1 Samuel 28:8 - Printer Friendly

ESV: So Saul disguised himself and put on other garments and went, he and two men with him. And they came to the woman by night. And he said, "Divine for me by a spirit and bring up for me whomever I shall name to you."

NIV: So Saul disguised himself, putting on other clothes, and at night he and two men went to the woman. "Consult a spirit for me," he said, "and bring up for me the one I name."

NASB: Then Saul disguised himself by putting on different clothes, and went, he and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night; and he said, 'Consult the spirit for me, please, and bring up for me the one whom I shall name for you.'

CSB: Saul disguised himself by putting on different clothes and set out with two of his men. They came to the woman at night, and Saul said, "Consult a spirit for me. Bring up for me the one I tell you."

NLT: So Saul disguised himself by wearing ordinary clothing instead of his royal robes. Then he went to the woman’s home at night, accompanied by two of his men. 'I have to talk to a man who has died,' he said. 'Will you call up his spirit for me?'

KJV: And Saul disguised himself, and put on other raiment, and he went, and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night: and he said, I pray thee, divine unto me by the familiar spirit, and bring me him up, whom I shall name unto thee.

NKJV: So Saul disguised himself and put on other clothes, and he went, and two men with him; and they came to the woman by night. And he said, “Please conduct a séance for me, and bring up for me the one I shall name to you.”

The Philistine armies have joined together to fight the Israelites. Saul knows the odds are against him. He's tried every method he knows to hear from God, but God is silent. He can think of only one more path (1 Samuel 28:3–7). As he did before (1 Samuel 15:23), Saul puts his own judgment ahead of God's clear instructions.

Saul disobeyed God many times, but one thing he did right was rid Israel of as many mediums and necromancers as he could. Trying to speak to the dead is against God's law (Deuteronomy 18:9–12; 1 Samuel 28:3). But he is so determined to hear about the upcoming battle that he's decided to break his own law. He has demanded his servants find a medium for him.

The woman lives in the town of En-dor. This is on the other side of the Philistine army camped near Saul's location on Mount Gilboa. Saul disguises himself to avoid being identified on the way and takes just two men with him. Since the Philistines are at the town of Shunem on the southwest side of the Hill of Moreh, Saul likely travels around the east side of the hill to get to En-dor. Still, the king is taking an incredible risk to travel in the open so near to the enemy camp.

Saul arrives at the woman's home late at night, under the cover of darkness. He demands that she summon the spirit of someone who has died so he can communicate with it. He avoids telling the woman whom he wants her to contact just yet. He finally tells her he wants to talk to Samuel. She performs her ritual, but when the spirit of Samuel appears, she appears shocked that her magic worked—and that her client is the man who banned her profession (1 Samuel 28:11–12).

First 1 Samuel 28:8–14 describes a controversial moment in the life of King Saul. The Philistines have amassed armies against Saul's. He's terrified that this is his doom. God refuses to speak. Samuel is gone. Saul puts on a disguise, goes to one of the few mediums who escaped his cleansing, and asks her to contact the dead prophet. When Samuel appears, she seems as surprised as everyone else. She also realizes her client is the king. Saul reassures the witch that she's safe, but Samuel does not have the same message for Saul (1 Samuel 28:15–19).

Israelites and the Philistines prepare for war. The Philistine king Achish demands that David fight with him against Israel. Terrified at the amassed Philistine army and unable to reach the Lord for help, Saul finds a medium to contact Samuel's spirit. Samuel repeats that the Lord has taken the kingdom from Saul and adds that Saul and his sons will fall, along with Israel, the next day. The medium serves Saul and his men a large meal, and the men leave under the cover of darkness. David is saved from having to fight his own people, but Saul and his sons do die. David will soon be king (1 Samuel 29; 31).

David and his men have escaped Saul (1 Samuel 27) and begun been fighting Israel's enemies under the protection of the Philistine king Achish (1 Samuel 28). Now, Achish wants David to fight Israel with him. Saul sees the Philistine army and is terrified. He finds a medium to call up Samuel's spirit. Samuel tells Saul that he, his sons, and Israel will fall. Fortunately, the other Philistine kings refuse to fight with David, and Achish sends him home. But Saul's sons are killed. Mortally wounded, Saul will take his own life (1 Samuel 29; 31).

First Samuel introduces the key figures who led Israel after the era of the judges. The books of 1 and 2 Samuel were originally part of a single text, split in certain translations shortly before the birth of Christ. Some of the Bible’s most famous characters are depicted in this book. These including the prophet Samuel, Israel’s first king, Saul, her greatest king, David, and other famous names such as Goliath and Jonathan. By the end of this book, Saul has fallen; the book of 2 Samuel begins with David’s ascension to the throne.