Add parallel Print Page Options

Giao Chiến Với Quân A-ma-léc

15 Ông Sa-mu-ên nói với vua Sau-lơ: “Tôi chính là người CHÚA sai đi xức dầu cho vua cai trị dân Ngài, tức là dân Y-sơ-ra-ên. Vậy bây giờ, xin vua nghe lời CHÚA phán.” CHÚA Toàn Năng phán như vầy: “Ta nhớ lại cách dân A-ma-léc đối xử với dân Y-sơ-ra-ên, thể nào chúng đã chận đường dân Y-sơ-ra-ên khi họ ra khỏi Ai-cập. Vậy bây giờ, con hãy đi đánh dân A-ma-léc, hủy diệt hết mọi người, mọi vật thuộc về chúng, đừng thương tiếc. Con phải giết cả đàn ông, đàn bà, trẻ em, con nít còn bú, bò chiên, lạc đà, lừa.”

Vua Sau-lơ triệu tập đạo quân tại Tê-la-im và điểm binh: có 200,000 bộ binh và 10,000 người Giu-đa. Vua Sau-lơ kéo quân đến thành của dân A-ma-léc và mai phục trong lòng sông cạn khô. Vua Sau-lơ cũng sai người báo với dân Kê-nít: “Anh chị em hãy đi, hãy tránh xa dân A-ma-léc, để khỏi bị hủy diệt chung với bọn chúng, vì anh chị em đối xử tử tế với toàn dân Y-sơ-ra-ên khi họ ra khỏi Ai-cập.” Vậy, dân Kê-nít tách ra khỏi dân A-ma-léc.

Vua Sau-lơ đánh bại quân A-ma-léc từ Ha-vi-la đến Su-rơ, phía đông Ai-cập. Vua Sau-lơ bắt sống A-ga, vua dân A-ma-léc, nhưng dùng gươm diệt sạch toàn dân. Vua Sau-lơ và binh sĩ tha chết cho A-ga; họ cũng tiếc và không chịu hủy diệt những con thú tốt nhất trong bầy chiên dê và bò, những con thú được nuôi cho mập,[a] những chiên con, và tất cả những con gì tốt; nhưng họ diệt hết tất cả những con thú vô dụng và không có giá trị.

CHÚA Từ Bỏ Vua Sau-lơ

10 CHÚA phán với ông Sa-mu-ên: 11 “Ta hối tiếc đã lập Sau-lơ làm vua, vì người đã bỏ, không theo Ta, và không thi hành mạng lệnh Ta.” Ông Sa-mu-ên giận lắm, ông kêu cầu CHÚA suốt đêm.

12 Sáng hôm sau, ông Sa-mu-ên thức dậy sớm đi gặp vua Sau-lơ. Có người báo tin cho ông Sa-mu-ên: “Vua Sau-lơ đã lên núi Cạt-mên, dựng đài kỷ niệm cho mình, rồi quay về, đi xuống Ghinh-ganh.”

13 Khi ông Sa-mu-ên đến gặp vua Sau-lơ, vua chào ông: “Xin CHÚA ban phước cho ông. Con đã thi hành xong mạng lệnh của CHÚA.” 14 Ông Sa-mu-ên hỏi: “Thế thì tiếng chiên dê be be kia bên tai tôi, và tiếng bò rống tôi nghe là gì vậy?” 15 Vua Sau-lơ đáp: “Các binh sĩ tiếc những con thú tốt nhất trong bầy chiên, dê, và bò của dân A-ma-léc nên mang về để dâng tế lễ cho CHÚA là Đức Chúa Trời của ông. Chúng con hủy diệt tất cả những gì còn lại.” 16 Ông Sa-mu-ên bảo vua Sau-lơ: “Đủ rồi! Để tôi thuật lại cho vua nghe điều gì CHÚA phán với tôi đêm qua.” Vua Sau-lơ thưa: “Xin ông dạy bảo.”

17 Ông Sa-mu-ên nói: “Trong khi vua tự thấy mình thấp hèn, CHÚA lập vua đứng dầu các bộ tộc trong Y-sơ-ra-ên, Ngài xức dầu cho vua cai trị dân Y-sơ-ra-ên. 18 CHÚA sai vua lên đường và truyền dặn: ‘Con hãy đi hủy diệt bọn người tội ác kia là dân A-ma-léc. Con hãy giao chiến với chúng cho đến khi chúng bị tận diệt.’ 19 Vậy, tại sao vua không vâng lời CHÚA mà lại cướp lấy chiến lợi phẩm, làm buồn lòng CHÚA?”[b]

20 Vua Sau-lơ thưa với ông Sa-mu-ên: “Nhưng con có vâng lời CHÚA, lên đường làm tròn sứ mạng CHÚA giao. Con đem A-ga, vua dân A-ma-léc, về đây, còn dân A-ma-léc, con đã diệt hết rồi. 21 Còn về chiến lợi phẩm phải bị tận diệt, các binh sĩ đã chọn những con chiên, dê, và bò tốt nhất mang về để dâng tế lễ cho CHÚA là Đức Chúa Trời của ông tại Ginh-ganh.”

22 Ông Sa-mu-ên nói:

“Dâng tế lễ toàn thiêu và sinh tế
    Có làm CHÚA vui lòng bằng sự vâng lời CHÚA không?
Vâng lời chắc chắn tốt hơn dâng sinh tế,
    Chú tâm nghe theo tốt hơn dâng mỡ chiên đực.
23 Vì phản nghịch khác nào tội bói toán,
    Kiêu ngạo khác nào tội thờ hình tượng.
Vì vua đã gạt bỏ lời CHÚA,
    Nên Ngài cũng gạt bỏ vua, không cho vua cai trị nữa.”

24 Vua Sau-lơ thú nhận với ông Sa-mu-ên: “Con có tội. Con đã vi phạm mạng lệnh CHÚA và lời ông dạy, vì con sợ các binh sĩ nên nghe theo lời họ. 25 Bây giờ xin ông tha tội cho con và trở về với con, để con sấp mình xuống thờ phượng CHÚA.” 26 Ông Sa-mu-ên đáp lời vua Sau-lơ: “Tôi không thể trở về với vua vì vua đã gạt bỏ lời CHÚA, và CHÚA cũng gạt bỏ vua, không cho vua cai trị dân Y-sơ-ra-ên nữa.”

27 Ông Sa-mu-ên quay lưng đi, nhưng vua Sau-lơ níu chặt chéo áo khoác của ông, khiến áo bị xé rách. 28 Ông Sa-mu-ên bảo vua Sau-lơ: “Hôm nay CHÚA cũng xé vương quốc Y-sơ-ra-ên ra khỏi tay vua như vậy và ban nó cho một người khác xứng đáng hơn vua. 29 Hơn nữa, CHÚA là vinh quang của Y-sơ-ra-ên, Ngài không hề nói dối, cũng chẳng đổi ý, vì Ngài không phải là người phàm để mà đổi ý.” 30 Vua Sau-lơ van nài: “Con có tội. Nhưng bây giờ xin ông tôn trọng con trước mặt các trưởng lão và toàn dân Y-sơ-ra-ên. Xin ông trở về với con để con sấp mình xuống thờ phượng CHÚA là Đức Chúa Trời của ông.” 31 Ông Sa-mu-ên quay trở về với vua Sau-lơ, và vua sấp mình xuống thờ phượng CHÚA.

32 Ông Sa-mu-ên bảo: “Hãy đem A-ga, vua dân A-ma-léc, lại đây cho tôi.” Vua A-ga nhẹ nhàng bước tới, lòng thầm nghĩ: “Sự chết cay đắng đã qua rồi!”[c] 33 Ông Sa-mu-ên bảo: “Lưỡi gươm của ngươi đã làm cho các bà mẹ mất con thế nào thì chính mẹ ngươi cũng sẽ mất con thể ấy.” Nói xong, ông Sa-mu-ên chém A-ga gục xuống[d] trước đền thờ CHÚA tại Ghinh-ganh.

34 Sau đó, ông Sa-mu-ên trở về Ra-ma, trong khi vua Sau-lơ về nhà mình tại Ghi-bê-a. 35 Ông Sa-mu-ên không hề gặp vua Sau-lơ nữa cho đến ngày ông qua đời. Ông đau buồn nhiều về vua Sau-lơ. CHÚA hối tiếc đã lập Sau-lơ làm vua cai trị dân Y-sơ-ra-ên.

Footnotes

  1. 15:9 Nt: những con thú thuộc lứa đẻ thứ nhì
  2. 15:19 Nt: Điều ác trước mặt CHÚA?
  3. 15:32 Nt: khó hiểu; ctd: Vua A-ga loạng choạng bước tới, lòng thầm nghĩ: “Sự chết cay đắng sắp đến rồi!”
  4. 15:33 Dịch theo các bản cổ; nt: không rõ nghĩa

Saul Spares King Agag

15 Samuel also said to Saul, (A)“The Lord sent me to anoint you king over His people, over Israel. Now therefore, heed the voice of the words of the Lord. Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘I will punish Amalek for what he did to Israel, (B)how he ambushed him on the way when he came up from Egypt. Now go and (C)attack[a] Amalek, and (D)utterly destroy all that they have, and do not spare them. But kill both man and woman, infant and nursing child, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’ ”

So Saul gathered the people together and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand foot soldiers and ten thousand men of Judah. And Saul came to a city of Amalek, and lay in wait in the valley.

Then Saul said to (E)the Kenites, (F)“Go, depart, get down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them. For (G)you showed kindness to all the children of Israel when they came up out of Egypt.” So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites. (H)And Saul attacked the Amalekites, from (I)Havilah all the way to (J)Shur, which is east of Egypt. (K)He also took Agag king of the Amalekites alive, and (L)utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword. But Saul and the people (M)spared Agag and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the fatlings, the lambs, and all that was good, and were unwilling to utterly destroy them. But everything despised and worthless, that they utterly destroyed.

Saul Rejected as King

10 Now the word of the Lord came to Samuel, saying, 11 (N)“I greatly regret that I have set up Saul as king, for he has (O)turned back from following Me, (P)and has not performed My commandments.” And it (Q)grieved Samuel, and he cried out to the Lord all night. 12 So when Samuel rose early in the morning to meet Saul, it was told Samuel, saying, “Saul went to (R)Carmel, and indeed, he set up a monument for himself; and he has gone on around, passed by, and gone down to Gilgal.” 13 Then Samuel went to Saul, and Saul said to him, (S)“Blessed are you of the Lord! I have performed the commandment of the Lord.”

14 But Samuel said, “What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?”

15 And Saul said, “They have brought them from the Amalekites; (T)for the people spared the best of the sheep and the oxen, to sacrifice to the Lord your God; and the rest we have utterly destroyed.”

16 Then Samuel said to Saul, “Be quiet! And I will tell you what the Lord said to me last night.”

And he said to him, “Speak on.”

17 So Samuel said, (U)“When you were little in your own eyes, were you not head of the tribes of Israel? And did not the Lord anoint you king over Israel? 18 Now the Lord sent you on a mission, and said, ‘Go, and utterly destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are [b]consumed.’ 19 Why then did you not obey the voice of the Lord? Why did you swoop down on the [c]spoil, and do evil in the sight of the Lord?”

20 And Saul said to Samuel, (V)“But I have obeyed the voice of the Lord, and gone on the mission on which the Lord sent me, and brought back Agag king of Amalek; I have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. 21 (W)But the people took of the plunder, sheep and oxen, the best of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice to the Lord your God in Gilgal.”

22 So Samuel said:

(X)“Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices,
As in obeying the voice of the Lord?
Behold, (Y)to obey is better than sacrifice,
And to heed than the fat of rams.
23 For rebellion is as the sin of [d]witchcraft,
And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.
Because you have rejected the word of the Lord,
(Z)He also has rejected you from being king.”

24 (AA)Then Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned, for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord and your words, because I (AB)feared the people and obeyed their voice. 25 Now therefore, please pardon my sin, and return with me, that I may worship the Lord.”

26 But Samuel said to Saul, “I will not return with you, (AC)for you have rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord has rejected you from being king over Israel.”

27 And as Samuel turned around to go away, (AD)Saul seized the edge of his robe, and it tore. 28 So Samuel said to him, (AE)“The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today, and has given it to a neighbor of yours, who is better than you. 29 And also the Strength of Israel (AF)will not lie nor relent. For He is not a man, that He should relent.”

30 Then he said, “I have sinned; yet (AG)honor me now, please, before the elders of my people and before Israel, and return with me, that I may worship the Lord your God.” 31 So Samuel turned back after Saul, and Saul worshiped the Lord.

32 Then Samuel said, “Bring Agag king of the Amalekites here to me.” So Agag came to him cautiously.

And Agag said, “Surely the bitterness of death is past.”

33 But Samuel said, (AH)“As your sword has made women childless, so shall your mother be childless among women.” And Samuel hacked Agag in pieces before the Lord in Gilgal.

34 Then Samuel went to (AI)Ramah, and Saul went up to his house at (AJ)Gibeah of Saul. 35 And (AK)Samuel went no more to see Saul until the day of his death. Nevertheless Samuel mourned for Saul, and the Lord regretted that He had made Saul king over Israel.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 15:3 Lit. strike
  2. 1 Samuel 15:18 exterminated
  3. 1 Samuel 15:19 plunder
  4. 1 Samuel 15:23 divination

The Lord Rejects Saul

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

So Saul summoned the people and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand men on foot, and ten thousand men of Judah. And Saul came to the city of Amalek and lay in wait in the valley. Then Saul said to (E)the Kenites, “Go, depart; go down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them. (F)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. (G)And Saul defeated the Amalekites from (H)Havilah as far as (I)Shur, which is east of Egypt. And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive (J)and devoted to destruction all the people with the edge of the sword. (K)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.

10 The word of the Lord came to Samuel: 11 (L)“I regret[c] that I have made Saul king, for he has turned back from following me and (M)has not performed my commandments.” And Samuel was angry, and he cried to the Lord all night. 12 And Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning. And it was told Samuel, “Saul came to (N)Carmel, and behold, he set up a monument for himself and turned and passed on and went down to Gilgal.” 13 And Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said to him, (O)“Blessed be you to the Lord. I have performed the commandment of the Lord.” 14 And Samuel said, “What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears and the lowing of the oxen that I hear?” 15 Saul said, “They have brought them from the Amalekites, (P)for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen to sacrifice to the Lord your God, and the rest we have devoted to destruction.” 16 Then Samuel said to Saul, “Stop! I will tell you what the Lord said to me this night.” And he said to him, “Speak.”

17 And Samuel said, (Q)“Though you are little in your own eyes, are you not the head of the tribes of Israel? The Lord anointed you king over Israel. 18 And the Lord sent you on a mission and said, ‘Go, devote to destruction the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are consumed.’ 19 Why then did you not obey the voice of the Lord? (R)Why did you pounce on the spoil and do what was evil in the sight of the Lord?” 20 And Saul said to Samuel, (S)“I have obeyed the voice of the Lord. I have gone on the mission on which the Lord sent me. I have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and I have devoted the Amalekites to destruction. 21 (T)But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the best of the things devoted to destruction, to sacrifice to the Lord your God in Gilgal.” 22 And Samuel said,

(U)“Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices,
    as in obeying the voice of the Lord?
Behold, (V)to obey is better than sacrifice,
    and to listen than the fat of rams.
23 For rebellion is as the sin of divination,
    and presumption is as iniquity and (W)idolatry.
Because (X)you have rejected the word of the Lord,
    (Y)he has also rejected you from being king.”

24 Saul said to Samuel, (Z)“I have sinned, for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord and your words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice. 25 Now therefore, please pardon my sin and (AA)return with me that I may bow before the Lord.” 26 And Samuel said to Saul, “I will not return with you. (AB)For you have rejected the word of the Lord, (AC)and the Lord has rejected you from being king over Israel.” 27 (AD)As Samuel turned to go away, Saul seized the skirt of his robe, and it tore. 28 And Samuel said to him, (AE)“The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this day and has given it to a neighbor of yours, who is better than you. 29 And also the Glory of Israel (AF)will not lie or have regret, for he is not a man, that he should have regret.” 30 Then he said, “I have sinned; yet (AG)honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel, (AH)and return with me, that I may bow before the Lord your God.” 31 So Samuel turned back after Saul, and Saul bowed before the Lord.

32 Then Samuel said, “Bring here to me Agag the king of the Amalekites.” And Agag came to him cheerfully.[d] Agag said, “Surely the bitterness of death is past.” 33 And Samuel said, (AI)“As your sword has made women childless, so shall your mother be childless among women.” And Samuel hacked Agag to pieces before the Lord (AJ)in Gilgal.

34 Then Samuel went (AK)to Ramah, and Saul went up to his house in (AL)Gibeah of Saul. 35 (AM)And Samuel did not see Saul again until the day of his death, (AN)but Samuel grieved over Saul. (AO)And the Lord regretted that he had made Saul king over Israel.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 15:3 That is, set apart (devote) as an offering to the Lord (for destruction); also verses 8, 9, 15, 18, 20, 21
  2. 1 Samuel 15:9 The meaning of the Hebrew term is uncertain
  3. 1 Samuel 15:11 See also verses 29, 35
  4. 1 Samuel 15:32 Or haltingly (compare Septuagint); the Hebrew is uncertain

The Lord Rejects Saul as King

15 Samuel said to Saul, “I am the one the Lord sent to anoint(A) you king over his people Israel; so listen now to the message from the Lord. This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘I will punish the Amalekites(B) for what they did to Israel when they waylaid them as they came up from Egypt. Now go, attack the Amalekites and totally(C) destroy[a] all that belongs to them. Do not spare them; put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys.’”

So Saul summoned the men and mustered them at Telaim—two hundred thousand foot soldiers and ten thousand from Judah. Saul went to the city of Amalek and set an ambush in the ravine. Then he said to the Kenites,(D) “Go away, leave the Amalekites so that I do not destroy you along with them; for you showed kindness to all the Israelites when they came up out of Egypt.” So the Kenites moved away from the Amalekites.

Then Saul attacked the Amalekites(E) all the way from Havilah to Shur,(F) near the eastern border of Egypt. He took Agag(G) king of the Amalekites alive,(H) and all his people he totally destroyed with the sword. But Saul and the army spared(I) Agag and the best of the sheep and cattle, the fat calves[b] and lambs—everything that was good. These they were unwilling to destroy completely, but everything that was despised and weak they totally destroyed.

10 Then the word of the Lord came to Samuel: 11 “I regret(J) that I have made Saul king, because he has turned(K) away from me and has not carried out my instructions.”(L) Samuel was angry,(M) and he cried out to the Lord all that night.

12 Early in the morning Samuel got up and went to meet Saul, but he was told, “Saul has gone to Carmel.(N) There he has set up a monument(O) in his own honor and has turned and gone on down to Gilgal.”

13 When Samuel reached him, Saul said, “The Lord bless you! I have carried out the Lord’s instructions.”

14 But Samuel said, “What then is this bleating of sheep in my ears? What is this lowing of cattle that I hear?”

15 Saul answered, “The soldiers brought them from the Amalekites; they spared the best of the sheep and cattle to sacrifice to the Lord your God, but we totally destroyed the rest.”

16 “Enough!” Samuel said to Saul. “Let me tell you what the Lord said to me last night.”

“Tell me,” Saul replied.

17 Samuel said, “Although you were once small(P) in your own eyes, did you not become the head of the tribes of Israel? The Lord anointed you king over Israel. 18 And he sent you on a mission, saying, ‘Go and completely destroy those wicked people, the Amalekites; wage war against them until you have wiped them out.’ 19 Why did you not obey the Lord? Why did you pounce on the plunder(Q) and do evil in the eyes of the Lord?”

20 “But I did obey(R) the Lord,” Saul said. “I went on the mission the Lord assigned me. I completely destroyed the Amalekites and brought back Agag their king. 21 The soldiers took sheep and cattle from the plunder, the best of what was devoted to God, in order to sacrifice them to the Lord your God at Gilgal.”

22 But Samuel replied:

“Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices
    as much as in obeying the Lord?
To obey is better than sacrifice,(S)
    and to heed is better than the fat of rams.
23 For rebellion is like the sin of divination,(T)
    and arrogance like the evil of idolatry.
Because you have rejected(U) the word of the Lord,
    he has rejected you as king.”

24 Then Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned.(V) I violated(W) the Lord’s command and your instructions. I was afraid(X) of the men and so I gave in to them. 25 Now I beg you, forgive(Y) my sin and come back with me, so that I may worship the Lord.”

26 But Samuel said to him, “I will not go back with you. You have rejected(Z) the word of the Lord, and the Lord has rejected you as king over Israel!”

27 As Samuel turned to leave, Saul caught hold of the hem of his robe,(AA) and it tore.(AB) 28 Samuel said to him, “The Lord has torn(AC) the kingdom(AD) of Israel from you today and has given it to one of your neighbors—to one better than you.(AE) 29 He who is the Glory of Israel does not lie(AF) or change(AG) his mind; for he is not a human being, that he should change his mind.”

30 Saul replied, “I have sinned.(AH) But please honor(AI) me before the elders of my people and before Israel; come back with me, so that I may worship the Lord your God.” 31 So Samuel went back with Saul, and Saul worshiped the Lord.

32 Then Samuel said, “Bring me Agag king of the Amalekites.”

Agag came to him in chains.[c] And he thought, “Surely the bitterness of death is past.”

33 But Samuel said,

“As your sword has made women childless,
    so will your mother be childless among women.”(AJ)

And Samuel put Agag to death before the Lord at Gilgal.

34 Then Samuel left for Ramah,(AK) but Saul went up to his home in Gibeah(AL) of Saul. 35 Until the day Samuel(AM) died, he did not go to see Saul again, though Samuel mourned(AN) for him. And the Lord regretted(AO) that he had made Saul king over Israel.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 15:3 The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord, often by totally destroying them; also in verses 8, 9, 15, 18, 20 and 21.
  2. 1 Samuel 15:9 Or the grown bulls; the meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain.
  3. 1 Samuel 15:32 The meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain.