Saul's Belief in Witchcraft and Communication with Spirits
King Saul's encounter with the medium of Endor, as recorded in 1 Samuel 28, illustrates his desperate attempt to communicate with the deceased prophet Samuel after God had ceased to answer him [1, 2]. This event highlights Saul's belief in the ability of certain individuals to interact with spirits, a practice explicitly forbidden in Israelite law.
Saul's spiritual decline began earlier, marked by the departure of the Spirit of the Lord from him and the onset of an "evil spirit from the Lord" that troubled him [5]. This "evil spirit" is understood by some as not merely a psychological depression but a higher evil power that took possession of him [5]. Facing an impending battle with the Philistines, and with God no longer responding through dreams, Urim, or prophets, Saul sought alternative means of guidance [4]. He had previously purged the land of mediums and spiritists, in accordance with divine command [4]. However, in his desperation, he instructed his servants, "Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and inquire of her" [3, 7]. His servants quickly identified such a woman in Endor [3].
Saul disguised himself, shedding his royal or military attire to avoid recognition, and traveled with two men to the medium [6]. Upon arriving, he asked her to "bring me up whom I shall name unto thee" [1 Samuel 28:8]. The medium initially expressed fear, reminding him of Saul's own decree against those with familiar spirits [1 Samuel 28:9]. Saul swore an oath that no harm would come to her, prompting her to ask whom she should bring up. Saul requested Samuel [1 Samuel 28:11].
The text describes the medium crying out in fear when she saw Samuel, recognizing Saul despite his disguise [1 Samuel 28:12]. She described what she saw as "an old man coming up; and he is covered with a mantle" [1 Samuel 28:14]. Saul perceived this as Samuel and bowed down [1 Samuel 28:14]. The apparition, personating Samuel, questioned Saul, "Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up?" [8]. This question, "Why hast thou disquieted me to bring me up?", suggests to some interpreters that the entity was an evil spirit in disguise rather than the actual Samuel, as a holy spirit would not be "disquieted" by being brought up [8].
The message delivered by the apparition was one of doom: God had departed from Saul, become his enemy, and would deliver Israel into the hands of the Philistines, and Saul and his sons would die in battle the next day [1 Samuel 28:16-19]. Overwhelmed by this prophecy, Saul immediately fell to the ground, "sore troubled" [1 Samuel 28:20, 12]. The medium, seeing his distress, offered him food [9].
This episode underscores Saul's profound spiritual crisis and his turn to forbidden practices when divine communication ceased. His actions demonstrate a belief in the efficacy of necromancy, even though he had previously outlawed it. The narrative serves as a stark example of the consequences of disobedience and the dangers of seeking guidance outside of God's prescribed means.
Sources
- Project Gutenberg “Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, CHAPTER 14, section 1: . How Saul Upon God's Not Answering Him Concerning The Fight With The Philistines Desired A Necromantic Woman To Raise Up The Soul Of Samuel To Him; And How He Died, With His Sons Upon The Overthrow Of The Hebrews In Battle. 1. About the same time the Philistines resolved to make war against the Israelites, and sent to all their confederates that they would go along with them to the war to Reggan, [near the city Shunem,] whence they might gather themselves together, and suddenly attack the Hebrews. Then did Achish, the king of G”
- Project Gutenberg “Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, CHAPTER 14, section 1: . Now Saul Upon God's Not Answering Him Concerning The Fight With The Philistines Desired A Necromantic Woman To Raise Up The Soul Of Samuel To Him; And How He Died, With His Sons Upon The Overthrow Of The Hebrews In Battle. FOOTNOTES:”
- 1 Samuel (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on 1 Samuel 28:7: Here, I. Saul seeks for a witch, Sa1 28:7. When God answered him not, if he had humbled himself by repentance and persevered in seeking God, who knows but that at length he might have been entreated for him? but, since he can discern no comfort either from heaven or earth (Isa 8:21, Isa 8:22), he resolves to knock at the gates of hell, and to see if any there will befriend him and give him advice: Seek me a woman that has a familiar spirit, Sa1 28:7. And his servants were too officious to serve him in this evil affair; they presently recommended one to him at En”
- 1 Samuel (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 Samuel 28:3: Now Samuel is dead, &c.--This event is here alluded to as affording an explanation of the secret and improper methods by which Saul sought information and direction in the present crisis of his affairs. Overwhelmed in perplexity and fear, he yet found the common and legitimate channels of communication with Heaven shut against him. And so, under the impulse of that dark, distempered, superstitious spirit which had overmastered him, he resolved, in desperation, to seek the aid of one of those fortune telling impostors whom, in accordance with the divi”
- 1 Samuel (Lutheran) “Keil & Delitzsch on 1 Samuel 16:14: David's Introduction to the Court of Saul. - Sa1 16:14. With the rejection of Saul on the part of God, the Spirit of Jehovah had departed from him, and an evil spirit from Jehovah had come upon him, who filled him with fear and anguish. The "evil spirit from Jehovah" which came into Saul in the place of the Spirit of Jehovah, was not merely an inward feeling of depression at the rejection announced to him, which grew into melancholy, and occasionally broke out in passing fits of insanity, but a higher evil power, which took possession of him, and not only de”
- 1 Samuel (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 1 Samuel 28:8: And Saul disguised himself, and put on other raiment,.... Stripped himself of his royal robes, or military apparel, as supreme commander, and clothed himself in the habit of a peasant or a common soldier; and this not only that he might not be known by the woman, but that he might pass from his army incognito, and it might not be known that he was gone, and especially whither he was gone: and he went, and two men with him: these, according to the tradition of the Jews (e), were Abner and Amasa; but it is not probable that Saul should leave his army destitute of th”
- 1 Samuel (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 1 Samuel 28:7: Then said Saul unto his servants,.... That waited upon him, to some of them, to such as he could place most confidence in to keep a secret; perhaps only the two after mentioned: seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and inquire of her; that was mistress of the bottle, a ventriloquist, that spoke out of her belly, or seemed to do; who had the spirit of Python or divination, conversed with the devil, and by his assistance pretended to bring up a dead person, and thereby foretell things to come; See Gill on Deu 18:11; a woman is pitched u”
- 1 Samuel (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on 1 Samuel 28:15: We have here the conference between Saul and Satan. Saul came in disguise (Sa1 28:8), but Satan soon discovered him, Sa1 28:12. Satan comes in disguise, in the disguise of Samuel's mantle, and Saul cannot discover him. Such is the disadvantage we labour under, in wrestling with the rulers of the darkness of this world, that they know us, while we are ignorant of their wiles and devices. I. The spectre, or apparition, personating Samuel, asks why he is sent for (Sa1 28:15): Why hast thou disquieted me to bring me up? To us this discovers that it was an evil spir”
- 1 Samuel (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 1 Samuel 28:21: And the woman came unto Saul,.... Having left him and the apparition in a room by themselves to converse together, and perhaps on hearing him fall to the ground came in: and saw that he was sore troubled: by his lying on the ground, and the agonies he seemed to be in, and the uneasiness that sat upon his countenance: and said unto him, behold, thine handmaid hath obeyed thy voice; in divining by her familiar spirit for him, and in bringing up Samuel to him, as he desired: and I have put my life in my hand; exposed it to the utmost danger, since a person of he”