John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 28:11
Then said the woman, whom shall I bring up unto thee ?.... For such persons, according to their profession, pretended they were able to bring up any of the dead, that he who inquired of them should name: and he said, bring me up Samuel ; the prophet Samuel he meant, and no doubt the woman so understood him, whose name was well known; he had been an old acquaintance and friend of Saul's, his counsellor and adviser in many things and though he greatly neglected him in the latter part of... read more
Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Samuel 28:7-14
Here, I. Saul seeks for a witch, 1 Sam. 28:7. When God answered him not, if he had humbled himself by repentance and persevered in seeking God, who knows but that at length he might have been entreated for him? but, since he can discern no comfort either from heaven or earth (Isa. 8:21, 22), he resolves to knock at the gates of hell, and to see if any there will befriend him and give him advice: Seek me a woman that has a familiar spirit, 1 Sam. 28:7. And his servants were too officious to... read more