The Meaning of 1 Samuel 28:5 Explained

1 Samuel 28:5

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

YLT: and Saul seeth the camp of the Philistines, and feareth, and his heart trembleth greatly,

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

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

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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

What does 1 Samuel 28:5 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Samuel 28:1-14 - Resorting To A Familiar Spirit
This chapter records the climax to which Saul's sins led, and which sealed his fate. See 1 Chronicles 10:13-14. He went back to that which he had put away and sought counsel of a familiar spirit, 2 Peter 2:20-22.
The soul cannot live apart from the unseen world. It is its native element. Divorce it from God, and it will fill the empty space with demons. When the king could get no answer to his questions by the usual means, he sent his servants, in desperation, to seek for a medium. Had he been right with God, there would have been no need for this. It is the decay of the old religious spirit that nowadays gives occasion for the rise of crystal-gazing, palmistry and spirit-rapping. What a tragedy was presented that night in the witch's hut, and how terrible must have been Saul's long tramp to and fro, between his own encampment and Endor, which lay in the rear of the Philistine host! It is an evil thing and a bitter to forsake the fountain of living waters, and hew out "broken cisterns that can hold no water," Jeremiah 2:13; Jeremiah 2:19. [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Samuel 28

1  Achish puts confidence in David
3  Saul having destroyed the witches
4  and now in his fear forsaken of God
7  has recourse to a witch
8  who, encouraged by Saul, raises up Samuel
15  Saul hearing his ruin, faints
21  The woman and his servants refresh him with meat

What do the individual words in 1 Samuel 28:5 mean?

And when saw Saul - the army of the Philistines and he was afraid and trembled his heart greatly
וַיַּ֥רְא שָׁא֖וּל אֶת־ מַחֲנֵ֣ה פְלִשְׁתִּ֑ים וַיִּרָ֕א וַיֶּחֱרַ֥ד לִבּ֖וֹ מְאֹֽד

וַיַּ֥רְא  And  when  saw 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
שָׁא֖וּל  Saul 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: שָׁאוּל  
Sense: a Benjamite, son of Kish, and the st king of Israel.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
מַחֲנֵ֣ה  the  army 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct
Root: מַחֲנֶה  
Sense: encampment, camp.
פְלִשְׁתִּ֑ים  of  the  Philistines 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine plural
Root: פְּלִשְׁתִּי  
Sense: an inhabitant of Philistia; descendants of Mizraim who immigrated from Caphtor (Crete?) to the western seacoast of Canaan.
וַיִּרָ֕א  and  he  was  afraid 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָרֵא 
Sense: to fear, revere, be afraid.
וַיֶּחֱרַ֥ד  and  trembled 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: חָרַד  
Sense: to tremble, quake, move about, be afraid, be startled, be terrified.
לִבּ֖וֹ  his  heart 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: לֵב 
Sense: inner man, mind, will, heart, understanding.
מְאֹֽד  greatly 
Parse: Adverb
Root: מְאֹד  
Sense: exceedingly, much subst.