1 Kingdoms (1 Samuel) 28:14Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The sorceress, by divine allowance, displayed Samuel to Saul as a means to emphasize the reality of resurrection, though it was not a true resurrection, prompting Saul to recognize that God reigns over both the living and the dead. Although the figure he encountered was not truly Samuel, Saul did not turn away from his trust in God.

Who would be so foolish as to think that those who consult the dead, such as ventriloquists and sorcerers, accomplish miracles through God? I am reminded of the law that imposes severe penalties on those who dare to engage in such practices. Therefore, how can it be sensible to assume that a condemned person is pleasing to God? Surely, He cannot contradict His own commandments. Your reasoning is sound. In this matter, we must regard the souls of the saints, who are liberated from their earthly bodies, as venerated and exalted, and not as fallen to the point of being manipulated by evil spirits, which would lead them to follow these spirits involuntarily. Furthermore, the wise John, author of the Book of Revelation, which has the Fathers’ approval, clearly states he witnessed the souls of saints beneath the most divine altar (Rev. 6:9). If evil spirits could drag the souls of the saints from their heavenly dwelling places and snatch them away from such holy locations, then surely heaven would be available to all demons, and the gates of paradise would stand unguarded before them; even the fiery weapons would recede, allowing them to boldly extract someone from within paradise. Would this not undermine our hope in Christ and trivialize the sacred lives of the Divine servants? It does seem so. Indeed, it is evident. How could it have been better for the marvelous Paul—to "be dissolved and to be with Christ" (Phil. 1:23)? If we, when released from worldly concerns and united with Christ, are still subject to opposing spirits, how could "faith be vain," as it is written (Rom. 4:14)? Everyone would generally agree that existence in the body is far preferable to being with Christ, which is more difficult; for while living this present life, we are not swayed by the devil’s desires—in fact, we even "tread on serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy," as our Savior said (Luke 10:19). If, then, united with Christ, we are worse off, how do His words hold true that "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand" (John 10:27-29)? Surely this led the faithful followers of Christ astray as well, including the wise Peter, who wrote, "Let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him, as to a faithful Creator" (1 Pet. 4:19). If Satan assaults the soul entrusted to God, driving it wherever he wishes at any moment, how can the protector of the saints, who has taken the spirit of each as a pledge, be deemed faithful? Therefore, it is utterly absurd and preposterous to think that the prophet’s soul, as a result of the foolish enchantments of a wretched woman, was genuinely taken from its appointed place. How then should we explain the event in question? Such a disgraceful assumption ought not to be considered at all. By invoking the very words of Scripture, we can clarify their significance while maintaining the correct perspective throughout. "And Samuel died, and all Israel mourned for him, and buried him in Ramah his city. And Saul expelled the magicians and mediums from the land. And the Philistines gathered their forces and encamped at Shunem; and Saul gathered all Israel together, and encamped at Gilboa. When Saul saw the host of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart trembled greatly. And when Saul inquired of the Lord, the Lord did not answer him, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by the prophets. Then Saul said to his servants, ‘Find me a woman who is a medium, that I may go to her and inquire of her.’ And his servants said to him, ‘In Endor there is a woman who is a medium.’ So Saul disguised himself and put on other clothes, and went, and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night. And he said, ‘Please consult a spirit for me, and bring up for me the one I shall name to you.’ And the woman said to him, ‘Look, you know what Saul has done, how he has cut off the mediums and the spirits from the land. Why then do you lay a snare for my life, to cause me to die?’ Then Saul swore to her by the Lord, saying, ‘As the Lord lives, no punishment shall come upon you for this thing.’ Then the woman said, ‘Whom shall I bring up for you?’ And he said, ‘Bring up Samuel for me.’ When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out with a loud voice. And the woman spoke to Saul, saying, ‘Why have you deceived me? For you are Saul!’ And the king said to her, ‘Do not be afraid. What did you see?’ And the woman said, ‘I saw a spirit ascending out of the earth.’ So he said to her, ‘What is he like?’ And she said, ‘An old man is coming up, and he is covered with a mantle.’ And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he stooped with his face to the ground and bowed down. And Samuel said to Saul, ‘Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?’ And Saul answered, ‘I am deeply distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God has departed from me and does not answer me anymore, neither by prophets nor by dreams. Therefore I have called you, that you may reveal to me what I should do.’ Then Samuel said, ‘So why do you ask me, seeing the Lord has departed from you and has become your enemy? And the Lord has done for Himself as He spoke by me; for the Lord has torn the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbor, David. Because you did not obey the voice of the Lord nor execute His fierce wrath upon Amalek, therefore the Lord has done this thing to you this day. Moreover, the Lord will also deliver Israel with you into the hand of the Philistines’ (1 Sam. 28:3-19). Can you then doubt that Saul found himself tormented by his own conscience? He, fearing his inability to confront the encroaching army, sought to know the future from God, but when God remained silent and revealed nothing, he resorted to insulting Him by consulting someone who inquires of the dead—those mediums who believe themselves skilled in foretelling the future. Thus, he declared, ‘Samuel, bring me up,’ not because magic arts can genuinely summon the soul of a saint, but because fortune-tellers typically use such expressions. I have heard that they, invoking demons through mystical utterances and incantations, summon up apparitions which take on the semblance of certain individuals, as demons skillfully fabricate images of persons they claim to call forth. Initially, that woman stated, ‘I see a spirit ascending from the earth’ (1 Sam. 28:13), and afterward, ‘the woman saw Samuel’ (1 Sam. 28:12). It is not improbable that a similar shadow or specter of the blessed Samuel appeared, a phantasm produced by demonic influence. If anyone were to insist the prophet’s soul was genuinely summoned, they would have to acknowledge the truth of the woman’s words, who claimed to witness spirits emerging from the earth, and would then have to regard those divinatory practices as truthful, erroneously assuming there truly exist various deities emerging from the ground, while, in reality, there is but one true God. You have expressed this accurately. However, some may still argue that the enchantress spoke the truth when Saul sought insight into the future. Nonetheless, we have thoroughly demonstrated that unclean spirits possess no truth. Indeed, light and darkness, Christ and Belial, are irreconcilable (2 Cor. 6:14-15). Certainly, God occasionally reveals future events even through those who provoke Him and are accustomed to unsettling His plans, perhaps through channels one would least expect; possibly even holy angels inform human minds of the consequences of curiosity, subjecting them to agony by foreshadowing impending wrath and judgment. Often, it is the character of holy prophets not only to deliver tragic tidings that cause weeping, but also to extend messages of joy and prosperity; yet to the wicked and lawless practitioners of divination, God reveals their forthcoming doom. But how can this be evidenced? By the Holy Scriptures. The events of the ancients serve as a model and mystery instruction for us. Are you not aware of how Balak, the son of Zippor, king of the Moabites and Midianites, fearful of the unassailable and numerous multitude of the Israelites, convinced of his imminent destruction alongside the other nations, bribed Balaam saying, ‘Come, curse this people for me’ (Num. 22:6)? When the messengers arrived, he told them, ‘Spend the night here, and I will give you an answer as the Lord speaks to me’ (Num. 22:8). Disturbed by meaningless and dark dreams, as well as spells and sorcery, anticipating visions, he declared that ‘the Lord will speak to him.’ He imagined that God would heed him. While Scripture may use the language associated with sorcery, it is illogical to assert that the true God, in His loving kindness, would impart truth to the hearts of the wicked or speak to a practitioner of iniquity. Yet it is recorded, ‘And God came to Balaam, and said, ‘What men are these with you?’ (Num. 22:9). Upon Balaam revealing their purpose for visiting, ‘God said unto Balaam, ‘Do not go with them; you shall not curse the people, for they are blessed’ (Num. 22:12). This clearly demonstrates that the righteous angel, representing God, dissuades the deceiver and false sorcerer from cursing God’s chosen people, highlighting that the curse would not possess the power to inflict harm; instead, it assures those who foolishly cling to such hopes that Israel can never fall into the hands of the Moabites or Midianites, as God protects His faithful and blessed people with His mercy. It was the divine angel that conveyed this command. Yet when the diviner was seduced by the allure of gifts, assuming he possessed power, the blessed angel allowed him to proceed, yet met him along the way with a sword of flame, clearly indicating that Balaam was at war with both God and His angels if he attempted to curse the blessed. When he arrived at the Midianite king’s court, he erected altars and commanded bulls to be sacrificed, but suddenly transformed into a prophet—not as he had once been, a false prophet; through divine and incomprehensible power, he unexpectedly blessed the opposite, for he did not curse but blessed Israel, bringing great sorrow to Balak. And it is written, ‘Balaam said to God, ‘Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, sent them to me saying…’ And God said to Balaam, ‘Do not go with them; you shall not curse the people, for they are blessed.' And Balaam rose in the morning and said to the princes of Balak, ‘Go back to your land, for the Lord will not permit me to go with you’ (Num. 22:10, 12-13). It is common for false prophets to utilize deceptive methods to present themselves as speaking the truth to those who seek their counsel. However, understand that truth is foreign to the arts of conjurers and sorcerers; sometimes, by God's allowance, genuine truth is infused into their words, serving to instill dread in the souls of the wicked through foretelling the future.

Much like an emperor does not personally address every innocent individual he hopes will thrive, nor the condemned who he orders to execution, there is no mystery regarding how an unclean spirit could engage with a holy soul. It is evident that God, the Creator and Sanctifier of all, surpasses any saint in greatness. If it raises eyebrows to consider why the evil spirit was allowed to call forth the soul of a righteous one from the depths, then should we not be even more astonished that Satan dared to take the Lord Himself to the pinnacle of the temple? (Matthew 4:5) The manner in which the spirit of Samuel was summoned remains elusive, as well. One might argue that it was easier for the devil to gain permission to take the living Lord wherever he desired than to summon the spirit of the deceased Samuel from his resting place. Therefore, if we are not confounded by the Gospel account of the Lord allowing such events, while still maintaining His majesty and divinity, even as He endured capture, bondage, scorn, crucifixion, and death at the hands of sinful men, it is conceivable to think that the Divine will permitted the holy prophet’s spirit to appear before Saul voluntarily, in alignment with God's secret plan, unknown to the sorceress and Saul, to reveal His will.

Why, then, would we perceive the soul of a virtuous individual, called upon by living evildoers, as being stripped of its honor? When righteous people, at times, are summoned by the wicked to address matters of justice and shine light on their faults, their virtue remains intact.

It might also be argued that it was not truly Samuel’s spirit that was called forth, but rather an illusion or phantom. An easier and more convenient explanation arises if we consider that instead of awakening Samuel’s spirit, the sorceress conjured an apparition using diabolical devices, representing Samuel’s likeness, as Scripture refers to it, since it is customary for representations to bear the names of what they represent. Similar to how images crafted from metal or wood or those seen in dreams are often referred to as the entities they portray. For instance, we would naturally call a painted figure a man, and when viewing portrayals of notable individuals, we immediately assign them their respective names. When gazing at a painting or mural, we might say, “This is Cicero or Achilles,” even though these are merely representations. Likewise, the figures of the cherubim, celestial beings fashioned according to God’s instruction and set over the ark of the covenant, were referred to as cherubim (Ex. 25:18). Just as anyone recounting a dream does not say, “I saw the image of Augustine,” but rather, “I saw Augustine,” despite the fact that none witnessed the event, it indicates a vision of images, not the actual figures. Pharaoh, too, recounted seeing ears and cows in his dream (Gen. 41:17-28), not mere images of them. Consequently, if it is recognized that representations are typically named after the things they depict, it is not surprising that Scripture states Samuel was seen, even though it may have been merely an illusion conjured by one who masquerades as an angel of light, presenting themselves as messengers of righteousness (2 Cor. 11:14-15).

Therefore, they argue, God allowed the sorceress to invoke the soul of the Prophet, leading Samuel to realize he had unjustly interceded for Saul, who had sought the return of Samuel's soul through the dark arts.

When I consider the chasm established between the righteous and the wicked as noted in Scripture (Luke 16:26), I do not subscribe to these assertions, as I have been taught to hold that only the gospel is true. Samuel, a significant figure among the saints, would not willingly or even unwillingly venture across this dangerous divide into the realm of the wicked. It would be impossible for a demon to traverse the abyss and influence the holy, standing in the presence of the righteous. Such a crossing would not only be unwelcome; it would be unthinkable, as he would have no desire or ability to join in union with the wicked.

Even if one were to entertain the possibility of such a desire, the nature of the abyss would not allow for passage. Thus, how should we interpret these matters? The adversary of humanity is a universal foe, constantly seeking to inflict harm upon mankind. What greater harm could exist than to be cast away from the life-giving presence of God, willingly relinquishing oneself to destruction? Since those focused on the earthly are often concerned with foreknowledge of the future—either to escape tribulation or attain their ambitions—many turn their gaze from God. Deceptive spirits have devised various methods to gain insight about the future: bird omens, interpretation of signs, divination, animal entrails, necromancy, frenzy, oracles, and other such methods.

When any form of insight gained from such deceptions is recognized as true, the seducing demon uses it to reinforce false beliefs. The enemy organizes these deceptions to foster false hope through a mere flight of an eagle or the movement of a liver, manipulating any observable sign to mislead the unwitting. As a result, people, having strayed from God, begin to serve demons, erroneously believing in their powers. One form of this deception was practiced by the ventriloquists, who convinced themselves that their sorcery could bring the souls of the dead back to life. When Saul was in despair, facing the impending army of Philistines, he sought out Samuel, believing he might reveal a path to salvation. At that moment, the demon inhabiting the ventriloquist took on ominous forms before the woman, concealing itself from Saul.

When she initiated her incantations and began to see phantoms, the demon went to great lengths to ensure the illusions appeared genuine. It first revealed Saul in a guise that shocked the woman, relying on her not to discern that the true identity of the one before her was Saul in humble attire. She proclaimed, "I saw gods ascending out of the earth, and one old man came up, covered with a mantle" (1 Sam. 28:13-14). How then, could the interpreters of the text assert historical accuracy? If what the sorceress saw was indeed Samuel, it raises the question of whether the others she witnessed were truly divine beings, given that Scripture refers to demons as gods: "All the gods of the nations are idols" (Ps. 95:5).

Thus, we should not accept that Samuel’s soul was aligned with demons. Rather, the demon, always obedient to the sorceress, along with other spirits, conspired to mislead her, ultimately deceiving Saul by presenting itself as Samuel. It communicated in a disguised form, mimicking Samuel's voice and uttering proclamations as if they were prophecies meant to be fulfilled. Yet, the demon reluctantly revealed the truth, stating, "Tomorrow you and your sons will be with me" (1 Sam. 28:19). If indeed the speaker was Samuel, how could he accept guilt alongside Saul? It is therefore evident that what appeared as Samuel was instead a malevolent demon, which did not lie in conveying that Saul's fate was sealed.

The alternative view is less blasphemous but reveals a lack of understanding. In their effort to disprove the first view, they created a false narrative, attributing statements to deceitful spirits. However, as I explored the account in Chronicles, I discovered that the author stated, “And Saul died for his iniquity, which he committed against the Lord, and also because he did not keep the word of the Lord” (1 Chronicles 10:13-14). This implies that the God of all creation, in His wisdom, manifested the likeness of Samuel to deliver judgment, something the sorceress could not do; rather, it was God who spoke even through adversaries. As it is said, “If a false prophet comes to a prophet, I the Lord will answer him” (Ezekiel 14:9). Thus, through Balaam, God blessed His people, revealing impending events and proclaiming salvation, not through an unclean spirit, but via the Holy Spirit.

Others perceived the prophecy as false, prompting me to briefly address this. The scripture states, “In those days the Philistines gathered their armies together for warfare against Israel” (1 Samuel 28:1), and as the battle raged, Saul saw the enemy forces and was filled with dread. He sought the Lord, but “the Lord answered him neither by dreams nor by Urim nor by prophets” (1 Samuel 28:6). In his desperation, Saul turned to the sorceress for counsel. It is clear that Saul sought her out when the armies were in conflict.

The narrative indicates that Saul, paralyzed with fear when he encountered the enemy troops, approached the enchantress. Upon learning from God about his fate, he fell prostrate, having neither eaten nor nourished himself throughout the day. That night, he secretly left his men to consult the sorceress. Following the urging of his wife, he accepted food, and after a brief respite, he returned to his army as dawn broke. The passage recounts, “He brought it before Saul and before his servants, and they ate, and they rose up and departed in the night” (1 Samuel 28:25). At daybreak, the battle commenced. It was indeed foretold, “Tomorrow you and your sons shall be with me; the Lord will deliver the army of Israel into the hands of the Philistines” (1 Samuel 28:19).

Samuel had never predicted this outcome while he was alive; his only prophecy had been regarding the transfer of the kingdom, with no mention of Jonathan. However, the spirit prophesied both Saul’s and Jonathan’s demise along with Israel’s defeat and the Philistines’ triumph. It is generally assumed that there was an interval between this prophecy and the ensuing battle. The writer returned to recount the details of the war, illustrating how the Philistine commanders disallowed David from joining their ranks and detailing David’s subsequent endeavors in Kegil, where he recovered and defeated the Amalekites, seizing much spoil in the process.

Once the author concluded this narrative, he returned to recount the confrontation with the Philistines and the deaths of Saul and Jonathan. The opening of the second book of Kings affirms this timeline, stating, “It came to pass after the death of Saul, when David had returned from defeating the Amalekites, that David stayed in Ziklag two days. On the third day, a man came from Saul's camp with his clothes torn and dirt on his head” (2 Samuel 1:1-2). Upon witnessing the Philistine army's assembly, the commanders of Achish grew incensed and urged Achish to discharge David as an opponent. David, returning to find Kegil ravaged and confronting the Amalekites, achieved a significant victory, reclaiming both his property and that of the Amalekites.

As Saul departed the camp to see the sorceress, upon receiving the grim pronouncement regarding his fate, he shared a meager meal in sorrow and then traversed the night toward the camp. The following morning, the battle erupted, culminating in his death. Thus, the prophecy stands true, for it was divine; however, I do not believe it was directly spoken by Samuel. The enchantress described what she saw, while Saul presumed it to be Samuel. The description given by the writer is consistent with how Scripture identifies divine beings. For instance, when angels presented themselves to Abraham, he considered them men and offered them food. Likewise, those who are not divine yet hold significant authority are termed "gods" (Psalms 134:5). Here too, whatever appeared in the form of Samuel, whether an angel or a spirit bearing that likeness, is referred to as Samuel, allowing Saul to receive the spoken judgment that led to his tragic end.