medium

The Hebrew that is translated as “medium” in English is translated in Basa as “the people of the grave” (source: Rob Koops) and in Newari as “a person who knowingly becomes possessed” (source: Newari Back-Translation).

Saul

The Hebrew and Greek that is transliterated as “Saul” in English is translated in Spanish Sign Language with the sign that depicts “sword in chest” (referring to 1 Samuel 31:4 and 1 Chronicles 10:4) and also “self-centered.” (Source: Steve Parkhurst)


“Saul” in Spanish Sign Language, source: Sociedad Bíblica de España

For more information on translations of proper names with sign language see Sign Language Bible Translations Have Something to Say to Hearing Christians .

Click or tap here to see a short video clip about King Saul (source: Bible Lands 2012)

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Saul .

self-referencing pronoun for king or queen

In Malay, the pronoun beta for the royal “I” (or “my” or “me”) that is used by royals when speaking to people of lower rank, subordinates or commoners to refer to themselves in these verses. This reflects the “language of the court because the monarchy and sultanate in Malaysia are still alive and well. All oral and printed literature (including newspapers and magazines) preserve and glorify the language of the court. Considering that the language of the court is part of the Malaysian language, court language is used sparingly where appropriate, specifically with texts relating to palace life.” (Source: Daud Soesilo in The Bible Translator 2025, p. 263ff.)

complete verse (1 Samuel 28:7)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 1 Samuel 28:7:

  • Kupsabiny: “So, Saul asked his assistants that, ‘Is there a woman who is a sorcerer whom I can go to ask how the war will be?’ When he asked like that, his assistants answered him that, ‘There is a certain woman in En-dor city who is a sorcerer.’” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “So he said to his officials, "Find a woman for me who does incantation and chanting, and I will go consult [lit.: do ask and tell] with her."
    His officials responded, "There is a woman like that in Endor."” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Then Saul said to his servants, ‘[You (plur.)] find me a woman who (is) a spiritist whom I can-ask.’ His servants answered, ‘There-is-one in Endor.’” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Then Saul said to his servants, ‘Find for me a woman who talks to the spirits of dead people, in order that I can ask her what will happen.’ His servants replied, ‘There is a woman in Endor town who does that.’” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on 1 Samuel 28:7

Servants: in the present context this probably does not refer to household servants but to “officers” (Contemporary English Version) or “courtiers” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). See the comments on 8.14.

The word rendered medium is literally “mistress of the spirit” or “mistress of the ghost.” On the word medium see the comments at verse 3. The words inquire of her may be translated “that I may consult the dead through her” (so Fox, who places the words “the dead” in parentheses to show that they are not written in the Hebrew).

Behold: the focusing particle here fixes attention on the location of the kind of person that Saul was looking for.

The town of Endor (mentioned in Josh 17.11) was located in the territory of Manasseh a short distance northeast of the Philistine camp, so Saul had to cross territory under Philistine control to go to Endor.

The direct quotations of this verse may be made indirect as follows:

• Then Saul told his officers to find a woman who was able to communicate with the dead so that he could go to her in order to ask some questions. And his officers told him that there was such a person in the town of Endor.

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on the First and Second Books of Samuel, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2001. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .