Saul and the Witch of En-Dor

Context & Setting

• Main Biblical Reference: 1 Samuel 28:3–25 (with outcome in 1 Samuel 31)
• Historical Period: The united monarchy of Israel, during Saul’s reign
• Geographic Location: En-Dor (near the Jezreel Valley); Philistine camp at Shunem; Israel’s position at Gilboa
• Key Characters: Saul; the medium (“witch”) of En-Dor; Samuel (as the figure perceived/announced); Saul’s servants

The Narrative

The Beginning:
As the Philistines gather to fight Israel, Saul becomes terrified by the size of their forces. He seeks guidance from the LORD, but receives no answer—neither by dreams, nor by the priestly means of inquiry, nor by prophets. With Samuel dead and Saul having earlier removed mediums from the land, Saul now orders his servants to find a woman who practices necromancy.

The Middle:
Disguised and traveling by night, Saul comes to En-Dor and asks the woman to bring up the dead for him. She fears punishment, but Saul swears an oath that she will not be harmed. When she performs the ritual, she perceives the appearance of an old man “wrapped in a robe,” and Saul understands it to be Samuel. The message given to Saul announces that the LORD has turned from him, that the kingdom will be given to David, and that Israel will fall to the Philistines—along with Saul and his sons.

The End:
Saul collapses in fear and weakness, having eaten nothing, and the woman and his servants urge him to take food before leaving. He eats and departs into the night. The next day, the predicted defeat comes: Israel is struck down, and Saul and his sons die in battle, confirming the gravity of the judgment pronounced.

Theological Meaning

This account portrays the tragic end of Saul’s rule as the culmination of persistent disobedience and fractured covenant leadership. God’s silence is not presented as divine absence but as judicial judgment: Saul seeks guidance while refusing the path of repentance and faithful obedience. By turning to a forbidden practice (consulting a medium), Saul reverses his earlier reforms and reveals the depth of his spiritual desperation. The narrative also underscores the LORD’s sovereignty over Israel’s kingship—Saul’s loss and David’s rise are framed as covenantal consequences, not merely political change.

Historical & Cultural Insight

In the ancient Near East, necromancy—attempting to consult the dead for hidden knowledge—was a known practice, but Israel’s law explicitly prohibited it (cf. Deuteronomy 18:10–12). The story’s nighttime secrecy and Saul’s disguise reflect both the legal danger of the practice and its social stigma within Israel’s covenant identity, highlighting how far Saul had moved from legitimate forms of seeking God’s guidance.

Key Memory Verse

“So Saul died for his breach of faith. He broke faith with the LORD…” — 1 Chronicles 10:13