5. When Saul saw the Philistine army, he was afraid. Terror filled his heart.
6. He asked the Lord for advice. But the Lord didn't answer him through dreams or prophets. He didn't answer him when Saul had the priest use the Urim.
7. Saul spoke to his attendants. He said, "Find me a woman who gets messages from those who have died. Then I can go and ask her some questions." "There's a woman like that in Endor," they said.
8. Saul put on different clothes so people wouldn't know who he was. At night he and two of his men went to see the woman. "I want you to talk to a spirit for me," he said. "Bring up the spirit of the dead person I choose."
9. But the woman said to him, "By now you must know what Saul has done. He has cut off everyone who gets messages from those who have died. He has also cut off everyone who talks to the spirits of the dead. He has thrown all of them out of the land. Why are you trying to trap me? Why do you want to have me put to death?"
10. Saul took an oath in the name of the Lord. He promised the woman, "You can be sure that the Lord lives. And you can be just as sure that you won't be punished for helping me."
11. Then the woman asked, "Whose spirit should I bring up for you?" "Bring Samuel up," he said.
12. When the woman saw Samuel, she let out a loud scream. She said to Saul, "Why have you tricked me? You are King Saul!"
13. He said to her, "Don't be afraid. Tell me what you see." The woman said, "I see a spirit. He's coming up out of the ground."
14. "What does he look like?" Saul asked. "An old man wearing a robe is coming up," she said. Then Saul knew it was Samuel. He bowed down. He lay down flat with his face toward the ground.