1 Samuel 15
New American Standard Bible
Saul’s Disobedience
15 Then Samuel said to Saul, “(A)The Lord sent me to anoint you as king over His people, over Israel; now therefore, listen to the [a]words of the Lord. 2 This is what the Lord of armies says: ‘I will [b]punish Amalek (B)for what he did to Israel, in that he obstructed him on the way while he was coming up from Egypt. 3 Now go and strike Amalek and (C)completely destroy everything that he has, and do not spare him; but (D)put to death both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’”
4 Then Saul summoned the people and [c]counted them in (E)Telaim: two hundred thousand foot soldiers and ten thousand men of Judah. 5 And Saul came to the city of Amalek and set an ambush in the [d]wadi. 6 But Saul said to (F)the Kenites, “Go, get away, go down from among the Amalekites, so that I do not destroy you along with them; for (G)you showed kindness to all the sons of Israel when they went up from Egypt.” So the Kenites got away from among the Amalekites. 7 Then (H)Saul [e]defeated the Amalekites, from (I)Havilah [f]going toward (J)Shur, which is [g]east of Egypt. 8 He captured (K)Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and (L)completely destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword. 9 But Saul and the people (M)spared Agag and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the more valuable animals, the lambs, and everything that was good, and were unwilling to destroy them completely; but everything despicable and weak, that they completely destroyed.
Samuel Rebukes Saul
10 Then the word of the Lord came to Samuel, saying, 11 “(N)I regret that I have made Saul king, because (O)he has turned back from [h]following Me and has not carried out My commands.” And Samuel was furious and (P)cried out to the Lord all night. 12 Samuel got up early in the morning to meet Saul; and it was reported to Samuel, saying, “Saul came to (Q)Carmel, and behold, he set up a monument for himself, then turned and proceeded on [i]down to (R)Gilgal.” 13 So Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said to him, “(S)Blessed are you of the Lord! I have carried out the command of the Lord.” 14 But Samuel said, “(T)What then is this [j]bleating of the sheep in my ears, and the [k]bellowing of the oxen which I hear?” 15 Saul said, “They have brought them from the Amalekites, for (U)the people spared the best of the sheep and oxen to sacrifice to the Lord your God; but the rest we have completely destroyed.” 16 Then Samuel said to Saul, “Stop, and let me inform you of what the Lord said to me last night.” And he said to him, “Speak!”
17 So Samuel said, “[l]Is it not true, (V)though you were [m]insignificant in your own eyes, that you became the head of the tribes of Israel? For the Lord anointed you as king over Israel. 18 And the Lord sent you on a [n]mission, and said, ‘(W)Go and completely destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are eliminated.’ 19 Why then did you not obey the voice of the Lord? (X)Instead, you loudly rushed upon the spoils and did what was evil in the sight of the Lord!”
20 Then Saul said to Samuel, “(Y)I did obey the voice of the Lord, for I went on the [o]mission on which the Lord sent me; and I have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have completely destroyed the Amalekites. 21 But (Z)the people took some of the spoils, sheep and oxen, the choicest of the things designated for destruction, to sacrifice to the Lord your God at Gilgal.” 22 Samuel said,
“(AA)Does the Lord have as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices
As in obeying the voice of the Lord?
Behold, (AB)to obey is better than a sacrifice,
And to pay attention is better than the fat of rams.
23 For rebellion is as reprehensible as the sin of (AC)divination,
And insubordination is as reprehensible as (AD)false religion and idolatry.
Since you have rejected the word of the Lord,
(AE)He has also rejected you from being king.”
24 Then Saul said to Samuel, “(AF)I have sinned, for (AG)I have violated the [p]command of the Lord and your words, because I feared the people and listened to their voice. 25 Now then, (AH)please pardon my sin and return with me, so that I may worship the Lord.” 26 But Samuel said to Saul, “I will not return with you; for (AI)you have rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord has rejected you from being king over Israel.” 27 Then Samuel turned to go, but (AJ)Saul grasped the edge of his robe, and it tore off. 28 So Samuel said to him, “(AK)The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to your neighbor, who is better than you. 29 Also the [q](AL)Glory of Israel (AM)will not lie nor change His mind; for He is not a man, that He would change His mind.” 30 Then Saul said, “I have sinned; (AN)but please honor me now before the elders of my people and before all Israel, and go back with me, (AO)so that I may worship the Lord your God.” 31 So Samuel went back following Saul, and Saul worshiped the Lord.
32 Then Samuel said, “Bring me Agag, the king of the Amalekites.” And Agag came to him [r]cheerfully. And Agag said, “Surely the bitterness of death is gone!” 33 But Samuel said, “(AP)As your sword has made women childless, so shall your mother be childless among women.” And Samuel cut Agag to pieces before the Lord at Gilgal.
34 Then Samuel went to (AQ)Ramah, but Saul went up to his house at (AR)Gibeah of Saul. 35 And (AS)Samuel did not see Saul again until the day of his death, though Samuel (AT)mourned for [s]Saul. And the Lord regretted that He had made Saul king over Israel.
Footnotes
- 1 Samuel 15:1 Lit sound of the words
- 1 Samuel 15:2 Or visit
- 1 Samuel 15:4 Lit mustered
- 1 Samuel 15:5 Or valley
- 1 Samuel 15:7 Lit struck
- 1 Samuel 15:7 Lit as you go
- 1 Samuel 15:7 Lit before
- 1 Samuel 15:11 Lit after
- 1 Samuel 15:12 Lit and went down
- 1 Samuel 15:14 Lit sound
- 1 Samuel 15:14 Lit sound
- 1 Samuel 15:17 Or Though you were..., did you not become
- 1 Samuel 15:17 Lit small
- 1 Samuel 15:18 Lit way
- 1 Samuel 15:20 Lit way
- 1 Samuel 15:24 Lit mouth
- 1 Samuel 15:29 Or Splendor
- 1 Samuel 15:32 Or in chains
- 1 Samuel 15:35 I.e., God’s rejection of Saul
1 Samuel 15
Christian Standard Bible
Saul Rejected as King
15 Samuel told Saul, “The Lord sent me to anoint you as king over his people Israel.(A) Now, listen to the words of the Lord. 2 This is what the Lord of Armies says: ‘I witnessed[a] what the Amalekites did to the Israelites when they opposed them along the way as they were coming out of Egypt.(B) 3 Now go and attack the Amalekites and completely destroy everything they have.(C) Do not spare them. Kill men and women, infants and nursing babies, oxen and sheep, camels and donkeys.’”(D)
4 Then Saul summoned the troops and counted them at Telaim: two hundred thousand foot soldiers and ten thousand men from Judah. 5 Saul came to the city of Amalek and set up an ambush in the wadi. 6 He warned the Kenites,(E) “Since you showed kindness to all the Israelites when they came out of Egypt,(F) go on and leave! Get away from the Amalekites, or I’ll sweep you away with them.” So the Kenites withdrew from the Amalekites.
7 Then Saul struck down the Amalekites(G) from Havilah(H) all the way to Shur,(I) which is next to Egypt. 8 He captured King Agag(J) of Amalek alive, but he completely destroyed all the rest of the people with the sword.(K) 9 Saul and the troops spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, goats, cattle, and choice animals,[b] as well as the young rams and the best of everything else. They were not willing to destroy them, but they did destroy all the worthless and unwanted things.
10 Then the word of the Lord came to Samuel, 11 “I regret that I made Saul king,(L) for he has turned away from following me and has not carried out my instructions.”(M) So Samuel became angry and cried out to the Lord all night.(N)
12 Early in the morning Samuel got up to confront Saul, but it was reported to Samuel, “Saul went to Carmel(O) where he set up a monument for himself. Then he turned around and went down to Gilgal.”(P) 13 When Samuel came to him, Saul said, “May the Lord bless you.(Q) I have carried out the Lord’s instructions.”
14 Samuel replied, “Then what is this sound of sheep, goats, and cattle I hear?”
15 Saul answered, “The troops brought them from the Amalekites and spared the best sheep, goats, and cattle in order to offer a sacrifice to the Lord your God,(R) but the rest we destroyed.”(S)
16 “Stop!” exclaimed Samuel. “Let me tell you what the Lord said to me last night.”
“Tell me,” he replied.
17 Samuel continued, “Although you once considered yourself unimportant,(T) haven’t you become the leader of the tribes of Israel? The Lord anointed you king over Israel 18 and then sent you on a mission and said, ‘Go and completely destroy the sinful Amalekites. Fight against them until you have annihilated them.’ 19 So why didn’t you obey the Lord? Why did you rush on the plunder(U) and do what was evil in the Lord’s sight?”
20 “But I did obey the Lord!” Saul answered.[c] “I went on the mission the Lord gave me: I brought back King Agag of Amalek, and I completely destroyed the Amalekites. 21 The troops took sheep, goats, and cattle from the plunder—the best of what was set apart for destruction—to sacrifice to the Lord your God at Gilgal.”(V)
22 Then Samuel said:
Does the Lord(W) take pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices
as much as in obeying the Lord?
Look: to obey is better than sacrifice,
to pay attention is better than the fat of rams.(X)
23 For rebellion is like the sin of divination,(Y)
and defiance is like wickedness(Z) and idolatry.
Because you have rejected the word of the Lord,
he has rejected you as king.(AA)
24 Saul answered Samuel, “I have sinned.(AB) I have transgressed the Lord’s command(AC) and your words. Because I was afraid of the people, I obeyed them. 25 Now therefore, please forgive my sin(AD) and return with me so I can worship the Lord.”
26 Samuel replied to Saul, “I will not return with you. Because you rejected the word of the Lord,(AE) the Lord has rejected you from being king over Israel.” 27 When Samuel turned to go, Saul grabbed the corner of his robe, and it tore. 28 Samuel said to him, “The Lord has torn the kingship of Israel away from you today(AF) and has given it to your neighbor who is better than you.(AG) 29 Furthermore, the Eternal One of Israel(AH) does not lie or change his mind, for he is not man who changes his mind.”(AI)
30 Saul said, “I have sinned. Please honor me(AJ) now before the elders of my people and before Israel. Come back with me so I can bow in worship to the Lord your God.”(AK) 31 Then Samuel went back, following Saul, and Saul bowed down to the Lord.
32 Samuel said, “Bring me King Agag of Amalek.”
Agag came to him trembling,[d] for he thought, “Certainly the bitterness of death has come.”[e][f]
33 Samuel declared:
As your sword has made women childless,
so your mother will be childless among women.(AL)
Then he hacked Agag to pieces before the Lord at Gilgal.
34 Samuel went to Ramah,(AM) and Saul went up to his home in Gibeah(AN) of Saul. 35 Even to the day of his death, Samuel never saw Saul again.(AO) Samuel mourned for Saul,(AP) and the Lord regretted he had made Saul king over Israel.
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