1 Samuel 28:3

“Now Samuel was dead, etc.] Had been so for some time; which is mentioned before, (<092501>1 Samuel 25:1); and here repeated, partly to observe the reason of the Philistines renewing the war, and partly to account for the conduct of Saul, in seeking to a witch to raise Samuel, and for the sake of that story: and all Israel lamented him; as they had great reason to do; (see Gill on “<092501>1 Samuel 25:1”); and buried him in Ramah, even his own city; there being two Ramahs, as Kimchi observes, it is added, “in his own city”, to show that he was buried in that Ramah which was his native place, and where his constant residence was; though, as he says, it may mean that he was buried within the…”

“Now Samuel is dead, &c.--This event is here alluded to as affording an explanation of the secret and improper methods by which Saul sought information and direction in the present crisis of his affairs. Overwhelmed in perplexity and fear, he yet found the common and legitimate channels of communication with Heaven shut against him. And so, under the impulse of that dark, distempered, superstitious spirit which had overmastered him, he resolved, in desperation, to seek the aid of one of those fortune telling impostors whom, in accordance with the divine command (Lev 19:31; Lev 20:6, Lev 20:27; Deu 18:11), he had set himself formerly to exterminate from his kingdom.”

“It does not appear when Saul had suppressed witchcraft; it was probably in the early part of his reign. Familiar spirits ... wizards - i. e. ventriloquists ... wise or cunning men. See Leviticus 19:31 note. return to 'Top of Page'”

“28:3-14 Saul consulted the dead, a practice forbidden by God’s law (see Lev 20:27; Deut 18:9-11). 28:3 banned from the land: Saul had either expelled or killed most mediums, or he had merely outlawed the practice of necromancy (see study note on 28:9).”

“Samuel: Sa1 25:1; Isa 57:1, Isa 57:2 put away: Sa1 28:9; Exo 22:18; Lev 19:31, Lev 20:6, Lev 20:27; Deu 18:10, Deu 18:11; Act 16:16-19 1 Kings (1 Samuel) 28:4”

“Saul with the witch at Endor. - The invasion of Israel by the Philistines, which brought David into so difficult a situation, drove king Saul to despair, so that in utter helplessness he had recourse to ungodly means of inquiring into the future, which he himself had formerly prohibited, and to his horror had to hear the sentence of his own death. This account is introduced with the remark in Sa1 28:3 that Samuel was dead and had been buried at Ramah (cf. Sa1 25:1; וּבעירו, with an explanatory vav, and indeed in his own city), and that Saul had expelled "those that had familiar spirits and the wizards out of the land" (on the terms employed, oboth and yiddonim, see at Lev 19:31). He had done…”