1 Samuel 28 · Verse 16

1 Samuel 28:16

Then said Samuel, Wherefore then dost thou ask of me, seeing the Lord is departed from thee, and is become thine enemy?
1 Samuel 28:16, King James Version

1 Samuel 28:16 in other translations

BSB“Why do you consult me,” asked Samuel, “since the LORD has turned away from you and become your enemy?
WEBSamuel said, “Why then do you ask me, since the LORD has departed from you and has become your adversary?
ASVAnd Samuel said, Wherefore then dost thou ask of me, seeing Jehovah is departed from thee, and is become thine adversary?
YLTAnd Samuel saith, ‘And why dost thou ask me, and Jehovah hath turned aside from thee, and is thine enemy?
DARBYAnd Samuel said, Why then dost thou inquire of me, seeing Jehovah is departed from thee, and is become thine enemy?
BBEAnd Samuel said, Why do you put your questions to me, seeing that God has gone away from you and is on the side of him who is against you?
WebsterThen said Samuel, Why then dost thou ask of me, seeing the LORD hath departed from thee, and hath become thy enemy?

What does 1 Samuel 28:16 mean?

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 16 Wherefore then dost thou ask of me - Was ever I wont to give answers that were not dictated by the Lord? It is his counsel alone that I communicate.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Samuel 28:7-19

When we go from the plain path of duty, every thing draws us further aside, and increases our perplexity and temptation. Saul desires the woman to bring one from the dead, with whom he wished to speak; this was expressly forbidden, De 18:11. All real or pretended witchcraft or conjuration, is a malicious or an ignorant attempt to gain knowledge or help from some creature, when it cannot be had from the Lord in the…

Read the full comment on 1 Samuel 28:7-19 →

1 Samuel 28:16 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיֹּ֣אמֶרvai.Yo.merand he saidH559
שְׁמוּאֵ֔לshe.mu.'ElSamuelH8050
וְלָ֖מָּהve.La.mahand <to> why?H4100
תִּשְׁאָלֵ֑נִיtish.'a.Le.nido you ask meH7592
וַיהוָ֛הva.Yah.wehand YahwehH3068
סָ֥רsarhe has turned asideH5493
מֵעָלֶ֖יךָme.'a.Lei.khafrom with <the> youH5921
וַיְהִ֥יvay.Hiand he has becomeH1961
עָרֶֽךָ\׃'a.Re.khaenemy yourH6145

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 1 Samuel 28:16

  • 2 Kings 6:27

    And he said, If the Lord do not help thee, whence shall I help thee? out of the barnfloor, or out of the winepress?

  • Revelation 18:20

    Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her.

  • Psalms 68:1-3

    To the chief Musician, A Psalm or Song of David. Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered: let them also that hate him flee before him. As smoke is driven away, so drive them away: as wax melteth before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God. But let the righteous be glad; let them rejoice before God: yea, let them exceedingly rejoice.

  • Revelation 18:24-19:6

    And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth. And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God: For true and righteous are his judgments: for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand. And again they said, Alleluia. And her smoke rose up for ever and ever. …

  • Lamentations 2:5

    The Lord was as an enemy: he hath swallowed up Israel, he hath swallowed up all her palaces: he hath destroyed his strong holds, and hath increased in the daughter of Judah mourning and lamentation.

  • Judges 5:31

    So let all thine enemies perish, O Lord: but let them that love him be as the sun when he goeth forth in his might. And the land had rest forty years.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Wherefore.
Jud 5:31; 2Ki 6:27; Ps 68:1-3; Re 18:20,24; 19:1-6
and is become.
La 2:5

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 1 Samuel 28:15

    And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up? And Saul answered, I am sore distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God is departed from me, and answereth me no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams: therefore I have called thee, that thou mayest make known unto me what I shall do.

  • 1 Samuel 28:16

    Then said Samuel, Wherefore then dost thou ask of me, seeing the Lord is departed from thee, and is become thine enemy?

  • 1 Samuel 28:17

    And the Lord hath done to him, as he spake by me: for the Lord hath rent the kingdom out of thine hand, and given it to thy neighbour, even to David:

Read all of 1 Samuel 28

1 Samuel 28:16 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Entonces Samuel dijo: ¿Y para qué me preguntas á mí, habiéndose apartado de ti Jehová, y es tu enemigo?
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et Samuel dit: Et pourquoi m’interroges-tu, quand l’ Éternel s’est retiré de toi et qu’il est devenu ton ennemi?
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und Samuel sprach: Warum doch fragst du mich, da Jehova von dir gewichen und dein Feind geworden ist?
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et ait Samuel: Quid interrogas me, cum Dominus recesserit a te, et transierit ad æmulum tuum?