28:3 Now Samuel had died, and all Israel had lamented over him and had buried him in Ramah, his hometown. 1 In the meantime Saul had removed the mediums 2 and magicians 3 from the land. 28:4 The Philistines assembled; they came and camped at Shunem. Saul mustered all Israel and camped at Gilboa. 28:5 When Saul saw the camp of the Philistines, he was absolutely terrified. 4 28:6 So Saul inquired of the Lord, but the Lord did not answer him – not by dreams nor by Urim 5 nor by the prophets. 28:7 So Saul instructed his servants, “Find me a woman who is a medium, 6 so that I may go to her and inquire of her.” His servants replied to him, “There is a woman who is a medium in Endor.”
1 tn Heb “in Ramah, even in his city.”
2 tn The Hebrew term translated “mediums” actually refers to a pit used by a magician to conjure up underworld spirits (see 2 Kgs 21:6). In v. 7 the witch of Endor is called the owner of a ritual pit. See H. Hoffner, “Second Millennium Antecedents to the Hebrew ’OñBù,” JBL 86 (1967): 385-401. Here the term refers by metonymy to the owner of such a pit (see H. A. Hoffner, TDOT 1:133).
3 sn See Isa 8:19 for another reference to magicians who attempted to conjure up underworld spirits.
4 tn Heb “he was afraid, and his heart was very terrified.”
5 sn See the note at 1 Sam 14:41.
6 tn Heb “an owner of a ritual pit.” See the note at v. 3.