1 Samuel 15

King James Version

15 Samuel also said unto Saul, The Lord sent me to anoint thee to be king over his people, over Israel: now therefore hearken thou unto the voice of the words of the Lord.

²Thus saith the Lord of hosts, I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way, when he came up from Egypt.

³Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass.

⁴And Saul gathered the people together, and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen, and ten thousand men of Judah.

⁵And Saul came to a city of Amalek, and laid wait in the valley.

⁶And Saul said unto the Kenites, Go, depart, get you down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them: for ye shewed kindness to all the children of Israel, when they came up out of Egypt. So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites.

⁷And Saul smote the Amalekites from Havilah until thou comest to Shur, that is over against Egypt.

⁸And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword.

⁹But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them: but every thing that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly.

¹⁰Then came the word of the Lord unto Samuel, saying,

¹¹It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king: for he is turned back from following me, and hath not performed my commandments. And it grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the Lord all night.

¹²And when Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning, it was told Samuel, saying, Saul came to Carmel, and, behold, he set him up a place, and is gone about, and passed on, and gone down to Gilgal.

¹³And Samuel came to Saul: and Saul said unto him, Blessed be thou of the Lord: I have performed the commandment of the Lord.

¹⁴And Samuel said, What meaneth then this bleating of the sheep in mine ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?

¹⁵And Saul said, They have brought them from the Amalekites: for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen, to sacrifice unto the Lord thy God; and the rest we have utterly destroyed.

¹⁶Then Samuel said unto Saul, Stay, and I will tell thee what the Lord hath said to me this night. And he said unto him, Say on.

¹⁷And Samuel said, When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the Lord anointed thee king over Israel?

¹⁸And the Lord sent thee on a journey, and said, Go and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them until they be consumed.

¹⁹Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of the Lord, but didst fly upon the spoil, and didst evil in the sight of the Lord?

²⁰And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the Lord, and have gone the way which the Lord sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites.

²¹But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice unto the Lord thy God in Gilgal.

²²And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.

²³For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being king.

²⁴And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned: for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord, and thy words: because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice.

²⁵Now therefore, I pray thee, pardon my sin, and turn again with me, that I may worship the Lord.

²⁶And Samuel said unto Saul, I will not return with thee: for thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord hath rejected thee from being king over Israel.

²⁷And as Samuel turned about to go away, he laid hold upon the skirt of his mantle, and it rent.

²⁸And Samuel said unto him, The Lord hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbour of thine, that is better than thou.

²⁹And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent: for he is not a man, that he should repent.

³⁰Then he said, I have sinned: yet honour me now, I pray thee, before the elders of my people, and before Israel, and turn again with me, that I may worship the Lord thy God.

³¹So Samuel turned again after Saul; and Saul worshipped the Lord.

³²Then said Samuel, Bring ye hither to me Agag the king of the Amalekites. And Agag came unto him delicately. And Agag said, Surely the bitterness of death is past.

³³And Samuel said, As thy sword hath made women childless, so shall thy mother be childless among women. And Samuel hewed Agag in pieces before the Lord in Gilgal.

³⁴Then Samuel went to Ramah; and Saul went up to his house to Gibeah of Saul.

³⁵And Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death: nevertheless Samuel mourned for Saul: and the Lord repented that he had made Saul king over Israel.

1 Samuel 15

English Standard Version

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. ²Thus 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. ³Now 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.’”

⁴So Saul summoned the people and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand men on foot, and ten thousand men of Judah. ⁵And Saul came to the city of Amalek and lay in wait in the valley. ⁶Then 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. ⁷^(G)And Saul defeated the Amalekites from ^(H)Havilah as far as ^(I)Shur, which is east of Egypt. ⁸And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive ^(J)and devoted to destruction all the people with the edge of the sword. ⁹^(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.

¹⁰The 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. ¹²And 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.” ¹³And Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said to him, ^(O)“Blessed be you to the Lord. I have performed the commandment of the Lord.” ¹⁴And Samuel said, “What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears and the lowing of the oxen that I hear?” ¹⁵Saul 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.” ¹⁶Then Samuel said to Saul, “Stop! I will tell you what the Lord said to me this night.” And he said to him, “Speak.”

¹⁷And 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. ¹⁸And 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.’ ¹⁹Why 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?” ²⁰And 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.” ²²And 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.
²³For 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.”

²⁴Saul 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. ²⁵Now therefore, please pardon my sin and ^(AA)return with me that I may bow before the Lord.” ²⁶And 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. ²⁸And 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. ²⁹And also the Glory of Israel ^(AF)will not lie or have regret, for he is not a man, that he should have regret.” ³⁰Then 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.” ³¹So Samuel turned back after Saul, and Saul bowed before the Lord.

³²Then 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.” ³³And 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.

³⁴Then 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 Samuel 15:3 That is, set apart (devote) as an offering to the Lord (for destruction); also verses 8, 9, 15, 18, 20, 21
1 Samuel 15:9 The meaning of the Hebrew term is uncertain
1 Samuel 15:11 See also verses 29, 35
1 Samuel 15:32 Or haltingly (compare Septuagint); the Hebrew is uncertain

1 Samuelsboken 15

Svenska Folkbibeln

Sauls seger över amalekiterna

15 Samuel sade till Saul: "Det var mig Herren sände att smörja dig till kung över sitt folk Israel. Hör nu Herrens ord. ²Så säger Herren Sebaot: Jag skall straffa Amalek för det han gjorde mot Israel, när han ställde sig i vägen för honom, då han drog upp ur Egypten. ³Drag ut och slå amalekiterna och utplåna allt de har. Skona dem inte utan döda både män och kvinnor, barn och spädbarn, nötboskap och får, kameler och åsnor." ⁴Saul kallade samman folket och inmönstrade dem i Telaim: 200 000 man fotfolk och dessutom 10 000 man från Juda. ⁵När Saul kom till Amaleks stad, ordnade han ett bakhåll i dalen. ⁶Han sade till keniterna: "Skilj er från amalekiterna och drag bort, så att jag inte utrotar er tillsammans med dem. Ni visade ju barmhärtighet mot alla Israels barn, när de drog ut ur Egypten." Då skilde sig keniterna från amalekiterna.

⁷Sedan slog Saul amalekiterna från Havila ända fram emot Shur, som ligger öster om Egypten. ⁸Han tog Agag, Amaleks kung, levande till fånga och förgjorde allt folket med svärd. ⁹Men Saul och folket skonade Agag och det bästa och det näst bästa av fåren, nötboskapen och lammen, kort sagt, allt som var av värde. Det ville de inte ge till spillo. All boskap däremot som var dålig och värdelös, gav de till spillo.

Saul förkastas

¹⁰Då kom Herrens ord till Samuel: ¹¹"Jag ångrar att jag har gjort Saul till kung, ty han har vänt sig från mig och inte utfört mina befallningar." Det bedrövade Samuel och han ropade till Herren hela den natten. ¹²Tidigt på morgonen steg Samuel upp och gick för att möta Saul. Man berättade för Samuel att Saul hade kommit till Karmel och där rest en minnesstod åt sig och sedan vänt om och dragit därifrån ner till Gilgal. ¹³När Samuel kom till Saul, sade Saul: " Herren välsigne dig! Jag har nu utfört Herrens befallning."

¹⁴Men Samuel sade: "Vad är det då för ett läte av får som ljuder i mina öron, och vad är det för ett läte av nötboskap jag hör?" ¹⁵Saul svarade: "Från amalekiterna har de fört dem med sig. Folket skonade det bästa av fåren och nötboskapen för att offra det åt Herren, din Gud. Men det övriga har vi gett till spillo." ¹⁶Då sade Samuel till Saul: "Sluta nu, så skall jag tala om för dig vad Herren sade till mig i natt." Saul sade till honom: "Tala!" ¹⁷Samuel sade: "Var det inte när du var liten i dina egna ögon som du blev ett huvud för Israels stammar och Herren smorde dig till kung över Israel? ¹⁸Herren sände i väg dig och sade: Gå och förgör dessa syndare, amalekiterna, och strid mot dem, till dess du har gjort slut på dem. ¹⁹Varför har du då inte hört Herrens röst utan kastat dig över bytet och gjort det som är ont i Herrens ögon?"

²⁰Saul svarade Samuel: "Jag har ju hört Herrens röst och gått den väg som Herren har anvisat mig. Jag har fört hit Agag, Amaleks kung, och gett amalekiterna till spillo. ²¹Men folket tog av bytet får och nötboskap, det bästa av det som skulle ges till spillo, för att offra det åt Herren, din Gud, i Gilgal." ²²Då sade Samuel: "Har Herren samma glädje i brännoffer och slaktoffer som att man hör Herrens röst? Se, lydnad är bättre än offer och hörsamhet bättre än det feta av baggar. ²³Ty upproriskhet är trolldomssynd och trots är synd och avguderi. Eftersom du har förkastat Herrens ord, har han också förkastat dig, så att du inte längre får vara kung."

²⁴Saul sade till Samuel: "Jag har syndat genom att inte lyda Herrens befallning och dina ord. Jag fruktade för folket och lyssnade till dem. ²⁵Men förlåt mig nu min synd och vänd tillbaka med mig, så att jag får tillbe Herren." ²⁶Samuel sade till Saul: "Jag vill inte vända tillbaka med dig, för du har förkastat Herrens ord, och Herren har också förkastat dig, så att du inte längre kan vara kung över Israel."

²⁷När Samuel vände sig om för att gå, tog han tag i hörnet på Sauls mantel, och den slets sönder. ²⁸Samuel sade till honom: " Herren har i dag ryckt Israels kungarike från dig och gett det åt en annan, som är bättre än du. ²⁹Och den Härlige i Israel ljuger inte och ångrar sig inte. Ty han är inte en människa, så att han skulle kunna ångra sig." ³⁰Saul svarade: "Jag har syndat. Bevisa mig ändå nu den äran inför de äldste i mitt folk och inför Israel att du vänder tillbaka med mig, så att jag får tillbe Herren, din Gud." ³¹Då vände Samuel tillbaka med Saul, och Saul tillbad Herren.

³²Samuel sade: "För hit till mig Agag, Amaleks kung." Då gick Agag med glad min fram till honom och sade: "Dödens bitterhet är säkert snart över". ³³Men Samuel sade: "Så som ditt svärd har gjort kvinnor barnlösa, så skall din mor bli barnlös bland kvinnor." Därpå högg Samuel Agag i stycken inför Herren i Gilgal. ³⁴Sedan begav sig Samuel till Rama och Saul drog upp till sitt hem i Sauls Gibea. ³⁵Samuel ville inte mer se Saul, så länge han levde, ty Samuel sörjde över Saul. Och Herren ångrade att han hade gjort Saul till kung över Israel.

1 Samuel 15

Nueva Biblia de las Américas

Desobediencia de Saúl

15 Entonces Samuel dijo a Saúl: «El Señor me envió a que te ungiera por rey sobre Su pueblo, sobre Israel^(A); ahora pues, está atento a^[a] las palabras del Señor. ²Así dice el Señor de los ejércitos: “Yo castigaré^[b] a Amalec por lo que hizo a Israel^(B), cuando se puso contra él en el camino mientras subía de Egipto. ³Ve ahora, y ataca^[c] a Amalec, y destruye^[d] por completo^[e] todo lo que tiene, y no te apiades de él^(C); antes bien, da muerte tanto a hombres como a mujeres, a niños como a niños de pecho, a bueyes como a ovejas, a camellos como a asnos^(D)”».

⁴Entonces Saúl convocó al pueblo, y los contó^[f] en Telaim^(E): 200,000 soldados de a pie, y 10,000 hombres de Judá. ⁵Saúl fue a la ciudad de Amalec y se emboscó en el valle. ⁶Y dijo Saúl a los quenitas^(F): «Váyanse, apártense, desciendan de entre los amalecitas, para que yo no los destruya junto con ellos; porque ustedes mostraron misericordia a todos los israelitas cuando subían de Egipto^(G)». Entonces los quenitas se apartaron de entre los amalecitas.

⁷Saúl derrotó^[g] a los amalecitas^(H) desde Havila^(I) en dirección a Shur^(J), que está al oriente^[h] de Egipto. ⁸Capturó vivo a Agag, rey de los amalecitas^(K), y destruyó por completo a todo el pueblo a filo de espada^(L). ⁹Pero Saúl y el pueblo perdonaron a Agag, y lo mejor de las ovejas, de los bueyes, de los animales engordados, de los corderos y de todo lo bueno. No lo quisieron destruir por completo; pero todo lo despreciable y sin valor lo destruyeron totalmente^(M).

¹⁰Entonces vino la palabra del Señor a Samuel: ¹¹«Me pesa haber hecho rey a Saúl^(N), porque ha dejado de seguirme^[i]^(O) y no ha cumplido Mis mandamientos». Y Samuel se conmovió, y clamó al Señor toda la noche^(P). ¹²Y se levantó Samuel muy de mañana para ir al encuentro de Saúl; y se le dio aviso a Samuel: Saúl se ha ido a Carmel^(Q), donde se ha levantado un monumento para sí, y dando la vuelta, ha seguido adelante bajando^[j] a Gilgal^(R).

¹³Entonces Samuel vino a Saúl, y Saúl le dijo: «¡Bendito seas del Señor^(S)! He cumplido el mandamiento del Señor». ¹⁴Pero Samuel dijo: «¿Qué es este balido^[k] de ovejas en mis oídos y el mugido^[l] de bueyes que oigo^(T)?». ¹⁵Y Saúl respondió: «Los han traído de los amalecitas, porque el pueblo perdonó lo mejor de las ovejas y de los bueyes, para sacrificar al Señor tu Dios^(U); pero lo demás lo destruimos por completo». ¹⁶Dijo entonces Samuel a Saúl: «Espera, déjame declararte lo que el Señor me dijo anoche». Y él le dijo: «Habla».

¹⁷Y Samuel dijo: «¿No es verdad que aunque eras pequeño a tus propios ojos, fuiste nombrado jefe de las tribus de Israel^(V) y el Señor te ungió rey sobre Israel, ¹⁸y que el Señor te envió en una misión^[m], y te dijo: “Ve, y destruye por completo a los pecadores, los amalecitas, y lucha contra ellos hasta que sean exterminados^(W)?”. ¹⁹¿Por qué, pues, no obedeciste la voz del Señor, sino que te lanzaste sobre el botín e hiciste lo malo ante los ojos del Señor^(X)?».

²⁰Entonces Saúl dijo a Samuel: «Yo obedecí la voz del Señor^(Y), y fui en la misión^[n] a la cual el Señor me envió, y he traído a Agag, rey de Amalec, y he destruido por completo a los amalecitas. ²¹Pero el pueblo tomó del botín ovejas y bueyes, lo mejor de las cosas dedicadas al anatema^[o], para ofrecer sacrificio al Señor tu Dios^(Z) en Gilgal». ²²Y Samuel dijo:

«¿Se complace el Señor tanto
En holocaustos y sacrificios^(AA)
Como en la obediencia^[p] a la voz del Señor?
Entiende, el obedecer es mejor que un sacrificio^(AB),
Y el prestar atención, que la grasa de los carneros.
²³-»Porque la rebelión es como el pecado de adivinación^(AC),
Y la desobediencia^[q], como la iniquidad e idolatría^(AD).
Por cuanto tú has desechado la palabra del Señor,
Él también te ha desechado para que no seas^[r] rey^(AE)».

Saúl rechazado por el Señor

²⁴Entonces Saúl dijo a Samuel: «He pecado^(AF). En verdad he quebrantado el mandamiento^[s] del Señor y tus palabras, porque temí al pueblo y escuché su voz^(AG). ²⁵Ahora pues, te ruego que perdones mi pecado y vuelvas conmigo para que adore al Señor^(AH)». ²⁶Pero Samuel respondió a Saúl: «No volveré contigo; porque has desechado la palabra del Señor, y el Señor te ha desechado para que no seas^[t] rey sobre Israel^(AI)».

²⁷Cuando Samuel se volvía para irse, Saúl asió el borde de su manto, y este se rasgó^(AJ). ²⁸Entonces Samuel le dijo: «Hoy el Señor ha arrancado de ti el reino de Israel^(AK), y lo ha dado a un prójimo tuyo que es mejor que tú. ²⁹También la Gloria^[u]^(AL) de Israel no mentirá ni cambiará Su propósito, porque Él no es hombre para que cambie de propósito^(AM)». ³⁰Saúl respondió: «He pecado, pero te ruego que me honres ahora delante de los ancianos de mi pueblo y delante de Israel^(AN) y que regreses conmigo para que yo adore al Señor tu Dios^(AO)». ³¹Volvió Samuel tras Saúl, y Saúl adoró al Señor.

³²Entonces Samuel dijo: «Tráiganme a Agag, rey de los amalecitas». Y Agag vino a él alegremente. Y Agag dijo: «Ciertamente, la amargura de la muerte ha pasado ya». ³³Pero Samuel dijo: «Como tu espada ha dejado a las mujeres sin hijos, así también tu madre será sin hijo entre las mujeres^(AP)». Y Samuel despedazó a Agag delante del Señor en Gilgal.

³⁴Luego Samuel se fue a Ramá^(AQ), pero Saúl subió a su casa en Guibeá de Saúl^(AR). ³⁵Samuel no vio más a Saúl mientras vivió^(AS). Y Samuel lloraba por Saúl^(AT), pues el Señor se había arrepentido de haber puesto a Saúl por rey sobre Israel.

Footnotes

15:1 Lit. escucha el sonido de.
15:2 O visitaré.
15:3 Lit. hiere.
15:3 Lit. destruyan.
15:3 O dedica al anatema, y así en el resto del cap.
15:4 O los alistó.
15:7 Lit. hirió.
15:7 Lit. antes.
15:11 Lit. se ha vuelto de en pos de Mí.
15:12 Lit. y descendió.
15:14 Lit. sonido.
15:14 Lit. sonido.
15:18 Lit. un camino.
15:20 Lit. el camino.
15:21 O a la destrucción.
15:22 Lit. obedecer.
15:23 O insubordinación.
15:23 Lit. de ser.
15:24 Lit. la boca.
15:26 Lit. de ser.
15:29 O Eminencia.

1 Samuel 15

New International Version

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. ²This 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. ³Now 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.’”

⁴So Saul summoned the men and mustered them at Telaim—two hundred thousand foot soldiers and ten thousand from Judah. ⁵Saul went to the city of Amalek and set an ambush in the ravine. ⁶Then 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.

⁷Then Saul attacked the Amalekites^(E) all the way from Havilah to Shur,^(F) near the eastern border of Egypt. ⁸He took Agag^(G) king of the Amalekites alive,^(H) and all his people he totally destroyed with the sword. ⁹But 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.

¹⁰Then 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.

¹²Early 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.”

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

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

¹⁵Saul 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.

¹⁷Samuel 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. ¹⁸And 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.’ ¹⁹Why 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. ²¹The 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.”

²²But 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.
²³For 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.”

²⁴Then 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. ²⁵Now I beg you, forgive^(Y) my sin and come back with me, so that I may worship the Lord.”

²⁶But 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!”

²⁷As Samuel turned to leave, Saul caught hold of the hem of his robe,^(AA) and it tore.^(AB) ²⁸Samuel 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) ²⁹He 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.”

³⁰Saul 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.” ³¹So Samuel went back with Saul, and Saul worshiped the Lord.

³²Then 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.”

³³But 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.

³⁴Then Samuel left for Ramah,^(AK) but Saul went up to his home in Gibeah^(AL) of Saul. ³⁵Until 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 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.
1 Samuel 15:9 Or the grown bulls; the meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain.
1 Samuel 15:32 The meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain.

King James Version (KJV)

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English Standard Version (ESV)

Svenska Folkbibeln (SFB)

1996, 1998 by Stiftelsen Svenska Folkbibeln

Nueva Biblia de las Américas (NBLA)

New International Version (NIV)

1 Samuel 15

King James Version