11 Then the woman said , "Whom shall I bring up for you?" And he said , "Bring up Samuel for me." 12 When the woman saw Samuel , she cried out with a loud voice ; and the woman spoke to Saul , saying , "Why have you deceived me? For you are Saul ." 13 The king said to her, "Do not be afraid ; but what do you see ?" And the woman said to Saul , "I see a divine being coming up out of the earth ." 14 He said to her, "What is his form ?" And she said , "An old man is coming up, and he is wrapped with a robe ." And Saul knew that it was Samuel , and he bowed with his face to the ground and did homage .
15 Then Samuel said to Saul , "Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?" And Saul answered , "I am greatly distressed ; for the Philistines are waging war against me, and God has departed from me and no longer answers me, either through prophets or by dreams ; therefore I have called you, that you may make known to me what I should do ." 16 Samuel said , "Why then do you ask me, since the Lord has departed from you and has become your adversary ? 17 "The Lord has done accordingly as He spoke through me; for the Lord has torn the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbor , to David . 18 "As you did not obey e the Lord and did not execute His fierce wrath on Amalek , so e the Lord has done this thing to you this day . 19 "Moreover the Lord will also give over Israel along with you into the hands of the Philistines , therefore tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. Indeed the Lord will give over the army of Israel into the hands of the Philistines !"
20 Then Saul immediately fell full length upon the ground and was very afraid because of the words of Samuel ; also there was no strength in him, for he had eaten no food all day and all night .
Matthew Henry's Commentary on 1 Samuel 28:11-20
Commentary on 1 Samuel 28:7-19
(Read 1 Samuel 28:7-19)
When we go from the plain path of duty, every thing draws us further aside, and increases our perplexity and temptation. Saul desires the woman to bring one from the dead, with whom he wished to speak; this was expressly forbidden, Deuteronomy 18:11. All real or pretended witchcraft or conjuration, is a malicious or an ignorant attempt to gain knowledge or help from some creature, when it cannot be had from the Lord in the path of duty. While Samuel was living, we never read of Saul's going to advise with him in any difficulties; it had been well for him if he had. But now he is dead, "Bring me up Samuel." Many who despise and persecute God's saints and ministers when living, would be glad to have them again, when they are gone. The whole shows that it was no human fraud or trick. Though the woman could not cause Samuel's being sent, yet Saul's inquiry might be the occasion of it. The woman's surprise and terror proved that it was an unusual and unexpected appearance. Saul had despised Samuel's solemn warnings in his lifetime, yet now that he hoped, as in defiance of God, to obtain some counsel and encouragement from him, might not God permit the soul of his departed prophet to appear to Saul, to confirm his former sentence, and denounce his doom? The expression, "Thou and thy sons shall be with me," means no more than that they shall be in the eternal world. There appears much solemnity in God's permitting the soul of a departed prophet to come as a witness from heaven, to confirm the word he had spoken on earth.
Commentary on 1 Samuel 28:20-25
(Read 1 Samuel 28:20-25)
Those that expect any good counsel or comfort, otherwise than from God, and in the way of his institutions, will be as wretchedly disappointed as Saul. Though terrified even to despair, he was not humbled. He confessed not his sins, offered no sacrifices, and presented no supplications. He does not seem to have cared about his sons or his people, or to have attempted any escape; but in sullen despair he rushed upon his doom. God sets up a few such beacons, to warn men not to stifle convictions, or despise his word. But while one repenting thought remains, let no sinner suppose himself in this case. Let him humble himself before God, determined to live and die beseeching his favour, and he will succeed.