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Saul summoned the people and mustered them in Telaim, 200,000 foot soldiers and 10,000 men from Judah. Saul came to the city of Amalek and set an ambush in the valley. Saul told the Kenites, “Withdraw from the Amalekites so that I don’t destroy you with them, for you showed kindness to all the Israelis when they departed from Egypt.” So the Kenites withdrew from the Amalekites. Saul attacked the Amalekites from Havilah to Shur, which is east of Egypt. He captured alive Agag king of Amalek, but he completely destroyed all the people, executing them with swords. Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep and cattle—the fattened animals and lambs—along with all that was good. They were not willing to completely destroy them, but they did completely destroy everything that was worthless and inferior.

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Saul summoned the army and mustered them at Telaim; two hundred thousand foot soldiers and ten thousand men of Judah. Then Saul came up to the city of Amalek and set an ambush in the wadi.[a] Saul said to the Kenites, “Go, leave! Withdraw from among the Amalekites so that I do not destroy you with them. You have shown loyal love to all the Israelites[b] when they came up from Egypt.” So the Kenites left from among the Amalekites. Then Saul defeated the Amalekites from Havilah as one goes to Shur which is east of[c] Egypt. He captured Agag the king of Amalek alive, but all the people he utterly destroyed with the edge[d] of the sword. However, Saul and the army spared Agag and the best of the sheep and the cattle and the second best of the young fatlings and all that was valuable;[e] they were not willing to utterly destroy them. But all the possessions that were despised or worthless, they utterly destroyed.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 15:5 A valley that is usually dry but contains a stream during the rainy season
  2. 1 Samuel 15:6 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
  3. 1 Samuel 15:7 Literally “upon the face of”
  4. 1 Samuel 15:8 Literally “mouth”
  5. 1 Samuel 15:9 Literally “all the good things