1 Samuel 14:47-15:9

English Standard Version

Saul Fights Israel's Enemies

⁴⁷ When Saul had taken the kingship over Israel, he fought against all his enemies on every side, against Moab, ^(A)against the Ammonites, against Edom, against the kings of ^(B)Zobah, and against the Philistines. Wherever he turned he routed them. ⁴⁸ And he did valiantly ^(C)and struck the Amalekites and delivered Israel out of the hands of those who plundered them.

^49 (D)Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan, Ishvi, and Malchi-shua. And the names of his two daughters were these: the name of the firstborn was ^(E)Merab, and the name of the younger Michal. ⁵⁰ And the name of Saul's wife was Ahinoam the daughter of Ahimaaz. ^(F)And the name of the commander of his army was Abner the son of Ner, ^(G)Saul's uncle. ^51 (H)Kish was the father of Saul, and Ner the father of Abner was the son of ^(I)Abiel.

⁵² There was hard fighting against the Philistines all the days of Saul. And when Saul saw any strong man, or any valiant man, ^(J)he attached him to himself.

The Lord Rejects Saul

15 And Samuel said to Saul, ^(K)“The Lord sent me to anoint you king over his people Israel; now therefore listen to the words of the Lord. ² Thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘I have noted what Amalek did to Israel ^(L)in opposing them on the way when they came up out of Egypt. ³ Now go and strike Amalek and ^(M)devote to destruction^[a] all that they have. Do not spare them, ^(N)but kill both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’”

⁴ So Saul summoned the people and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand men on foot, and ten thousand men of Judah. ⁵ And Saul came to the city of Amalek and lay in wait in the valley. ⁶ Then Saul said to ^(O)the Kenites, “Go, depart; go down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them. ^(P)For you showed kindness to all the people of Israel when they came up out of Egypt.” So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites. ^7 (Q)And Saul defeated the Amalekites from ^(R)Havilah as far as ^(S)Shur, which is east of Egypt. ⁸ And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive ^(T)and devoted to destruction all the people with the edge of the sword. ^9 (U)But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep and of the oxen and of the fattened calves^[b] and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them. All that was despised and worthless they devoted to destruction.