The Biblical Witch of Endor: Contacting the Spirit of a Prophet

The Witch of Endor is also known as the biblical Medium of Endor. According to legend, she was a medium who apparently summoned the Prophet Samuel’s spirit. She is known from the Old Testament but became a part of other traditions too.

A Legend in Ancient Books

The Witch of Endor became an important legend for Judaism, Christianity, and pagan spiritual practitioners. She appears as one of the most mysterious people described in the Old Testament in the First Book of Samuel, chapter 28:3-25.

She also appears in the Jewish Book of Sirach (46:19-20). She is called אֵ֥שֶׁת בַּֽעֲלַת־אֹ֖וב בְּעֵ֥ין דֹּֽור (’êšeṯ ba‘ălaṯ-’ōḇ bə-‘Êndōr), “a woman who has a familiar spirit at Endor” in the Biblical Hebrew language.

She is not named in the passages, but in the rabbinical tradition, she was perhaps the mother of Abner, Saul’s cousin and commander-in-chief of his army. She could also have been Sedecla, the daughter of a priest of Madian. Her name was connected with the Canaanite village Endor (or En Dor, Ein Dor), which was located in the Jezreel Valley in Lower Galilee, Israel.

Saul was the legendary first king of a United Kingdom of Israel and Judah. His reign is tentatively dated to the late 11th century BC. Both Saul and the Witch of Endor appear as historical persons, not just legends.