Chapter Summary
This chapter describes King Saul's desperate situation as the Philistines prepare for war against Israel. Saul, terrified and abandoned by God, seeks guidance from a forbidden source. Unable to get answers through traditional methods, he disguises himself and visits a woman who claims to be able to contact spirits in Endor. Despite having previously banned all such practices, Saul asks her to summon the prophet Samuel's spirit. Samuel's ghost appears and delivers a devastating prophecy: God has rejected Saul, will hand Israel over to the Philistines, and Saul and his sons will die in battle the very next day. Overwhelmed by fear and weakness, Saul collapses. The woman and his servants eventually persuade him to eat before he leaves in the night.