The witch of Endor is a woman who had abilities to conjure the spirits of the dead. The Witch of Endor legend has its roots in an era before Christianity. Christian faith emerged only a few thousand years ago. Anno Domini, literally “In the year of Our Lord,” is the starting point for our yearly reckonings, which begin on the day Christ was born. Thus, we are just into the third millennium of Christian teachings and narratives in the twenty-first century.

Although the tale of the Witch of Endor is well-known to us from our Bibles, it actually originates from an old civilization—Israel. Her narrative centers on the four-thousand-year-old Hebrew beliefs about necromancy and mingling with the dead. Furthermore, the story elucidates the dual veneration and condemnation of old magic.

Like many tales, it was shared over campfires and family hearths for the purpose of entertainment, but there was always a deeper meaning. The narrative of the Witch of Endor serves as a cautionary tale about the perils that lurk in the shadows of mediumship and spirit communication. Still, why is the tale of the Witch of Endor so pervasive, and what exactly is her backstory?

The Old Testament account of the Witch of Endor can be found in 1 Samuel chapter 28, verses 3–25. It depicts King Saul of Israel, who is disturbed and terrified as an army of Philistines gathers to attack his lesser and weaker army. I wish Samuel were here; he would advise me, Saul grumbled to his counselors. A few years previously, though—some would say even at Saul’s hands—the famous prophet Samuel had died.

Although God had previously loved and selected King Saul, and the prophet Samuel had appointed him as king at God’s request, Saul’s brutal and power-hungry behavior caused him to lose favor with the Lord. He once ordered the assassination of an entire village’s priests. Even in his hour of need, God would not respond King Saul since he had so stubbornly ignored the Lord.

God had commanded Moses to expel from Israel all mediums, soothsayers, necromancers, and spellcasters. Saul went to other priests and prophets for help, but the Lord still wouldn’t speak to him.

“Then said Saul unto his servants, seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her and inquire of her.” This was Saul’s way of requesting assistance from a woman he knew: Proverbs 28:7

The witch of Endor was a woman who apparently had abilities to conjure the spirits of the dead. The witch is reluctant because of the ban on witches, but Saul promises no harm will come to her

King Saul went to visit her while disguised. He gave her the order to summon the prophet Samuel. An apparition emerged and delivered the message to Saul as the witch sang ancient spells and magic. Samuel chastises Saul for disturbing him and says that Saul will lose the battle and the kingdom will be taken from him because of his disobedience to God. It foretold the violent deaths of Saul and his three sons.

The monarch was enraged. King Saul’s three sons did, in fact, die the following day in battle, and Saul committed suicide by falling on his own sword.

Why does the tale of the Witch of Endor revolve around spells from long ago? Many things come to mind when we ask why. Initially, to demonstrate that there existed a historical tradition of communicating with the dead. The fact that there was life after physical death was also demonstrated.

Reason number two is that it demonstrates the importance of conveying any message, good or negative. King Saul was not pleased to hear this, but he had to know that God was very angry with his actions and that he was about to face terrible and immediate punishment. Thirdly, it is recounted to remind us that under monotheism in Israel, anyone who dabbled in magic was cast out and rejected by society.

The eternal effect of “Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live” (Exodus 22:18) was the ripple effect of this story and countless others in the Bible. “Thou shalt not allow a sorceress to live” is the literal translation of this proverb in several Bible versions. Therefore, one may make the case that a sorcerer is OK, but the female counterpart, the sorceress, is to be despised.

The story illustrates Saul’s desperation and his rejection by God for repeatedly disobeying divine instructions. The witch of Endor is considered an occult figure who brought Samuel’s spirit back from the dead through forbidden magic. Those who dabbled with the old magic were met with brutal and immediate vengeance.