1 Samuel 28:23

Verse 23 of 25. The 28th of 31 chapters in 1 Samuel, in History.

19Moreover the Lord will also deliver Israel with thee into the hand of the Philistines: and to morrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me: the Lord also shall deliver the host of Israel into the hand of the Philistines.

20Then 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.

21And the woman came unto Saul, and saw that he was sore troubled, and said unto him, Behold, thine handmaid hath obeyed thy voice, and I have put my life in my hand, and have hearkened unto thy words which thou spakest unto me.

22Now therefore, I pray thee, hearken thou also unto the voice of thine handmaid, and let me set a morsel of bread before thee; and eat, that thou mayest have strength, when thou goest on thy way.

23But 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.

24And 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:

25And she brought it before Saul, and before his servants; and they did eat. Then they rose up, and went away that night.

Read 1 Samuel 28

1 Samuel 28:23 in the 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.
Read 1 Samuel 28:23 in the WEB

Matthew Henry on 1 Samuel 28:23

He showed himself very averse to it: He refused, and said, I will not eat (v. 23), choosing rather to die obscurely by famine than honourably by the sword. Had he laboured only under a defect of animal spirits, food might have helped him; but, alas! his case was out of the reach of such succours. What are dainty meats to a wounded conscience?

Read Matthew Henry on 1 Samuel 28:20–25: Saul's Despair. (b. c. 1055.)

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King James Version. Public domain. Set as prose throughout, including the poetry, because the text is published to us without its lines.