The Philistines set up their cam at Shunem, and Saul gathered all the army of Israel and camped at Gilboa. When Saul saw that the vast Philistine army, he became frantic with fear. He asked the Lord what he should do, but the Lord refused to answer him, either by dreams or sacred lots, or by the prophets. Saul then said to his advisors, ” Find a woman who is a medium, so I can go to her and ask her what to do.”
His advisors replied, “There is a medium at Endor.”
So Saul disguised himself by wearing ordinary clothing instead of his royal robes. THen he went to the woman’s home at night, accompanied by two of his men.
“I have to talk to a man who has die,” he said. “Will you call up his spirit for me?”
“Are you trying to get me killed?” the woman demanded. “You know that Saul has outlawed all the mediums and all who consult the spirits of the dead. Why are you setting a trap for me?””
But Saul took and oath in the name of the Lord and promised, “As surely as the Lord lives, nothing bad will happen to you for doing this.”
Finally the woman said, “Well, whose spirit do you want me to call up?”
“Call up Samuel,” Saul replied.
When the woman saw Samuel, she screamed, “You’ve deceived me! You are Saul!”
“Don’t be afraid!” the king told her, “What do you see?”
I see a god coming up our of the earth,” she said.
“What does he look like?” Saul asked.
“He is an old man wrapped in a robe,” she replied. Saul realized it was Samuel, and he fell to the ground before him. (vv. 4-14, NLT)