1 Samuel 28:3-6

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.

[28:3]  ¹ tn Heb “in Ramah, even in his city.”

[28:3]  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).

[28:3]  ³ sn See Isa 8:19 for another reference to magicians who attempted to conjure up underworld spirits.

[28:5]  ⁴ tn Heb “he was afraid, and his heart was very terrified.”

[28:6]  ⁷ sn See the note at 1 Sam 14:41.