1 Samuel 28:8
ESV
So Saul disguised himself and put on other garments and went, he and two men with him. And they came to the woman by night. And he said, "Divine for me by a spirit and bring up for me whomever I shall name to you."
NIV
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."
NASB
Then Saul disguised himself by putting on different clothes, and went, he and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night; and he said, 'Consult the spirit for me, please, and bring up for me the one whom I shall name for you.'
CSB
Saul disguised himself by putting on different clothes and set out with two of his men. They came to the woman at night, and Saul said, "Consult a spirit for me. Bring up for me the one I tell you."
NLT
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 died,' he said. 'Will you call up his spirit for me?'
KJV
And Saul disguised himself, and put on other raiment, and he went, and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night: and he said, I pray thee, divine unto me by the familiar spirit, and bring me him up, whom I shall name unto thee.
NKJV
So Saul disguised himself and put on other clothes, and he went, and two men with him; and they came to the woman by night. And he said, “Please conduct a séance for me, and bring up for me the one I shall name to you.”
What does 1 Samuel 28:8 mean?
The Philistine armies have joined together to fight the Israelites. Saul knows the odds are against him. He's tried every method he knows to hear from God, but God is silent. He can think of only one more path (1 Samuel 28:3–7). As he did before (1 Samuel 15:23), Saul puts his own judgment ahead of God's clear instructions.Saul disobeyed God many times, but one thing he did right was rid Israel of as many mediums and necromancers as he could. Trying to speak to the dead is against God's law (Deuteronomy 18:9–12; 1 Samuel 28:3). But he is so determined to hear about the upcoming battle that he's decided to break his own law. He has demanded his servants find a medium for him.
The woman lives in the town of En-dor. This is on the other side of the Philistine army camped near Saul's location on Mount Gilboa. Saul disguises himself to avoid being identified on the way and takes just two men with him. Since the Philistines are at the town of Shunem on the southwest side of the Hill of Moreh, Saul likely travels around the east side of the hill to get to En-dor. Still, the king is taking an incredible risk to travel in the open so near to the enemy camp.
Saul arrives at the woman's home late at night, under the cover of darkness. He demands that she summon the spirit of someone who has died so he can communicate with it. He avoids telling the woman whom he wants her to contact just yet. He finally tells her he wants to talk to Samuel. She performs her ritual, but when the spirit of Samuel appears, she appears shocked that her magic worked—and that her client is the man who banned her profession (1 Samuel 28:11–12).
