1 Samuel 28:20 Meaning: When There Was No Strength Left
Then Saul fell immediately his full length on the earth, and was terrified, because of Samuel’s words. There was no strength in him, for he had eaten no bread all day long or all night long.
Then Saul fell straightway all along on the earth, and was sore afraid, because of the words of Samuel: and there was no strength in him; for he had eaten no bread all the day, nor all the night.
Then Saul fell straightway his full length upon the earth, and was sore afraid, because of the words of Samuel: and there was no strength in him; for he had eaten no bread all the day, nor all the night.
And Saul hasteth and falleth--the fulness of his stature--to the earth, and feareth greatly because of the words of Samuel; also power was not in him, for he had not eaten bread all the day, and all the night.
And Saul fell straightway his full length on the earth, and was sore afraid because of the words of Samuel; and there was no strength in him, for he had eaten no bread all the day nor all the night.
Meaning in one sentence
Why did Saul collapse and have no strength after Samuel's words? This verse shows how spiritual separation leads to total physical and emotional exhaustion.
Context
The scene is the medium's house at Endor, late at night. Saul disguised himself and came seeking answers after God refused to speak to him through dreams, prophets, or priests. Samuel's spirit appears and delivers a devastating word: the kingdom is already given to David. By tomorrow, Saul and his sons will be dead in battle. In verse 20, that word hits Saul like a physical blow. He falls straight down, his full length stretched on the ground. The terror is complete. And the narrator adds a telling detail: he had eaten nothing all day and all night. His strength was gone from both dread and neglect.
Key Words
Three ordinary Hebrew words carry the weight of this collapse. The verb for 'fell' (naphal) is the same word used of a soldier struck down in battle. Saul doesn't sink slowly; he falls as though hit. Then the phrase 'full length' (me'lo qomato) literally means 'the fullness of his stature', not a slump but the entire man, from head to heel, flat on the ground. Nothing left to hold him up. And finally the quiet detail: 'he had eaten no bread' (lo achal lechem). This is not a religious fast. The word lechem means food in general, and the context says he simply could not eat. Fear stole his appetite. His body became the visible sign of a soul already starved.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians across traditions have read this verse as a picture of total despair. Adam Clarke observed that Saul 'swooned away' under the weight of the message. The Cambridge Bible notes 'terror of mind and exhaustion of body left him powerless.' Gill likens him to someone 'thunderstruck' by Samuel's words. Wesley adds that his past sins were likely brought to remembrance at that moment, compounding the horror. Each reading agrees: this is a man who has reached the end of himself, with no comfort left to hold onto.
A common misunderstanding
Some assume Saul's prolonged fast was a sign of religious discipline or even repentance. In fact, he was not fasting to seek God. The text shows he had been too terrified to eat anything all day and all night. It is a symptom of spiritual collapse, not a spiritual practice.
Living This Out
Maybe today you find yourself skipping meals because worry has taken over. Maybe you are running on fumes, spiritually and physically. This verse does not celebrate Saul's fast; it diagnoses his condition. He had already stopped listening to God, and now his body showed what his soul had become. The honest thing to do is to admit where you are, afraid, empty, maybe even avoiding God. Before you fall flat, let this be the moment you turn around. God still hears those who call on Him in truth.
Main takeaway: When we refuse to listen to God, we may eventually find we have no strength to stand when His truth breaks through.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
Saul was so scared that he fell flat on the ground. He hadn't eaten anything because he was too worried. When you are scared, you can talk to God and He will help you.
For ages 9, 12
Saul had been disobeying God for a long time, and now God wouldn't answer him anymore. He went to a medium to get help, but the message from Samuel was terrible: he was going to die the next day. He fell down from fear and had no strength because he hadn't taken care of himself. This story shows us that ignoring God and holding onto sin can drain us completely. It's a warning to keep our relationship with God healthy and to turn back quickly when we go wrong.
Questions People Ask
Why did Saul fall flat on the ground in 1 Samuel 28:20?
He fell because Samuel's words terrified him completely. Samuel had just told him that God rejected him, his kingdom was given to David, and he and his sons would die in battle the next day. The terror was so overwhelming that he collapsed at full length.
Why hadn't Saul eaten anything all day and night?
Saul was consumed by fear about the coming battle with the Philistines and the silence of God. He had no appetite because of his inner turmoil. The fast was not a religious choice but a symptom of his despair.
Did God really stop speaking to Saul?
The chapter says Saul inquired of the Lord, but He did not answer him by dreams, Urim, or prophets. Because of Saul's persistent disobedience, God withdrew His guidance. Christians across traditions see this as a sobering warning about the consequences of unrepented sin.
What does this verse teach about the connection between spiritual and physical health?
It shows that spiritual distress can drain us physically. Saul's refusal to eat and his complete collapse are outward signs of a soul in crisis. The verse invites us to care for both body and spirit, and to turn back to God before we are completely empty.
Is this the end of Saul's story in the Bible?
Not exactly. Saul dies in battle the next day, as Samuel said. Chapter 31 records his death. This verse marks his lowest point, the moment when all hope, strength, and resistance leave him. The rest is the final fulfillment of the word he heard.
For pastors & researchers
Hebrew interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study