The Evolution of Theology: An Anthropological Study | Page 5

gruesome simplicity, is not surpassed, if it is
equalled, by the witch scenes in Macbeth--but as a piece of evidence
bearing on an important anthropological problem.
We are told (1 Sam. xxviii.) that Saul, encamped at Gilboa, became
alarmed by the strength of the Philistine army gathered at Shunem. He
therefore "inquired of Jahveh," but "Jahveh answered him not, neither
by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets."<2> Thus deserted by Jahveh,
Saul, in his extremity, bethought him of "those that had familiar spirits,
and the wizards," whom he is said, at some previous time, to have "put
out of the land"; but who seem, nevertheless, to have been very
imperfectly banished, since Saul's servants, in answer to his command
to seek him a woman "that hath a familiar spirit," reply without a sign
of hesitation or of fear, "Behold, there is a woman that hath a familiar
spirit at Endor"; just as, in some parts of England, a countryman might
tell any one who did not look like a magistrate or a policeman, where a
"wise woman" was to be met with. Saul goes to this woman, who, after
being assured of immunity, asks, "Whom shall I bring up to thee?"
whereupon Saul says, "Bring me up Samuel." The woman immediately
sees an apparition. But to Saul nothing is visible, for he asks, "What

seest thou?" And the woman replies, "I see Elohim coming up out of
the earth." Still the spectre remains invisible to Saul, for he asks, "What
form is he of?" And she replies, "An old man cometh up, and he is
covered with a robe." So far, therefore, the wise woman unquestionably
plays the part of a "medium," and Saul is dependent upon her version
of what happens.
The account continues:--
And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he bowed with his
face to the ground and did obeisance. And Samuel said to Saul, Why
hast thou disquieted me to bring me up? And Saul answered, I am sore
distressed: for the Philistines make war against me, and Elohim is
departed from me and answereth me no more, neither by prophets nor
by dreams; therefore I have called thee that thou mayest make known
unto me what I shall do. And Samuel said, Wherefore then dost thou
ask of me, seeing that Jahveh is departed from thee and is become thine
adversary? And Jahveh hath wrought for himself, as he spake by me,
and Jahveh hath rent the kingdom out of thine hand and given it to thy
neighbour, even to David. Because thou obeyedst not the voice of
Jahveh and didst not execute his fierce wrath upon Amalek, therefore
hath Jahveh done this thing unto thee this day. Moreover, Jahveh will
deliver Israel also with thee into the hands of the Philistines; and
to-morrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me: Jahveh shall deliver the
host of Israel also into the hand of the Philistines. Then Saul fell
straightway his full length upon the earth and was sore afraid because
of the words of Samuel ..." (v. 14-20).
The statement that Saul "perceived" that it was Samuel is not to be
taken to imply that, even now, Saul actually saw the shade of the
prophet, but only that the woman's allusion to the prophetic mantle and
to the aged appearance of the spectre convinced him that it was Samuel.
Reuss<3> in fact translates the passage "Alors Saul reconnut que c'etait
Samuel." Nor does the dialogue between Saul and Samuel necessarily,
or probably, signify that Samuel spoke otherwise than by the voice of
the wise woman. The Septuagint does not hesitate to call her [Greek],
that is to say, a ventriloquist, implying that it was she who spoke--and
this view of the matter is in harmony with the fact that the exact sense
of the Hebrew words which are translated as "a woman that hath a
familiar spirit" is "a woman mistress of Ob." Ob means

primitively a leather bottle, such as a wine skin, and is applied alike to
the necromancer and to the spirit evoked. Its use, in these senses,
appears to have been suggested by the likeness of the hollow sound
emitted by a half-empty skin when struck, to the sepulchral tones in
which the oracles of the evoked spirits were uttered by the medium. It
is most probable that, in accordance with the general theory of spiritual
influences which obtained among the old Israelites, the spirit of Samuel
was conceived to pass into the body of the wise woman, and to use her
vocal organs to speak in his own name--for I cannot discover that they
drew any clear distinction between possession and inspiration.<4>
If the story of Saul's consultation of the occult powers is to be regarded
as