What Does 1 Samuel 28:23 Mean?

“But he refused”

to refuse

“and said”

to say (used with great latitude)

not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles

“I will not eat”

to eat (literally or figuratively)

“compelled”

to break out (in many applications, direct and indirect, literal and figurative)

“But his servants”

a servant

properly, assemblage; used only adverbially also, even, yea, though; often repeated as correl. both...and

“together with the woman”

a woman

“him and he hearkened”

to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.)

“unto their voice”

a voice or sound

“So he arose”

to rise (in various applications, literal, figurative, intensive and causative)

“from the earth”

the earth (at large, or partitively a land)

“and sat”

properly, to sit down (specifically as judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to dwell, to remain; causatively, to settle, to marry

near, with or among; often in general, to

“upon the bed”

a bed (as extended) for sleeping or eating; by analogy, a sofa, litter or bier