Samuel it seems, appeared to the Woman a little before Saul saw him, shewing himself so, it may be, to prepare Saul for the terrible Sight by degrees, left the suddenness of it might have affrighted him into an incapacity of hearing what he had to say to him: Or it may be, the Body of the Woman, or some other thing in the Room might interpose between Saul and the first appearance of Samuel, or he might be at an unfit distance, or out of due light to see presently as she did; so that there is no need of supposing them to be in two Rooms on this account.
Secondly, He argues farther for the Closet or another Room; The Woman cried out with a loud Voice when she saw Samuel: What need of that, saith he, if they were in one Room, might not an ordinary Tone make him to have heard her? 'Tis like it might, but that was not the cause of her crying out, but her surprize to see Samuel, (if it were the real Samuel) when she expected only her Familiar, appearing in some resemblance of him; and 'tis like there were circumstances in this Apparition, which she had never seen before, that might on the sudden affright and amaze her. And if it were Samuel indeed, which is very probable, the sight of him, assured her that the enquirer was Saul; for though she might not conclude it presently from his requiring her to raise Samuel, yet when he really and unexpectedly appeared, it was plain that he was come upon some great Errand, and with whom could he probably have such Business as with Saul? So that she seeing him, the importance of his Appearance, and the Relation he had to Saul, brought the King presently to her Mind, and with him her Fears, and that this was one cause of her crying out, is plainly intimated in the next Words; And the Woman spake to Saul, saying, Why hast thou deceived me, for thou art Saul, v. 12. And that she was affrighted at that Knowledge, is implied in Sauls assuring her again against her Fears, in his immediate Answer. And the King said unto her, be not afraid, v. 13.
Besides this, there is another thing that may be collected from the Text, which might occasion her astonishment and crying out; for as soon as Saul had said, Bring me up Samuel, v. 11. it immediately follows, v. 12. And when the Woman saw Samuel, she cryed with a loud Voice. It seems, he appeared before she had performed her usual Conjurations (so little ground is there for what Mr. Scot talks of her Words of Conjuration, and those she spake to her self) and upon that she was surprized and affrighted.
