... was consulted by Saul, the first king of Israel, over his concern about the final outcome of Israel's battle against the Philistines. He asked her to conjure up the spirit of the prophet Samuel (by whom Saul had been anointed as King of Israel) to tell his fortunes. When the woman reminded him of the law against practicing her art – it was Saul himself who'd banished all sorcerers and conjurers from his kingdom – he assured her that she would be protected. The woman accordingly conjured up a spirit identified by Saul as Samuel. The spirit informed Saul that he and his three sons would die in battle the next day, and that the Israelites would fall to the Philistines. Saul's three sons did indeed die in the battle, in which the Israelites suffered a heavy defeat; Saul subsequently committed suicide by falling on his sword.
© Haydn Thompson 2021