1 Samuel 28:20 meaning

In a moment of utter despair, Saul turned to a witch for counsel, desperately seeking guidance from the deceased prophet Samuel. This encounter signifies Saul's tragic fall from favor with God, highlighting his alienation from divine wisdom and his futile attempts to glean assurance from a source condemned by the Law. The text portrays Saul as a king who, pressed by fear and hopelessness, resorted to extreme measures that would ultimately seal his fate. “Then Saul fell straightway all along on the earth, and was sore afraid, because of the words of Samuel: and there was no strength in him; for he had eaten no bread all the day, nor all the night.” (1 Samuel 28:20).

The narrative emphasizes the psychological and spiritual torment Saul endured upon hearing Samuel's grim prophecy of his imminent death. Instead of seeking repentance and returning to God, his fear immobilized him. The involvement of the medium also highlights a profound reversal of spiritual order—where the king sought guidance from the very practices he once eradicated. This account serves as a cautionary tale about the dire consequences of ignoring God and the desperation that ensues from turning away from divine counsel.