The witch of Endor

1 Samuel 28:3-19 - Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had mourned for him and buried him in his own town of Ramah. Saul had expelled the mediums and spiritists from the land.

The Philistines assembled and came and set up camp at Shunem, while Saul gathered all the Israelites and set up camp at Gilboa. When Saul saw the Philistine army, he was afraid; terror filled his heart. He inquired of the LORD, but the LORD did not answer him by dreams or Urim or prophets. Saul then said to his attendants, "Find me a woman who is a medium, so I may go and inquire of her."

"There is one in Endor," they said.

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

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

Saul swore to her by the LORD, "As surely as the LORD lives, you will not be punished for this."

Then the woman asked, "Whom shall I bring up for you?"

"Bring up Samuel," he said.

When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out at the top of her voice and said to Saul, "Why have you deceived me? You are Saul!"

The king said to her, "Don't be afraid. What do you see?"

The woman said, "I see a spirit coming up out of the ground."

"What does he look like?" he asked.

"An old man wearing a robe is coming up," she said.

Then Saul knew it was Samuel, and he bowed down and prostrated himself with his face to the ground.

Samuel said to Saul, "Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?"

"I am in great distress," Saul said. "The Philistines are fighting against me, and God has turned away from me. He no longer answers me, either by prophets or by dreams. So I have called on you to tell me what to do."

Samuel said, "Why do you consult me, now that the LORD has turned away from you and become your enemy? The LORD has done what he predicted through me. The LORD has torn the kingdom out of your hands and given it to one of your neighbors—to David. Because you did not obey the LORD or carry out his fierce wrath against the Amalekites, the LORD has done this to you today. The LORD will hand over both Israel and you to the Philistines, and tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. The LORD will also hand over the army of Israel to the Philistines."

This is one of the most mysterious accounts in the entire Bible. I think even in scholarly circles the jury is still out on exactly what happened here.

Was this really Samuel? If so, where did he come from and who allowed him to appear? If he came from heaven, then God sent him. If God sent him, why hadn't God answered Saul in one of the more traditional ways -- by dreams, Urim, or prophets? If Samuel came from hell, then was Satan sending him, or was it God allowing Satan to send him? If he came from hell, why would he give Saul a true prophecy? Why not something deceptive?

Part of Samuel's message was "you will be with me." Did that mean in hell? In heaven? Or simply dead?

If this wasn't really Samuel, then who or what was it?

What I personally really wonder about here though is how the witch knew it was Saul in disguise after seeing Samuel. Did Samuel tell her?

I wonder how Saul knew it was Samuel based solely on the description "an old man wearing a robe." Couldn't that have been just about any male who had died?

I wonder why Saul wasn't surprised that a witch could so easily be found. Supposedly they had all been expelled from Israel by his own command. How did his servants know where one was? It seems Saul knew his orders weren't exactly being followed to the letter anymore.