1 Samuel 28:3–10

Saul Inquires of the Medium at Endor

³(Now Samuel had died, and all Israel had mourned for him, and they had buried him in Ramah, his own city. And Saul had expelled the mediums^c and the soothsayers from the land.) ⁴Then the Philistines assembled and came and encamped at Shunem, so Saul assembled all Israel, and they encamped at Gilboa. ⁵When Saul saw the army of the Philistines, he was afraid and his heart trembled greatly. ⁶And Saul inquired of Yahweh, but Yahweh did not answer him, not by dreams or by the Urim^d or by the prophets. ⁷So Saul said to his servants, “Search for me a woman who is a medium^e so that I may go to her and inquire of her.” His servants said to him, “Look there is a woman who is a medium in Endor.” ⁸So Saul disguised himself and put on other clothes, and he went with two of his men.^f And they came to the woman by night and he said, “Please consult a spirit for me through the ritual pit,^g and bring up for me the one whom I tell you.” ⁹But the woman said to him, “Look, you know what Saul did, how he exterminated the mediums^h and the soothsayers from the land! Why are you setting a trap for my life to kill me?” ¹⁰Then Saul swore to her by Yahweh, “As Yahweh lives,ⁱ you will not be punished^j for this thing.”