1 Samuel 15:10-31
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Saul Rejected as King
10 The word of the Lord came to Samuel: 11 “I regret that I made Saul king, for he has turned back from following me and has not carried out my commands.” Samuel was angry, and he cried out to the Lord all night.(A) 12 Samuel rose early in the morning to meet Saul, and Samuel was told, “Saul went to Carmel, where he set up a monument for himself, and on returning he passed on down to Gilgal.”(B) 13 When Samuel came to Saul, Saul said to him, “May you be blessed by the Lord; I have carried out the command of the Lord.”(C) 14 But Samuel said, “What then is this bleating of sheep in my ears and the lowing of cattle that I hear?” 15 Saul said, “They have brought them from the Amalekites, for the people spared the best of the sheep and the cattle to sacrifice to the Lord your God, but the rest we have utterly destroyed.”(D) 16 Then Samuel said to Saul, “Stop! I will tell you what the Lord said to me last night.” He replied, “Speak.”
17 Samuel said, “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.(E) 18 And the Lord sent you on a mission and said, ‘Go, utterly destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are consumed.’(F) 19 Why then did you not obey the voice of the Lord? Why did you swoop down on the spoil and do what was evil in the sight of the Lord?”(G) 20 Saul said to Samuel, “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 utterly destroyed the Amalekites.(H) 21 But from the spoil the people took sheep and cattle, the best of the things devoted to destruction, to sacrifice to the Lord your God in Gilgal.”(I) 22 And Samuel said,
“Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices
as in obedience to the voice of the Lord?
Surely, to obey is better than sacrifice
and to heed than the fat of rams.(J)
23 For rebellion is no less a sin than divination,
and stubbornness is like iniquity and idolatry.
Because you have rejected the word of the Lord,
he has also rejected you from being king.”(K)
24 Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned, for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord and your words because I feared the people and obeyed their voice.(L) 25 Now therefore, I pray, pardon my sin, and return with me, so that I may worship the Lord.” 26 Samuel said to Saul, “I will not return with you, for you have rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord has rejected you from being king over Israel.”(M) 27 As Samuel turned to go away, Saul caught hold of the hem of his robe, and it tore.(N) 28 And Samuel said to him, “The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this very day and has given it to a neighbor of yours who is better than you.(O) 29 Moreover, the Glory of Israel will not deceive or change his mind, for he is not a mortal, that he should change his mind.”(P) 30 Then Saul[a] said, “I have sinned; yet honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel, and return with me, so that I may worship the Lord your God.”(Q) 31 So Samuel turned back after Saul, and Saul worshiped the Lord.
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- 15.30 Heb he
1 Samuel 15:10-31
Holman Christian Standard Bible
10 Then the word of the Lord came to Samuel, 11 “I regret that I made Saul king,(A) for he has turned away from following Me and has not carried out My instructions.”(B) So Samuel became angry and cried out to the Lord all night.(C)
12 Early in the morning Samuel got up to confront Saul, but it was reported to Samuel, “Saul went to Carmel(D) where he set up a monument for himself. Then he turned around and went down to Gilgal.”(E) 13 When Samuel came to him, Saul said, “May the Lord bless you.(F) I have carried out the Lord’s instructions.”
14 Samuel replied, “Then what is this sound of sheep[a] and cattle I hear?”
15 Saul answered, “The troops brought them from the Amalekites and spared the best sheep and cattle in order to offer a sacrifice to the Lord your God,(G) but the rest we destroyed.”(H)
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,(I) have you not 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(J) and do what was evil in the Lord’s sight?”
20 “But I did obey the Lord!” Saul answered.[b] “I went on the mission the Lord gave me: I brought back Agag, king of Amalek, and I completely destroyed the Amalekites. 21 The troops took sheep and cattle from the plunder—the best of what was set apart for destruction—to sacrifice to the Lord your God at Gilgal.”(K)
22 Then Samuel said:
Does the Lord(L) 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.(M)
23 For rebellion is like the sin of divination,(N)
and defiance is like wickedness(O) and idolatry.
Because you have rejected the word of the Lord,
He has rejected you as king.(P)
24 Saul answered Samuel, “I have sinned.(Q) I have transgressed the Lord’s command(R) and your words. Because I was afraid of the people, I obeyed them. 25 Now therefore, please forgive my sin(S) 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,(T) the Lord has rejected you from being king over Israel.” 27 When Samuel turned to go, Saul grabbed the hem of his robe, and it tore. 28 Samuel said to him, “The Lord has torn the kingship of Israel away from you today(U) and has given it to your neighbor who is better than you.(V) 29 Furthermore, the Eternal One of Israel(W) does not lie or change His mind, for He is not man who changes his mind.”(X)
30 Saul said, “I have sinned. Please honor me(Y) 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.”(Z) 31 Then Samuel went back, following Saul, and Saul bowed down to the Lord.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 1 Samuel 15:14 Lit sheep in my ears
- 1 Samuel 15:20 Lit answered Samuel
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
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