1 Samuel 15:10-31
Lexham English Bible
Samuel Announces the Downfall of Saul
10 Then the word of Yahweh came to Samuel, saying, 11 “I regret that I made Saul king, for he has turned back from following me and has not kept my word.” Samuel became angry,[a] and he cried out to Yahweh all night. 12 Then Samuel got up early in the morning to meet Saul. Samuel was told, “Saul has gone to Carmel, and look, he is setting up a monument for himself.” Then he turned around and crossed over and went down to Gilgal.
13 When Samuel came to Saul, Saul said to him, “May you be blessed by Yahweh! I have kept the word of Yahweh.” 14 But Samuel said, “Then what is this bleating of the sheep that I hear in my ears and the lowing of the cattle that I am hearing?” 15 Saul said, “They have brought them from the Amalekites; the troops spared the best of the sheep and the cattle in order to sacrifice them to Yahweh your God. But the rest we have utterly destroyed.” 16 Then Samuel said to Saul, “Stop and let me tell you what Yahweh said to me last night.” So he said to him, “Speak.”
17 Samuel said, “Even though you are small in your own eyes, are you not the head of the tribes of Israel? Yahweh has anointed you as king over Israel. 18 When Yahweh sent you on your way, he said to you: ‘Go! You must utterly destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, and you must fight against them until you[b] have destroyed them.’ 19 Why did you not listen to the voice of Yahweh and fall with shouting on the plunder? You have done evil in the sight of Yahweh!” 20 Then Saul said to Samuel, “I have listened to the voice of Yahweh, and I have gone on the way that Yahweh sent me! I brought Agag the king of Amalek, and the Amalekites I have utterly destroyed. 21 The troops took from the plunder, sheep and cattle, the best of the things devoted to destruction, to sacrifice to Yahweh your God at Gilgal.”
22 Then Samuel said,
“Is there as much delight for Yahweh in burnt offerings and sacrifices
as there is in obeying[c] Yahweh?
Look! To obey[d] is better than sacrifice;
to give heed than the fat of rams.
23 For rebellion is like the sin of divination;
arrogance is like iniquity and idolatry.
Because you have rejected the word of Yahweh,
he has rejected you from being king!”
24 Then Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned because I have transgressed the commandment of Yahweh[e] and your words, for I feared the troops and I listened to their voice. 25 So then, please pardon my sin and return with me so that I can worship[f] Yahweh.” 26 But Samuel said to Saul, “I will not return with you, for you have rejected the word of Yahweh, and he has rejected you from being king over Israel!”
27 As Samuel turned around to go, he[g] caught hold of the hem of his robe, and it tore. 28 Then Samuel said to him, “Yahweh has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to your neighbor who is better than you.[h] 29 Moreover, the Glory of Israel will not break faith and will not regret, for he is not a human that he should regret.” 30 Then he[i] said, “I have sinned! Now please honor me before the elders of my people and before Israel, and return with me so that I can worship[j] Yahweh your God.” 31 So Samuel returned after Saul, and Saul worshiped[k] Yahweh.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 1 Samuel 15:11 Literally “it became hot for Samuel”
- 1 Samuel 15:18 The Masoretic Hebrew text reads “they”; LXX, Peshitta, and Targum read “you”
- 1 Samuel 15:22 Literally “listening to the voice of”
- 1 Samuel 15:22 Literally “Listening”
- 1 Samuel 15:24 Literally “the mouth of Yahweh”
- 1 Samuel 15:25 Literally “so that I can bow down to”
- 1 Samuel 15:27 That is, Saul
- 1 Samuel 15:28 Literally “the better than you”
- 1 Samuel 15:30 That is, Saul
- 1 Samuel 15:30 Literally “so that I can bow down to”
- 1 Samuel 15:31 Literally “bowed down to”
1 Samuel 15:10-31
New American Standard Bible
Samuel Rebukes Saul
10 Then the word of the Lord came to Samuel, saying, 11 “(A)I regret that I have made Saul king, because (B)he has turned back from [a]following Me and has not carried out My commands.” And Samuel was furious and (C)cried out to the Lord all night. 12 Samuel got up early in the morning to meet Saul; and it was reported 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 So Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said to him, “(F)Blessed are you of the Lord! I have carried out the command of the Lord.” 14 But Samuel said, “(G)What then is this [c]bleating of the sheep in my ears, and the [d]bellowing of the oxen which I hear?” 15 Saul said, “They have brought them from the Amalekites, for (H)the people spared the best of the sheep and oxen to sacrifice to the Lord your God; but the rest we have completely destroyed.” 16 Then Samuel said to Saul, “Stop, and let me inform you of what the Lord said to me last night.” And he said to him, “Speak!”
17 So Samuel said, “[e]Is it not true, (I)though you were [f]insignificant in your own eyes, that you became the head of the tribes of Israel? For the Lord anointed you as king over Israel. 18 And the Lord sent you on a [g]mission, and said, ‘(J)Go and completely destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are eliminated.’ 19 Why then did you not obey the voice of the Lord? (K)Instead, you loudly rushed upon the spoils and did what was evil in the sight of the Lord!”
20 Then Saul said to Samuel, “(L)I did obey the voice of the Lord, for I went on the [h]mission on which the Lord sent me; and I have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have completely destroyed the Amalekites. 21 But (M)the people took some of the spoils, sheep and oxen, the choicest of the things designated for destruction, to sacrifice to the Lord your God at Gilgal.” 22 Samuel said,
“(N)Does the Lord have as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices
As in obeying the voice of the Lord?
Behold, (O)to obey is better than a sacrifice,
And to pay attention is better than the fat of rams.
23 For rebellion is as reprehensible as the sin of (P)divination,
And insubordination is as reprehensible as (Q)false religion and idolatry.
Since you have rejected the word of the Lord,
(R)He has also rejected you from being king.”
24 Then Saul said to Samuel, “(S)I have sinned, for (T)I have violated the [i]command of the Lord and your words, because I feared the people and listened to their voice. 25 Now then, (U)please pardon my sin and return with me, so that I may worship the Lord.” 26 But Samuel said to Saul, “I will not return with you; for (V)you have rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord has rejected you from being king over Israel.” 27 Then Samuel turned to go, but (W)Saul grasped the edge of his robe, and it tore off. 28 So Samuel said to him, “(X)The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to your neighbor, who is better than you. 29 Also the [j](Y)Glory of Israel (Z)will not lie nor change His mind; for He is not a man, that He would change His mind.” 30 Then Saul said, “I have sinned; (AA)but please honor me now before the elders of my people and before all Israel, and go back with me, (AB)so that I may worship the Lord your God.” 31 So Samuel went back following Saul, and Saul worshiped the Lord.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 1 Samuel 15:11 Lit after
- 1 Samuel 15:12 Lit and went down
- 1 Samuel 15:14 Lit sound
- 1 Samuel 15:14 Lit sound
- 1 Samuel 15:17 Or Though you were..., did you not become
- 1 Samuel 15:17 Lit small
- 1 Samuel 15:18 Lit way
- 1 Samuel 15:20 Lit way
- 1 Samuel 15:24 Lit mouth
- 1 Samuel 15:29 Or Splendor
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