1 Samuel 28:8-14

28:8 So Saul disguised himself and put on other clothing and left, accompanied by two of his men. They came to the woman at night and said, “Use your ritual pit to conjure up for me the one I tell you.” ¹ 

28:9 But the woman said to him, “Look, you are aware of what Saul has done; he has removed ²  the mediums and magicians ³  from the land! Why are you trapping me ⁴  so you can put me to death?” 28:10 But Saul swore an oath to her by the Lord, “As surely as the Lord lives, you will not incur guilt in this matter!” 28:11 The woman replied, “Who is it that I should bring up for you?” He said, “Bring up for me Samuel.”

28:12 When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out loudly. ⁵  The woman said to Saul, “Why have you deceived me? You are Saul!” 28:13 The king said to her, “Don’t be afraid! What have you seen?” The woman replied to Saul, “I have seen one like a god ⁶  coming up from the ground!” 28:14 He said to her, “What about his appearance?” She said, “An old man is coming up! He is wrapped in a robe!”

Then Saul realized it was Samuel, and he bowed his face toward the ground and kneeled down.

[28:8]  ¹ tn Heb “Use divination for me with the ritual pit and bring up for me the one whom I say to you.”

[28:9]  ² tn Heb “how he has cut off.”

[28:9]  ³ tn See the note at v. 3.

[28:9]  ⁴ tn Heb “my life.”

[28:12]  ⁵ tn Heb “in a great voice.”

[28:13]  ⁶ tn Heb “gods.” The modifying participle (translated “coming up”) is plural, suggesting that underworld spirits are the referent. But in the following verse Saul understands the plural word to refer to a singular being. The reference is to the spirit of Samuel.