1 Samuel 28:17
He has done exactly what He spoke through me: The LORD has torn the kingship out of your hand and given it to your neighbor David.
He has done exactly what He spoke through me:
This phrase refers to the fulfillment of God's prophecy delivered through the prophet Samuel. In 1 Samuel 15:28, Samuel had previously told Saul that the kingdom would be torn from him due to his disobedience. This highlights the theme of divine sovereignty and the certainty of God's word. The role of prophets in Israel was to communicate God's will, and their words were seen as authoritative and binding.

The LORD has torn the kingdom out of your hand:
The imagery of tearing signifies a violent and irreversible action, emphasizing the seriousness of Saul's disobedience. This echoes the earlier incident in 1 Samuel 15:27-28, where Saul's robe was torn, symbolizing the kingdom being taken from him. The kingdom of Israel was a theocracy, and Saul's failure to obey God led to his rejection as king. This act of tearing also reflects the covenantal relationship between God and Israel, where obedience was required for blessing.

and given it to your neighbor David:
David, referred to as Saul's "neighbor," was chosen by God to be the next king of Israel. This choice was made in 1 Samuel 16 when David was anointed by Samuel. The term "neighbor" signifies proximity and relationship, indicating that David was already within Saul's sphere, serving in his court. David is a type of Christ, as he is a shepherd-king who foreshadows Jesus, the Good Shepherd and King of Kings. The transfer of kingship to David also fulfills God's promise to establish a lasting dynasty through him, as seen in 2 Samuel 7:12-16.

Persons / Places / Events
1. The LORD
The sovereign God of Israel, who communicates His will and executes His judgment.

2. Samuel
The prophet who, even after his death, delivers God's message to Saul through the medium at Endor.

3. Saul
The first king of Israel, who is facing the consequences of his disobedience to God.

4. David
The neighbor to whom God has given the kingdom, anointed by Samuel as the future king of Israel.

5. Endor
The location where Saul seeks out a medium to communicate with the deceased Samuel.
Teaching Points
God's Sovereignty and Faithfulness
God's plans and purposes will be fulfilled regardless of human actions. His word, once spoken, will come to pass.

Consequences of Disobedience
Saul's loss of the kingdom is a direct result of his disobedience to God's commands. This serves as a warning about the seriousness of sin and rebellion against God.

The Role of Prophets
Prophets like Samuel are God's messengers, and their words carry divine authority. We should heed the messages of God's Word as delivered through His prophets.

God's Choice and Anointing
David's anointing as king demonstrates that God chooses leaders based on His criteria, not human standards. We should seek to align our lives with God's purposes.

Seeking God, Not Alternatives
Saul's decision to consult a medium highlights the danger of seeking guidance outside of God's provision. We should rely on God and His Word for direction.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the fulfillment of God's word to Saul in 1 Samuel 28:17 demonstrate His sovereignty and faithfulness?

2. What can we learn from Saul's disobedience and its consequences about the importance of following God's commands?

3. How does the role of Samuel as a prophet in this passage inform our understanding of the authority of God's Word today?

4. In what ways does David's anointing and eventual kingship encourage us to trust in God's timing and choice for leadership in our lives?

5. Reflect on a time when you sought guidance outside of God's provision. How can this passage encourage you to seek God first in all decisions?
Connections to Other Scriptures
1 Samuel 15:28
This verse connects to the prophecy where Samuel initially tells Saul that the kingdom will be torn from him due to his disobedience.

1 Samuel 16:13
This passage describes the anointing of David by Samuel, signifying God's choice of David as the future king.

2 Samuel 3:9-10
This passage reaffirms God's promise to transfer the kingdom from Saul's house to David.

1 Chronicles 10:13-14
These verses explain that Saul's death was a result of his unfaithfulness and consulting a medium, reinforcing the consequences of his actions.
Night Preceding BattleH. E. Stone.1 Samuel 28:1-25
Lessons from the Incident At EndorJ. A. Miller.1 Samuel 28:7-25
Saul and the Witch of EndorA. Hovey, D. D.1 Samuel 28:7-25
Saul and the Witch of EndorR. Bickersteth, D. D.1 Samuel 28:7-25
Saul At EndorJ. Parker, D. D.1 Samuel 28:7-25
Spiritualism a FollyJ. Robertson.1 Samuel 28:7-25
The Religion of GhostsT. De Witt Talmage, D. D.1 Samuel 28:7-25
The Witch of EndorJ. Legge, M. A.1 Samuel 28:7-25
The Sentence of Rejection ConfirmedB. Dale 1 Samuel 28:12-20
People
Achish, Amalek, Amalekites, David, Israelites, Samuel, Saul
Places
Amalek, En-dor, Gath, Gilboa, Ramah, Shunem
Topics
Accordingly, David, Giveth, Hands, Kingdom, Neighbor, Neighbors, Neighbour, Rendeth, Rent, Spake, Spoke, Spoken, Torn, Wrought
Dictionary of Bible Themes
1 Samuel 28:17

     8452   neighbours, duty to

1 Samuel 28:3-20

     4190   spiritism

1 Samuel 28:4-20

     8160   seeking God

1 Samuel 28:14-20

     4132   demons, malevolence

1 Samuel 28:15-18

     8713   discouragement

1 Samuel 28:16-17

     1424   predictions

Library
So Then we must Confess that the Dead Indeed do not Know what Is...
18. So then we must confess that the dead indeed do not know what is doing here, but while it is in doing here: afterwards, however, they hear it from those who from hence go to them at their death; not indeed every thing, but what things those are allowed to make known who are suffered also to remember these things; and which it is meet for those to hear, whom they inform of the same. It may be also, that from the Angels, who are present in the things which are doing here, the dead do hear somewhat,
St. Augustine—On Care to Be Had for the Dead.

An Exhortation to Love God
1. An exhortation. Let me earnestly persuade all who bear the name of Christians to become lovers of God. "O love the Lord, all ye his saints" (Psalm xxxi. 23). There are but few that love God: many give Him hypocritical kisses, but few love Him. It is not so easy to love God as most imagine. The affection of love is natural, but the grace is not. Men are by nature haters of God (Rom. i. 30). The wicked would flee from God; they would neither be under His rules, nor within His reach. They fear God,
Thomas Watson—A Divine Cordial

There is a Blessedness in Reversion
Blessed are the poor in spirit. Matthew 5:3 Having done with the occasion, I come now to the sermon itself. Blessed are the poor in spirit'. Christ does not begin his Sermon on the Mount as the Law was delivered on the mount, with commands and threatenings, the trumpet sounding, the fire flaming, the earth quaking, and the hearts of the Israelites too for fear; but our Saviour (whose lips dropped as the honeycomb') begins with promises and blessings. So sweet and ravishing was the doctrine of this
Thomas Watson—The Beatitudes: An Exposition of Matthew 5:1-12

The Covenant of Grace
Q-20: DID GOD LEAVE ALL MANKIND TO PERISH 1N THE ESTATE OF SIN AND MISERY? A: No! He entered into a covenant of grace to deliver the elect out of that state, and to bring them into a state of grace by a Redeemer. 'I will make an everlasting covenant with you.' Isa 55:5. Man being by his fall plunged into a labyrinth of misery, and having no way left to recover himself, God was pleased to enter into a new covenant with him, and to restore him to life by a Redeemer. The great proposition I shall go
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity

Samuel
Alike from the literary and the historical point of view, the book[1] of Samuel stands midway between the book of Judges and the book of Kings. As we have already seen, the Deuteronomic book of Judges in all probability ran into Samuel and ended in ch. xii.; while the story of David, begun in Samuel, embraces the first two chapters of the first book of Kings. The book of Samuel is not very happily named, as much of it is devoted to Saul and the greater part to David; yet it is not altogether inappropriate,
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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