Witch of Endor

Saul, the first king of Israel, had fallen out of favor with God. The prophet Samuel, who had been his spiritual guide, had died. God was no longer speaking to Saul—neither through dreams, prophets, nor the Urim (a priestly divination method). Desperate and frightened as the Philistine army gathered to attack, Saul sought answers.

The Witch of Endor appears in the Bible, specifically in 1 Samuel 28. It’s a dramatic and eerie tale, set near the end of King Saul’s troubled reign over Israel. Here's a summary of the story, with some background and explanation: Though Saul had previously banned all mediums and necromancers from Israel (in obedience to God's law), he now disguised himself and traveled by night to the village of Endor, where he sought out a woman known for summoning spirits, the Witch of Endor.

Saul begged her to bring up the spirit of Samuel.

At first, the woman refused, fearing punishment (since necromancy was outlawed). But Saul swore an oath that no harm would come to her. She agreed, performed her ritual, and—shockingly—Samuel appeared.

The witch of Endor is a medium or necromancer, someone believed to communicate with spirits of the dead. In the ancient world, these types of individuals were both feared and sought after, especially during times of crisis. In the case of the Witch of Endor, she is portrayed as someone capable of performing rituals to summon spirits, including that of the dead prophet Samuel.

Given her profession, we can imagine her as someone who might appear mysterious, unsettling, and deeply connected to the supernatural. She operates outside the normal bounds of society, practicing a forbidden art in a remote area. The Witch of Endor is a great Necromancer.