Here we have a woman who is a necromancer, which is a practice God abhors and forbade. To King Saul’s credit he had driven out all divination from the land, but when he could get no answers any other way he sought out one of the very people he had sought to remove from Israel. That God hates necromancy hints at the idea that it works – otherwise there seems little to hate but an empty practice – other than the fact that it directs the heart to seek someone for answers or comfort rather than God. It can also be argued that it opens the door for demonic communion as well so there is that possibility. At face value this witch of Endor summons up the spirit of Samuel for Saul and he learns of his impending death.