Saul Consults the Witch of Endor – A 1 Samuel Bible Lesson
If you’ve been following along with my lessons from 1 Samuel, you know this story takes an interesting turn. As a psychology major, I used to chuckle at fortune tellers and “spiritual advisors” advertising on street corners. One of my favorite memes was: Why do you never see headlines: ‘Fortune teller wins lottery?’
But the reality is sobering. Many people—even in America—believe these individuals can change their lives. And King Saul’s story in chapter 28 is just as tragic. Even though Saul often opposed David, it’s disheartening to see someone completely fall away from God.
The Witch of Endor Foretells Saul’s Future
Let’s read the verses together, and you’ll see how powerful God really is:
“Now it came about in those days that the Philistines gathered their armed camps for war, to fight against Israel… Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had mourned him and buried him in Ramah, his own city. And Saul had removed the mediums and spiritists from the land.” – 1 Samuel 28
Saul saw the Philistine army and his heart trembled. When he inquired of the Lord, there was no answer—not through dreams, the Urim, or the prophets. In desperation, Saul asked his servants to find a medium, and they discovered a woman at En-dor.
“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.'” – 1 Samuel 28
Is The Witch of Endor Good?
The woman was clearly wary. She said to Saul, “You know what Saul has done—he eliminated the mediums and spiritists from the land. Why set a trap for my life?” Saul swore an oath to protect her, and she reluctantly summoned Samuel’s spirit. When Samuel appeared, Saul bowed down in fear, realizing the gravity of his actions and disobedience.
“And Samuel said to Saul, ‘Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?’ Saul replied, ‘I am very distressed… therefore I have called you, so that you may let me know what I should do.'” – 1 Samuel 28
Samuel’s response was stark: because Saul had rejected God, the kingdom would be torn from his hands and given to David. The Lord would deliver Israel to the Philistines, and Saul and his sons would die the next day. The encounter left Saul terrified, exhausted, and desperate.
What happened to the witch of Endor?
After the encounter, the woman helped Saul prepare food. She slaughtered a fattened calf and baked unleavened bread. Saul and his servants ate, and then they left that night. The Bible doesn’t describe her fate afterward, but the story teaches us that no matter what others practice, God remains sovereign. You can read more about Saul’s death in this post.
David and the Philistines
Meanwhile, David agreed to help Achish, king of the Philistines, to maintain his cover. Thankfully, most Philistine leaders opposed him fighting against Israel, and through God’s protection, the battle never occurred. You can explore more Old Testament questions like this here.
Lessons for Us Today
Saul banned witches and sorcerers, yet in trouble, he turned to one instead of God. Saul had eliminated evil from the land, but not from his heart. Are we sometimes like Saul, relying on ourselves or worldly solutions instead of God? We all struggle with sin, but the good news is that Jesus Christ offers forgiveness and strength:
“For I will be merciful toward their wrongdoings, And their sins I will no longer remember.” – Hebrews 8:12
“And I give them eternal life, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand.” – John 10:28
Even if you don’t believe witches or mediums have real power, it’s better to pray for them and trust God’s protection. Jesus’ victory assures us of His power and mercy. You can learn more about experiencing Jesus’ love in our blog.
Amen.
Love in Christ,
Bob
If you would like to discover how to receive the life-changing love of Jesus Christ, please see John 3:16 here.