旧约 - 撒母耳记上(1 Samuel)第28章

In those days the Philistines gathered their forces to fight against Israel. Achish said to David, "You must understand that you and your men will accompany me in the army."
David said, "Then you will see for yourself what your servant can do." Achish replied, "Very well, I will make you my bodyguard for life."
Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had mourned for him and buried him in his own town of Ramah. Saul had expelled the mediums and spiritists from the land.
The Philistines assembled and came and set up camp at Shunem, while Saul gathered all the Israelites and set up camp at Gilboa.
When Saul saw the Philistine army, he was afraid; terror filled his heart.
He inquired of the LORD, but the LORD did not answer him by dreams or Urim or prophets.
Saul then said to his attendants, "Find me a woman who is a medium, so I may go and inquire of her." "There is one in Endor," they said.
So Saul disguised himself, putting on other clothes, and at night he and two men went to the woman. "Consult a spirit for me," he said, "and bring up for me the one I name."
But the woman said to him, "Surely you know what Saul has done. He has cut off the mediums and spiritists from the land. Why have you set a trap for my life to bring about my death?"
Saul swore to her by the LORD, "As surely as the LORD lives, you will not be punished for this."
Then the woman asked, "Whom shall I bring up for you?" "Bring up Samuel," he said.
When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out at the top of her voice and said to Saul, "Why have you deceived me? You are Saul!"
The king said to her, "Don't be afraid. What do you see?" The woman said, "I see a spirit coming up out of the ground."
"What does he look like?" he asked. "An old man wearing a robe is coming up," she said. Then Saul knew it was Samuel, and he bowed down and prostrated himself with his face to the ground.
Samuel said to Saul, "Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?" "I am in great distress," Saul said. "The Philistines are fighting against me, and God has turned away from me. He no longer answers me, either by prophets or by dreams. So I have called on you to tell me what to do."
Samuel said, "Why do you consult me, now that the LORD has turned away from you and become your enemy?
The LORD has done what he predicted through me. The LORD has torn the kingdom out of your hands and given it to one of your neighbors--to David.
Because you did not obey the LORD or carry out his fierce wrath against the Amalekites, the LORD has done this to you today.
The LORD will hand over both Israel and you to the Philistines, and tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. The LORD will also hand over the army of Israel to the Philistines."
Immediately Saul fell full length on the ground, filled with fear because of Samuel's words. His strength was gone, for he had eaten nothing all that day and night.
When the woman came to Saul and saw that he was greatly shaken, she said, "Look, your maidservant has obeyed you. I took my life in my hands and did what you told me to do.
Now please listen to your servant and let me give you some food so you may eat and have the strength to go on your way."
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.
The woman had a fattened calf at the house, which she butchered at once. She took some flour, kneaded it and baked bread without yeast.
Then she set it before Saul and his men, and they ate. That same night they got up and left.
撒母耳记上第廿八章   第 28 章 

  撒上 28:1-2> 在骑虎难下的窘境里,神是大卫随时的帮助,也是我的── 

  28:1-2 亚吉的要求令大卫非常为难。如果不肯帮亚吉去攻打以色列人,就显出他对本国的忠诚,他全家与军队就有生命的危险;但是与他的骨肉之亲争战,就必伤害他所爱的、不久要由他领导的族人。虽然大卫自己无计可施,神却帮助并保护了他。非利士人的其他首领不愿意大卫上阵,结果他就不用与本族人争战了。 

  撒上 28:3-8> 窘迫之中,连自己所禁的也犯了,多像我们,在指责人的同时自己也犯了── 

  28:3-8 本来是扫罗禁止在以色列中有交鬼的(求问死人)和行巫术的事,但是他在窘迫之中,自己竟然前去求问。他虽然将交鬼的罪从国境内除去,却没有从他心里除掉。我们可能大声指摘别人犯罪,但是,如果我们的内心没有改变,罪就会卷土重来。知道什么对且谴责不对的,并不能取代你去做应当做的善事。 

  撒上 28:5-7> 神无指示时,是否也是一种表态?此时我该做什么? 

  28:5-7 扫罗见到非利士人的势力甚大就去求问女巫。在生活中遇到艰难阻碍时,我们应当按照神的引导并倚靠祂。从扫罗身上我们看到,不寻求神而另想别的方法求救,只会带来祸患。 

  撒上 28:7-8> 我迷信邪术吗?为何我对此类罪不够警惕呢?神的旨意何处寻? 

  28:7-8 神严格地禁止以色列人之中有占卜的、观兆的、用法术的、行邪术的、用迷术的、交鬼的、行巫术的、过阴的这一类的事(参申 18:9-14 )。实际上,凡行邪术的人都要被处死(参出 22:18 )。交鬼(行邪术)的乃是奉异教之神行事,凡求问他们的,神都不会答覆。 

  交鬼的人是从撒但与污鬼得到情报。神并不将祂的旨意向他们显明,祂乃是藉着圣经,就是祂的话语、祂的儿子耶稣基督与圣灵向人显明。 

  撒上 28:12> 撒母耳是否真的被交鬼的所招,从阴间上来? 

  28:12 交鬼的一见到他,就高声呼叫;她对于通常所交的鬼,早已心知肚明,那些或者是她编出来的圈套,或是出于撒但。撒母耳的出现向她显明,此次所遇上的远超过她所认识的大权能。她并没有用诡计,或是靠撒但的力量招撒母耳上来,是神叫撒母耳回来,给扫罗一个警告,并预示他的悲惨命运。这件事绝不同于人交鬼,或与古代人的亡魂来往。神严厉禁止人行这一类的事(参加 5:19-21 )。 

  撒上 28:15> 在申诉神离开他的同时,扫罗也许忘了是自己先背叛神;在说听不到神话语时,我们是否也…… 

  28:15 神没有回答扫罗的请求,因为他没有依照神过去的指示去行。人有时不知道祷告为什么没有蒙垂听;如果他们没有尽上神早已赐给他们的责任,神不给他们进一步的指示也就不足为奇了。──《灵修版圣经注释》