1 Samuel 28:3–10

Saul and the Medium at Endor

³Now Samuel was dead,^b and all Israel had mourned for him and buried him in his own town of Ramah.^c Saul had expelled^d the mediums and spiritists^e from the land.

⁴The Philistines assembled and came and set up camp at Shunem,^f while Saul gathered all Israel and set up camp at Gilboa.^{g 5}When Saul saw the Philistine army, he was afraid; terror^h filled his heart. ⁶He inquiredⁱ of the Lord, but the Lord did not answer him by dreams^j or Urim^k or prophets.^{l 7}Saul then said to his attendants, “Find me a woman who is a medium,^m so I may go and inquire of her.”

“There is one in Endor,ⁿ” they said.

⁸So Saul disguised^o himself, putting on other clothes, and at night he and two men went to the woman. “Consult^p a spirit for me,” he said, “and bring up for me the one I name.”

⁹But the woman said to him, “Surely you know what Saul has done. He has cut off^q the mediums and spiritists from the land. Why have you set a trap^r for my life to bring about my death?”

¹⁰Saul swore to her by the Lord, “As surely as the Lord lives, you will not be punished for this.”