hen Egypt was to be
destroyed, they were left to "seek to the idols, and to charmers, and to
them that have familiar spirits, and to wizards," Isa. 19:3.

The manner in which the familiar spirit spoke, was by "peeping,"
"muttering," whispering out of the dust, &c. God said to Ariel, "And thou
shalt be brought down, and shalt speak out of the ground, and thy speech
shall be low out of the dust, and thy voice shall be as of one that hath a
familiar spirit, out of the ground, and thy speech shall whisper out of
the dust," Isa. 29:4. "And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them
that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter:
(should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead!) to
the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it
is because there is no light in them," Isa. 8:19, 20.

Saul had put away those that had familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of
the land; but when he "inquired of the Lord, the Lord answered him not,
neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets. Then said Saul unto his
servants, Seek a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her,
and inquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman
that hath a familiar spirit at En-dor. And Saul disguised himself, and put
on other raiment, and he went, and two men with him, and they came to the
woman by night: and he said, I pray thee divine unto me by the familiar
spirit, and bring me him up whom I shall name unto thee. And the woman
said unto him, Behold, thou knowest what Saul hath done, how he hath cut
off those that have familiar spirits, and the wizards out of the land;
wherefore, then, layest thou a snare for my life, to cause me to die? And
Saul sware unto her by the Lord, saying, As the Lord liveth, there shall
no punishment happen to thee for this thing. Then said the woman, Whom
shall I bring up to thee? And he said, Bring me up Samuel. And when the
woman saw Samuel she cried with a loud voice: and the woman spake to Saul,
saying, Why hast thou deceived me? for thou art Saul. And the king said
unto her, Be not afraid: for what sawest thou? And the woman said unto
Saul, I saw gods ascending out of the earth. And he said unto her, What
form is he of? And she said, An old man cometh up; and he is covered with
a mantle. And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he stooped with his
face to the ground, and bowed himself. And Samuel said to Saul, Why h