bible
But he refused and said, “I will not eat.” But his servants together with the woman urged him, and he [finally] listened to them. So he got up from the ground and sat on the bed.

Christian Standard Bible
He refused, saying, “I won’t eat,” but when his servants and the woman urged him, he listened to them. He got up off the ground and sat on the bed.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
He refused, saying, “I won’t eat,” but when his servants and the woman urged him, he listened to them. He got up off the ground and sat on the bed.

American Standard Version
But he refused, and said, I will not eat. But his servants, together with the woman, constrained him; and he hearkened unto their voice. So he arose from the earth, and sat upon the bed.

Contemporary English Version
"No, I won't eat!" But his officers and the woman kept on urging Saul, until he finally agreed. He got up off the floor and sat on the bed.

English Revised Version
But he refused, and said, I will not eat. But his servants, together with the woman, constrained him; and he hearkened unto their voice. So he arose from the earth, and sat upon the bed.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
But he refused. "I don't want to eat," he said. Nevertheless, his officers and the woman kept urging him until he listened to them. So he got up from the ground and sat on the bed.

Good News Translation
Saul refused and said he would not eat anything. But his officers also urged him to eat. He finally gave in, got up from the ground, and sat on the bed.

International Standard Version
Saul refused, saying, "I won't eat!" Both his servants and the woman urged him, and so he listened to them. He got up off the ground and sat on the bed.

Majority Standard Bible
Saul refused, saying, “I will not eat.” But his servants joined the woman in urging him, and he heeded their voice. He got up from the ground and sat on the bed.

NET Bible
But he refused, saying, "I won't eat!" Both his servants and the woman urged him to eat, so he gave in. He got up from the ground and sat down on the bed.

New Heart English Bible
But he refused, and said, "I will not eat." But his servants, together with the woman, pressed him; and he listened to their voice. So he arose from the ground, and sat on the bed.

Webster's Bible Translation
But he refused, and said, I will not eat. But his servants, together with the woman, compelled him; and he hearkened to their voice. So he arose from the earth, and sat upon the bed.

World English Bible
But he refused, and said, “I will not eat.” But his servants, together with the woman, constrained him; and he listened to their voice. So he arose from the earth and sat on the bed.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And he refuses and says, “I do not eat”; and his servants urge him on, and also the woman, and he listens to their voice, and rises from the earth, and sits on the bed.

Young's Literal Translation
And he refuseth, and saith, 'I do not eat;' and his servants urge on him, and also the woman, and he hearkeneth to their voice, and riseth from the earth, and sitteth on the bed.

Smith's Literal Translation
And he will refuse, and say, I will not eat And his servants will press upon him, and also the woman, and he will hear to their voice. And he will rise up from the earth and sit upon the bed.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
But he refused, and said: I will not eat. But his servants and the woman forced him, and at length hearkening to their voice, he arose from the ground and sat upon the bed.

Catholic Public Domain Version
But he refused, and he said, “I will not eat.” But his servants and the woman urged him, and after some time, heeding their voice, he rose up from the ground, and he sat upon the bed.

New American Bible
But he refused, saying, “I will not eat.” However, when his servants joined the woman in urging him, he listened to their entreaties, got up from the ground, and sat on a couch.

New Revised Standard Version
He refused, and said, “I will not eat.” But his servants, together with the woman, urged him; and he listened to their words. So he got up from the ground and sat on the bed.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
But he refused, and said, I will not eat. But his servants, together with the woman, begged him; and he hearkened to their voice. So he arose from the ground and sat upon the bed.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And he did not want it, and he said: “I will not eat.” And his Servants begged of him, also the woman, and he listened to their voice, and he got up from the ground and sat down on the bed
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
But he refused, and said: 'I will not eat.' But his servants, together with the woman, urged him; and he hearkened unto their voice. So he arose from the earth, and sat upon the bed.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
But he would not eat; so his servants and the woman constrained him, and he hearkened to their voice, and rose up from the earth, and sat upon a bench.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Saul and the Medium of Endor
22Now please listen to your servant and let me set a morsel of bread before you so you may eat and have the strength to go on your way.” 23Saul refused, saying, “I will not eat.” But his servants joined the woman in urging him, and he heeded their voice. He got up from the ground and sat on the bed. 24The woman had a fattened calf at her house, and she quickly slaughtered it. She also took flour, kneaded it, and baked unleavened bread.…

Cross References
Matthew 4:11
Then the devil left Him, and angels came and ministered to Him.

Mark 1:31
So He went to her, took her by the hand, and helped her up. The fever left her, and she began to serve them.

Luke 4:39
and He stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. And she got up at once and began to serve them.

John 4:31-34
Meanwhile the disciples urged Him, “Rabbi, eat something.” / But He told them, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.” / So the disciples asked one another, “Could someone have brought Him food?” ...

Acts 9:19
and after taking some food, he regained his strength. And he spent several days with the disciples in Damascus.

1 Kings 19:5-8
Then he lay down under the broom tree and fell asleep. Suddenly an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.” / And he looked around, and there by his head was a cake of bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. So he ate and drank and lay down again. / A second time the angel of the LORD returned and touched him, saying, “Get up and eat, or the journey will be too much for you.” ...

Genesis 18:5
And I will bring a bit of bread so that you may refresh yourselves. This is why you have passed your servant’s way. After that, you may continue on your way.” “Yes,” they replied, “you may do as you have said.”

Genesis 19:3
But Lot insisted so strongly that they followed him into his house. He prepared a feast for them and baked unleavened bread, and they ate.

Judges 19:21
So he brought him to his house and fed his donkeys. And they washed their feet and ate and drank.

2 Samuel 13:5-6
Jonadab told him, “Lie down on your bed and pretend you are ill. When your father comes to see you, say to him, ‘Please let my sister Tamar come and give me something to eat. Let her prepare it in my sight so I may watch her and eat it from her hand.’” / So Amnon lay down and feigned illness. When the king came to see him, Amnon said, “Please let my sister Tamar come and make a couple of cakes in my sight, so that I may eat from her hand.”

1 Kings 17:13-15
“Do not be afraid,” Elijah said to her. “Go and do as you have said. But first make me a small cake of bread from what you have, and bring it out to me. Afterward, make some for yourself and your son, / for this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘The jar of flour will not be exhausted and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the LORD sends rain upon the face of the earth.’” / So she went and did according to the word of Elijah, and there was food every day for Elijah and the woman and her household.

2 Kings 4:8
One day Elisha went to Shunem, and a prominent woman who lived there persuaded him to have a meal. So whenever he would pass by, he would stop there to eat.

2 Kings 4:42-44
Now a man from Baal-shalishah came to the man of God with a sack of twenty loaves of barley bread from the first ripe grain. “Give it to the people to eat,” said Elisha. / But his servant asked, “How am I to set twenty loaves before a hundred men?” “Give it to the people to eat,” said Elisha, “for this is what the LORD says: ‘They will eat and have some left over.’” / So he set it before them, and they ate and had some left over, according to the word of the LORD.

Psalm 23:5
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

Psalm 104:15
wine that gladdens the heart of man, oil that makes his face to shine, and bread that sustains his heart.


Treasury of Scripture

But he refused, and said, I will not eat. But his servants, together with the woman, compelled him; and he listened to their voice. So he arose from the earth, and sat on the bed.

I will

1 Kings 21:4
And Ahab came into his house heavy and displeased because of the word which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him: for he had said, I will not give thee the inheritance of my fathers. And he laid him down upon his bed, and turned away his face, and would eat no bread.

Proverbs 25:20
As he that taketh away a garment in cold weather, and as vinegar upon nitre, so is he that singeth songs to an heavy heart.

compelled him

2 Kings 4:8
And it fell on a day, that Elisha passed to Shunem, where was a great woman; and she constrained him to eat bread. And so it was, that as oft as he passed by, he turned in thither to eat bread.

Luke 14:23
And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.

Luke 24:29
But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them.

Jump to Previous
Bed Compelled Constrained Desire Earth Eat Hearkened Hearkeneth However Joined Refused Refuseth Riseth Sat Seat Servants Sitteth Together Urge Urged Urging Voice Way Words
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Bed Compelled Constrained Desire Earth Eat Hearkened Hearkeneth However Joined Refused Refuseth Riseth Sat Seat Servants Sitteth Together Urge Urged Urging Voice Way Words
1 Samuel 28
1. Achish puts confidence in David
3. Saul having destroyed the witches
4. and now in his fear forsaken of God
7. has recourse to a witch
8. who, encouraged by Saul, raises up Samuel
15. Saul hearing his ruin, faints
21. The woman and his servants refresh him with meat














But he refused
This phrase indicates Saul's initial resistance to the suggestion of eating. The Hebrew root for "refused" is "מָאֵן" (ma'en), which conveys a strong sense of denial or unwillingness. Saul's refusal can be seen as a reflection of his despair and hopelessness, having just received a dire prophecy from the spirit of Samuel. In a broader scriptural context, refusal often signifies a struggle between human will and divine direction, highlighting Saul's internal conflict and his estrangement from God.

and said, 'I will not eat.'
Saul's verbal declaration, "I will not eat," underscores his deep emotional and spiritual turmoil. In ancient Near Eastern culture, eating was not only a physical necessity but also a communal and covenantal act. By refusing to eat, Saul is symbolically rejecting life and community, further isolating himself. This moment is pivotal, as it shows Saul's vulnerability and the depth of his despair, having lost his connection with God and his prophetic guidance.

However, his servants and the woman together urged him
The persistence of Saul's servants and the woman, the medium of Endor, is significant. The Hebrew word for "urged" is "פָּצַר" (patsar), which implies a strong, insistent persuasion. This collective urging reflects a communal concern for Saul's well-being, emphasizing the importance of community support in times of distress. Historically, this moment illustrates the role of servants and women in providing counsel and care, even to a king, highlighting the universal need for compassion and intervention.

and he listened to them
Saul's decision to listen marks a turning point. The Hebrew root "שָׁמַע" (shama) for "listened" implies not just hearing but obeying or heeding advice. This act of listening indicates a moment of humility and recognition of his need for others, despite his kingly status. Scripturally, listening is often associated with wisdom and obedience to God's will, suggesting a brief moment of clarity for Saul amidst his turmoil.

He got up from the ground
Rising from the ground symbolizes a shift from despair to action. In biblical narratives, being on the ground often represents mourning or supplication, while rising signifies readiness to move forward. Saul's physical movement reflects an internal decision to continue, despite his dire circumstances. This action can inspire readers to find strength to rise from their own moments of despair, trusting in God's provision and the support of others.

and sat on the bed
Sitting on the bed signifies a return to a place of rest and contemplation. In ancient times, the bed was not only for sleeping but also a place for reflection and decision-making. Saul's choice to sit on the bed suggests a moment of pause and potential reconsideration of his situation. This phrase invites readers to find solace and clarity in moments of rest, encouraging a balance between action and reflection in the journey of faith.

(23) And sat upon the bed--That is, upon the divan, or cushioned seat, which usually runs round the walls of rooms in Eastern dwellings. There is nothing in the narration to support the common idea, represented so often in painting, that the scene above related took place in a cave. The witch probably lived in a dwelling of her own at En-dor. There is nothing either in the narrative to indicate that she was living in a place of concealment.



Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Saul refused,
וַיְמָאֵ֗ן (way·mā·’ên)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3985: To refuse

saying,
וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“I will not
לֹ֣א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

eat.”
אֹכַ֔ל (’ō·ḵal)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular
Strong's 398: To eat

But his servants
עֲבָדָיו֙ (‘ă·ḇā·ḏāw)
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 5650: Slave, servant

joined
וְגַם־ (wə·ḡam-)
Conjunctive waw | Conjunction
Strong's 1571: Assemblage, also, even, yea, though, both, and

the woman
הָ֣אִשָּׁ֔ה (hā·’iš·šāh)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 802: Woman, wife, female

in urging
וַיִּפְרְצוּ־ (way·yip̄·rə·ṣū-)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 6555: To break through

him,
ב֤וֹ (ḇōw)
Preposition | third person masculine singular
Strong's Hebrew

and he heeded
וַיִּשְׁמַ֖ע (way·yiš·ma‘)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 8085: To hear intelligently

their voice.
לְקֹלָ֑ם (lə·qō·lām)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 6963: A voice, sound

He got up
וַיָּ֙קָם֙ (way·yā·qām)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 6965: To arise, stand up, stand

from the ground
מֵֽהָאָ֔רֶץ (mê·hā·’ā·reṣ)
Preposition-m, Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 776: Earth, land

and sat
וַיֵּ֖שֶׁב (way·yê·šeḇ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3427: To sit down, to dwell, to remain, to settle, to marry

on
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

the bed.
הַמִּטָּֽה׃ (ham·miṭ·ṭāh)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 4296: A bed, for, sleeping, eating, a sofa, litter, bier


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OT History: 1 Samuel 28:23 But he refused and said I will (1Sa iSam 1 Sam i sa)
1 Samuel 28:22
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