1 Samuel 28 · Verse 20

1 Samuel 28:20

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, King James Version

1 Samuel 28:20 in other translations

BSBImmediately Saul fell flat on the ground, terrified by the words of Samuel. And his strength was gone, because he had not eaten anything all that day and night.
WEBThen Saul fell immediately his full length on the earth, and was terrified, because of Samuel’s words. There was no strength in him, for he had eaten no bread all day long or all night long.
ASVThen Saul fell straightway his full length upon 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.
YLTAnd Saul hasteth and falleth--the fulness of his stature--to the earth, and feareth greatly because of the words of Samuel; also power was not in him, for he had not eaten bread all the day, and all the night.
DARBYAnd Saul fell straightway his full length 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.
BBEThen Saul went down flat on the earth, and was full of fear because of Samuel's words: and there was no strength in him, for he had taken no food all that day or all that night.
WebsterThen Saul fell immediately all along on the earth, and was exceedingly 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.

What does 1 Samuel 28:20 mean?

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 20 Then Saul fell straightway all along on the earth - Literally, he fell with his own length, or with the fullness of his stature. He was so overwhelmed with this most dreadful message, that he swooned away, and thus fell at his own length upon the ground. The woman, being terrified, had probably withdrawn to some distance at the first appearance of the prophet; and Saul was left alone with Samuel. After some short time, the woman came again unto Saul, found him sore troubled, and offered him those succours which humanity dictated.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Samuel 28:20-25
Those that expect any good counsel or comfort, otherwise than from God, and in the way of his institutions, will be as wretchedly disappointed as Saul. Though terrified even to despair, he was not humbled. He confessed not his sins, offered no sacrifices, and presented no supplications. He does not seem to have cared about his sons or his people, or to have attempted any escape; but in sullen despair he rushed upon his doom. God sets up a few such beacons, to warn men not to stifle convictions, or despise his word. But while one repenting thought remains, let no sinner suppose himself in this case. Let him humble himself before God, determined to live and die beseeching his favour, and he will succeed.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

1 Samuel 28:20 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.

וַיְמַהֵ֣רvay.ma.Herand he made hasteH4116
שָׁא֗וּלsha.'UlSaulH7586
וַיִּפֹּ֤לvai.yi.Poland he fellH5307
מְלֹא\־me.lo'-[the] fullness ofH4393
קֽוֹמָתוֹ֙ko.ma.Tostature hisH6967
אַ֔רְצָה'Ar.tzah[the] ground towardsH776
וַיִּרָ֥אvai.yi.Ra'and he was afraidH3372
מְאֹ֖דme.'OdexceedinglyH3966
מִדִּבְרֵ֣יmi.div.Reifrom [the] words ofH1697
שְׁמוּאֵ֑לshe.mu.'ElSamuelH8050
גַּם\־gam-alsoH1571
כֹּ֙חַ֙ko.achstrengthH3581
לֹא\־lo'-notH3808
הָ֣יָהHa.yahit wasH1961
ב֔וֹvoin <the> him
כִּ֣יkiforH3588
לֹ֤אlo'notH3808
אָכַל֙'a.Khalhe had eatenH398
לֶ֔חֶםLe.chemfoodH3899
כָּל\־kol-allH3605
הַיּ֖וֹםhai.Yomthe dayH3117
וְכָל\־ve.kholand allH3605
הַלָּֽיְלָה\׃ha.La.ye.lahthe nightH3915

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

Cross references for 1 Samuel 28:20

  • Job 15:20-24

    The wicked man travaileth with pain all his days, and the number of years is hidden to the oppressor. A dreadful sound is in his ears: in prosperity the destroyer shall come upon him. He believeth not that he shall return out of darkness, and he is waited for of the sword. He wandereth abroad for bread, saying, Where is it? he knoweth that the day of darkness is ready at his hand. …

  • Psalms 50:21-22

    These things hast thou done, and I kept silence; thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself: but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes. Now consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver.

  • Job 26:2

    How hast thou helped him that is without power? how savest thou the arm that hath no strength?

  • 1 Samuel 28:5

    And when Saul saw the host of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart greatly trembled.

  • 1 Samuel 25:37

    But it came to pass in the morning, when the wine was gone out of Nabal, and his wife had told him these things, that his heart died within him, and he became as a stone.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
fell straightway. Heb. made haste and fell with the fullnessof his stature. sore afraid.
5; 25:37; Job 15:20-24; 26:2; Ps 50:21,22

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

Context

  • 1 Samuel 28:19

    Moreover 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.

  • 1 Samuel 28:20

    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 28:21

    And 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.

Read all of 1 Samuel 28

1 Samuel 28:20 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		En aquel punto cayó Saúl en tierra cuan grande era, y tuvo gran temor por las palabras de Samuel; que no quedó en él esfuerzo ninguno, porque en todo aquel día y aquella noche no había comido pan.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et Saül aussitôt tomba à terre de toute sa hauteur, et il fut extrêmement effrayé des paroles de Samuel; même il n’y avait plus de force en lui, car il n’avait pas mangé de pain de tout le jour et de toute la nuit.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Da fiel Saul plötzlich seiner Länge nach zur Erde, und er fürchtete sich sehr vor den Worten Samuels; auch war keine Kraft in ihm, denn er hatte nichts gegessen den ganzen Tag und die ganze Nacht.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Statimque Saul cecidit porrectus in terram: extimuerat enim verba Samuelis, et robur non erat in eo, quia non comederat panem tota die illa.