1 Samuel 28:14He said to her, "What does he look like?" She said, "An old man comes up. He is covered with a robe." Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground, and did obeisance.
The setting
En-dor, Israel, ~1010 BC. Saul recognizes Samuel by his distinctive prophet's robe and immediately falls prostrate - the same man who once disobeyed Samuel now shows ultimate reverence.
The emotion here: desperate hope mixed with dread at finally reaching the one person who might have answers
The original word
meil (מְעִיל) — the distinctive robe or cloak worn by prophets and officials
Why it matters
Samuel's mantle was so distinctive that Saul recognized him instantly just from the description
Read with care
What most readers miss in 1 Samuel 28:14
This is the last time Saul will show proper reverence to God's authority - tomorrow he dies in battle
Common misconceptionPeople think Saul was being respectful, but he's actually showing the reverence he refused to give Samuel when alive - too late.
The thread continues
Verses that echo 1 Samuel 28:14
Bible Genome reading
1 Samuel 28:14 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
1 Samuel 28:14 comes from the book of 1 Samuel, written during the United Kingdom period. These words are attributed to medium of Endor. The dominant emotion in this verse is seeking, with a comfort power of 20% and a tone that is conversational. It belongs to the dialogue genre of biblical literature. Key themes include recognition, supernatural encounter. Notable phrases: An old man comes up; covered with a robe.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same seeking
“Pray without ceasing.”
— 1 Thessalonians 5:17
“But let justice roll on like rivers, and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
— Amos 5:24
“Be it far from you to do things like that, to kill the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be like the wicked. May that …”
— Genesis 18:25
“Call to me, and I will answer you, and will show you great things, and difficult, which you don't know.”
— Jeremiah 33:3
“Forgive us our sins, for we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. Bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evi…”
— Luke 11:4
Your reflection
What does 1 Samuel 28:14 mean to you, today?
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