1 Samuel 28:22
Now therefore, I pray thee, hearken thou also unto the voice of thine handmaid, and let me set a morsel of bread before thee; and eat, that thou mayest have strength, when thou goest on thy way.
Original Language Analysis
וְעַתָּ֗ה
H6258
שְׁמַֽע
Now therefore I pray thee hearken
H8085
שְׁמַֽע
Now therefore I pray thee hearken
Strong's:
H8085
Word #:
2 of 18
to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.)
נָ֤א
H4994
נָ֤א
Strong's:
H4994
Word #:
3 of 18
'i pray', 'now', or 'then'; added mostly to verbs (in the imperative or future), or to interjections, occasionally to an adverb or conjunction
גַם
H1571
גַם
Strong's:
H1571
Word #:
4 of 18
properly, assemblage; used only adverbially also, even, yea, though; often repeated as correl. both...and
שִׁפְחָתֶ֔ךָ
of thine handmaid
H8198
שִׁפְחָתֶ֔ךָ
of thine handmaid
Strong's:
H8198
Word #:
7 of 18
a female slave (as a member of the household)
וְאָשִׂ֧מָה
and let me set
H7760
וְאָשִׂ֧מָה
and let me set
Strong's:
H7760
Word #:
8 of 18
to put (used in a great variety of applications, literal, figurative, inferentially, and elliptically)
לְפָנֶ֛יךָ
before
H6440
לְפָנֶ֛יךָ
before
Strong's:
H6440
Word #:
9 of 18
the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposi
לֶ֖חֶם
of bread
H3899
לֶ֖חֶם
of bread
Strong's:
H3899
Word #:
11 of 18
food (for man or beast), especially bread, or grain (for making it)
וִיהִ֤י
H1961
וִיהִ֤י
Strong's:
H1961
Word #:
13 of 18
to exist, i.e., be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)
כֹּ֔חַ
that thou mayest have strength
H3581
כֹּ֔חַ
that thou mayest have strength
Strong's:
H3581
Word #:
15 of 18
vigor, literally (force, in a good or a bad sense) or figuratively (capacity, means, produce)
כִּ֥י
H3588
כִּ֥י
Strong's:
H3588
Word #:
16 of 18
(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed
Historical Context
Hospitality obligations were sacred in ancient Near Eastern culture. The woman's offer of food, despite the danger Saul represented and the shocking events just witnessed, reflects deeply ingrained cultural values of caring for guests.
Questions for Reflection
- How do we care for practical needs of those facing spiritual devastation?
- What role does basic human kindness play in the darkest moments of life?
Related Resources
Explore related topics, people, and study resources to deepen your understanding of this passage.
Analysis & Commentary
The woman's practical insistence that Saul eat before departing reveals her understanding of physical necessity amid spiritual devastation. Her language, 'let me set a morsel of bread before thee,' uses the vocabulary of hospitality found throughout patriarchal narratives. The reasoning 'that thou mayest have strength, when thou goest on thy way' acknowledges Saul must face what cannot be avoided. Even condemned men must function. This passage shows human kindness persisting even in circumstances of divine judgment.