Right before a critical moment, the narrative pauses to establish a grim reality that changes everything. A great spiritual leader is gone, the land is cleared of sorcery, and a lonely king faces absolute divine silence. The reminder of Samuel's death seems unusual since his passing was already reported earlier. The primary approach among commentators is that this fact serves as the direct background for Saul's tragic decision to consult a medium. Had Samuel been alive, Saul would have sought his counsel and never needed to pursue dark forces [רש"י, מצודת דוד, רד"ק].
On a deeper level, Samuel's passing created a total spiritual void. During his lifetime, prophecy was abundant, but with his death, it ceased from Israel. All divine channels of communication, including the Urim and Thummim, dreams, and prophets, went completely silent. Furthermore, his departure removed the spiritual wall of protection over the nation. The Philistines were no longer afraid to gather for war, and Saul's heart trembled in fear without his essential spiritual support [מלבי"ם, אברבנאל]. Another perspective suggests that emphasizing his death at this exact moment reveals he passed away recently. According to this view, during the first twelve months after passing, a soul still ascends and descends, which is why it was even possible to summon him through a medium [אלשיך].
The details of the burial, noting that all of Israel mourned him and that he was buried in Ramah and in his city, raise a practical question about how one could be buried in two places at once. One approach explains that the text is simply clarifying that his grave was located strictly within the city limits of Ramah rather than outside of it [מצודת דוד, רד"ק], or perhaps it serves to distinguish this specific Ramah from another city with the exact same name [רד"ק]. A different approach connects the mention of his city to the mourning itself rather than the physical grave. Those who attended the funeral mourned him in Ramah, while the rest of the nation, unable to travel, mourned him each in their own respective cities. This widespread mourning was a profound expression of gratitude, as Samuel used to travel through all the cities of Israel to judge and guide the people [רש"י, רד"ק].
Finally, the narrative highlights that Saul had previously removed mediums and sorcerers from the land. These individuals claimed to have the ability to communicate with the dead to uncover hidden information. Though this practice was once widespread, Saul used his royal authority to eradicate these sorcerers from the land in a sincere desire to fulfill the Commandment of the Torah [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. A bitter irony emerges from this history. Precisely because Saul was so successful in destroying the sorcerers while Samuel was alive and their dark services were unnecessary, he now finds himself in an agonizing position. In a time of terrifying heavenly silence, the desperate king is forced to search for the very people he banished, struggling greatly to find them [רש"י, מצודת דוד].