1 Samuel 15:10-31
Legacy Standard Bible
Yahweh Regrets He Made Saul King
10 Then the word of Yahweh came to Samuel, saying, 11 “(A)I regret that I have made Saul king, for (B)he has turned back from [a]following Me and has not established My words.” And Samuel became angry and (C)cried out to Yahweh all night. 12 Then Samuel rose early in the morning to meet Saul; and it was told to Samuel, saying, “Saul came to (D)Carmel, and behold, he set up a monument for himself, then turned and proceeded on [b]down to (E)Gilgal.” 13 And Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said to him, “(F)Blessed are you of Yahweh! I have established the word of Yahweh.” 14 But Samuel said, “(G)What then is this sound of the sheep in my ears and the sound of the oxen which I am hearing?” 15 And Saul said, “They have brought them from the Amalekites, for (H)the people spared the best of the sheep and oxen, to sacrifice to Yahweh your God; but the rest we have devoted to destruction.” 16 Then Samuel said to Saul, “Wait, and let me tell you what Yahweh spoke to me last night.” And he said to him, “Speak!”
17 And Samuel said, “Is it not true, (I)though you were little in your own eyes, you were made the head of the tribes of Israel? And Yahweh anointed you king over Israel, 18 and Yahweh sent you on a [c]mission and said, ‘(J)Go and devote to destruction the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are consumed.’ 19 Why then did you not [d]obey the voice of Yahweh, (K)but rushed upon the spoil and did what was evil in the eyes of Yahweh?”
20 Then Saul said to Samuel, “(L)I did [e]obey the voice of Yahweh and went on the way on which Yahweh sent me and have brought back Agag the king of Amalek and have devoted the Amalekites to destruction. 21 But (M)the people took some of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the choicest of the things devoted to destruction, to sacrifice to Yahweh your God at Gilgal.” 22 And Samuel said,
“(N)Has Yahweh as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices
As in obeying the voice of Yahweh?
Behold, (O)to obey is better than sacrifice,
And to heed than the fat of rams.
23 For rebellion is as the sin of (P)divination,
And insubordination is as (Q)wickedness and idolatry.
Because you have rejected the word of Yahweh,
(R)He has also rejected you from being king.”
24 Then Saul said to Samuel, “(S)I have sinned; (T)I have indeed trespassed against the [f]command of Yahweh and your words because I feared the people and obeyed their voice. 25 So now, (U)please forgive my sin and return with me, that I may worship Yahweh.” 26 But Samuel said to Saul, “I will not return with you; for (V)you have rejected the word of Yahweh, and Yahweh has rejected you from being king over Israel.” 27 Then Samuel turned to go, but (W)Saul seized the edge of his robe, and it tore. 28 So Samuel said to him, “(X)Yahweh has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to your neighbor, who is better than you. 29 Also the (Y)Eternal One of Israel (Z)will not lie or have regret; for He is not a man that He should have regret.” 30 Then he said, “I have sinned; (AA)but please honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel, and return with me, (AB)that I may worship Yahweh your God.” 31 So Samuel returned, following after Saul, and Saul worshiped Yahweh.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 1 Samuel 15:11 Lit after
- 1 Samuel 15:12 Lit and went down
- 1 Samuel 15:18 Lit way
- 1 Samuel 15:19 Or listen to, cf. 15:14
- 1 Samuel 15:20 Or listen to, cf. 15:14
- 1 Samuel 15:24 Lit mouth
1 Samuel 15:10-31
American Standard Version
10 Then came the word of Jehovah unto Samuel, saying, 11 It 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 Samuel was wroth; and he cried unto Jehovah all night. 12 And Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning; and it was told Samuel, saying, Saul came to Carmel, and, behold, he set him up a [a]monument, and turned, and passed on, and went down to Gilgal. 13 And Samuel came to Saul; and Saul said unto him, Blessed be thou of Jehovah: I have performed the commandment of Jehovah. 14 And Samuel said, What meaneth then this bleating of the sheep in mine ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear? 15 And 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 Jehovah thy God; and the rest we have [b]utterly destroyed. 16 Then Samuel said unto Saul, Stay, and I will tell thee what Jehovah hath said to me this night. And he said unto him, Say on.
17 And Samuel said, [c]Though thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel? And Jehovah anointed thee king over Israel; 18 and Jehovah sent thee on a journey, and said, Go, and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them until they be consumed. 19 Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of Jehovah, but didst fly upon the spoil, and didst that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah? 20 And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of Jehovah, and have gone the way which Jehovah sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have [d]utterly destroyed the Amalekites. 21 But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the devoted things, to sacrifice unto Jehovah thy God in Gilgal. 22 And Samuel said, Hath Jehovah as great delight in burnt-offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of Jehovah? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. 23 For rebellion is as the sin of [e]witchcraft, and stubbornness is as [f]idolatry and teraphim. Because thou hast rejected the word of Jehovah, he hath also rejected thee from being king.
24 And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned; for I have transgressed the commandment of Jehovah, and thy words, because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice. 25 Now therefore, I pray thee, pardon my sin, and turn again with me, that I may worship Jehovah. 26 And Samuel said unto Saul, I will not return with thee; for thou hast rejected the word of Jehovah, and Jehovah hath rejected thee from being king over Israel. 27 And as Samuel turned about to go away, Saul laid hold upon the skirt of his robe, and it rent. 28 And Samuel said unto him, Jehovah hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbor of thine, that is better than thou. 29 And also the [g]Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent; for he is not a man, that he should repent. 30 Then he said, I have sinned: yet honor me now, I pray thee, before the elders of my people, and before Israel, and turn again with me, that I may worship Jehovah thy God. 31 So Samuel turned again after Saul; and Saul worshipped Jehovah.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 1 Samuel 15:12 Hebrew hand.
- 1 Samuel 15:15 Hebrew devoted.
- 1 Samuel 15:17 Or, Though thou be little . . . art thou not head of the tribe of Israel?
- 1 Samuel 15:20 Hebrew devoted.
- 1 Samuel 15:23 Hebrew divination.
- 1 Samuel 15:23 Or, iniquity
- 1 Samuel 15:29 Or, Victory. Or, Glory
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