VIII THE EVOLUTION OF THEOLOGY 303 



whom the lower Elohim are consulted are called 

 necromancers, wizards, and diviners, and are 

 looked down upon by the prophets and priests -of 

 the higher Elohim ; but the " seer " connects the 

 two, and they are all alike in their essential 

 characters of media. The wise woman of Endor 

 was believed by others, and, I have little doubt, 

 believed herself, to be able to " bring up " whom 

 she would from Sheol, and to be inspired, whether 

 .in virtue of actual possession by the evoked 

 Elohim, or otherwise, with a knowledge of hidden 

 things. I am unable to see that Saul's servant 

 took any really different view of Samuel's powers, 

 though he may have believe^ that he obtained 

 them by the grace of the higher Elohim. For 

 when Saul fails to find his father's asses, his 

 servant says to him 



Behold, there is in this city a man of Elohim, and he is a 

 man that is held in honour ; all that he saith cometh surely to 

 pass : now let us go thither ; peradventure he can tell us con- 

 cerning our journey whereon we go. Then said Saul to his 

 servant, But behold if we go, what shall we bring the man ? for 

 the bread is spent in our vessels and there is not a present to 

 bring to the man of Elohim. What have we ? And the servant 

 answered Saul again and said, Behold I have in my hand the 

 fourth part of a shekel of silver : that will I give to the man of 

 Elohim to tell us our way. (Before time in Israel when a man 

 went to inquire of Elohim, then he said, Come and let us go to 

 the Seer : for he that is now called a Prophet was beforetime 

 called a Seer ') (1 Sam. ix. 6-10). 



1 In 2 Samuel xv. 2? David says to Zadok the priest, "Art 

 thou not a seer ? " and Gad is called David's seer. 



