2026

06(June)

Saul, Samuel, and the Medium of Aendor

Whereas I taught, in the past, that the medium (ἐγγαστρίμυθος) of Aendor (1 Kingdoms 28) did not conjure up Samuel, but, rather, some other spirit pretending to be Samuel, I hereby recant, retract, and correct that error in light of the additional confirmation provided by the LXX in 1 Chronicles:

»And Saoul died in his acts of lawlessness, which he had done lawlessly against the Lord, according to the Lord’s word, since he had not kept it, because Saoul had made inquiries at the ventriloquist to find out, and the prophet Samouel had answered him. And he did not seek the Lord, and he killed him and transferred the kingdom to Dauid son of Iessai.«
— 1 Chronicles 10:13–14 (NETS)

The absence of this portion of verse 13 from the MT (and thus also from translations based upon it) led to my earlier teaching, which does not excuse the error, but does explain it.

I now affirm that the medium of Aendor did, indeed, call up Samuel, although only because the Lord God permitted or willed it for the purpose of rebuking Saul.