Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him, and buried him in Ramah, even in his own city. And Saul had put away those that had familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land. (1 Samuel 28:3)
The narrative gives no hint as to what period in his reign Saul abolished necromancy in the land. Some think it was probably early, but others suggest that the action was taken when Saul found himself possessed of an evil spirit, and that he hoped thereby to rid himself of the cause of all his trouble. Spiritism was a common practice among the nations round about, but Israel had been forbidden to have anything to do with it (Deut. 18:9-14). See PP 676.
Samuel.
Samuel had evidently been dead for some time (ch. 25:1). This verse seems to have been thrown in parenthetically to introduce the main theme of the chapter, Saul’s visit to the woman of En-dor.