Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Samuel 28:5
And when Saul saw the host of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart greatly trembled.
5. he was afraid ] The consciousness that “the Spirit of Jehovah had departed from him” made the once brave king a coward.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 5. When Saul saw] He saw from the superiority of his enemies, from the state of his army, and especially from his own state towards God, that he had every thing to fear.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Saul saw the host from Mount Gilboa, 1Sa 31:1.
His heart greatly trembled; partly, from the greatness and resoluteness of the host of the Philistines, who were the aggressors; partly, from the loss of David, who might have been of great use to him at this time; partly, from the conscience of his own manifest guilt, and just expectation of Divine vengeance oft threatened, and now in all likelihood to be inflicted upon him.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And when Saul saw the host of the Philistines,…. From the mountains of Gilboa, where he had pitched his camp:
he was afraid, and his heart greatly trembled; on sight of the numbers of them, and thinking perhaps of the death of Samuel, and of the loss of David; who was now among the Philistines, and might possibly fight against him, and for the Philistines, of which he might be informed; however, he was not with him, and his conscience might accuse him of various sins he had been guilty of, for which he might fear the Lord would now reckon with him.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(5) He was afraid.There is no doubt that Saul was discouraged when he viewed the enemys ranks from the eminence of Gilboa. They were far more numerous than he had expected. But the real reason of his trembling must be looked for in the consciousness that God had forsaken him. Many of the well-known Israelite warriors had, during the late events, taken service with his dreaded rival, David, and David, he knew, was now the vassal of Achish, a Philistine king. We may imagine Saul, the forsaken of God, as be stood on the white chalk hill of Gilboa, gazing on the long lines of Philistine tents pitched on the opposite hill of Shunem, wondering if his old friend was there, with his mighty following, in the division of Gath.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
5. He was afraid, and his heart greatly trembled He was a skilful and far-sighted general, and he felt that the Philistines had every probability of victory. He was also probably deeply affected with the feeling that Jehovah had forsaken him. Jehovah’s Spirit came not now mightily upon him as in former years; no cunning player on the harp was with him to charm away the evil spirit.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
1Sa 28:5 And when Saul saw the host of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart greatly trembled.
Ver. 5. He was afraid. ] “The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness surpriseth the hypocrites”: and they run away, if they could tell whither, with these words in their mouths, “Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? Who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?” Isa 33:14 God himself answereth in the next word. Isa 33:15 “He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly,” &c. But Saul was none such; and therefore in his extreme fear he runneth from God to the witch, and from the witch to the sword’s point.
And his heart greatly trembled.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
he was afraid: Job 15:21, Job 18:11, Psa 48:5, Psa 48:6, Psa 73:19, Pro 10:24, Isa 7:2, Isa 21:3, Isa 21:4, Isa 57:20, Isa 57:21, Dan 5:6
Reciprocal: 1Sa 28:20 – sore afraid Eze 20:31 – and shall Act 9:6 – trembling
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1Sa 28:5. His heart greatly trembled When he saw their numbers, their orders, and their appointments, he judged himself to be greatly overpowered, and fell into great terror upon the prospect. Had he kept close to God he needed not to have feared all the armies of the Philistines.