1 Samuel 15: The war on Amalek, and Yahweh rejects Saul as king
A free study, verse by verse. Text: World English Bible. Notes come from the Hebrew. How to read a study
What happens?
Samuel tells Saul that Yahweh of Armies says to strike Amalek for what it did to Israel on the way up from Egypt, and to destroy everything under the ban, people and animals. Saul warns the Kenites to leave, strikes the Amalekites, and destroys the people, but he and the people spare Agag the king and the best of the sheep and cattle. Yahweh's word comes to Samuel that he regrets (or: is grieved) that he made Saul king. Samuel meets Saul, who says he has done Yahweh's command and that the people kept the animals to sacrifice; Samuel answers that to obey is better than sacrifice, and that because Saul has rejected Yahweh's word, Yahweh has rejected him as king. When Saul grabs Samuel's robe and it tears, Samuel says Yahweh has torn the kingdom from him. Samuel has Agag brought and cuts him in pieces before Yahweh at Gilgal, and he does not see Saul again until the day of his death, but mourns for him.
Who is speaking?
The narrator tells the story. God's own words are in 1 of the 35 verses: Yahweh's word to Samuel in verse 11 (verse 10 tells that it came). Samuel speaks to Saul in verses 1 to 3; in verses 2 and 3 he gives Yahweh's message ("Yahweh of Armies says"), so those words are Samuel's telling and are not in gold. In the same way, what Samuel says Yahweh said or did in verses 16 to 19, 22, 23, 26, 28 and 29 is Samuel's own words. Saul warns the Kenites in verse 6. Samuel is told where Saul has gone in verse 12. Saul answers Samuel in verses 13, 15, 16, 20, 21, 24, 25 and 30. Samuel and Agag speak in verses 32 and 33. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
1Samuel said to Saul, “Yahweh sent me to anoint you to be king over his people, over Israel. Now therefore listen to the voice of Yahweh’s words.
In plain English: Samuel said to Saul, "Yahweh sent me to anoint you king over his people, over Israel. So now listen to the words of Yahweh (literally: the voice of the words of Yahweh).
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2Yahweh of Armies says, ‘I remember what Amalek did to Israel, how he set himself against him on the way when he came up out of Egypt.
In plain English: This is what Yahweh of Armies says: 'I remember (or: I have taken note of, or: I will punish) what Amalek did to Israel, how he set himself against Israel on the way, when Israel came up out of Egypt.
The Hebrew word: "I remember" is paqad, which the dictionary gives as "to visit (with friendly or hostile intent); by analogy, to oversee, muster, charge, care for, miss". This Bible says "punish" or a longer form in 37 of the 269 verses that use it, and "visit" or a longer form in 42.
What changes: Read as "I remember" or "I have taken note of", Yahweh's message looks back at what Amalek did. Read as "I will punish", it already announces what comes next. Either way, verse 3 goes on to the command.
Good to know: Amalek fought Israel at Rephidim on the way out of Egypt (), and Yahweh said, "I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under the sky" (). to says Amalek struck "all who were feeble behind you", and tells Israel to "blot out the memory of Amalek" once Yahweh gave them rest.
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3Now go and strike Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and don’t spare them; but kill both man and woman, infant and nursing baby, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’”
In plain English: Now go and strike Amalek, and utterly destroy (or: devote to destruction) everything they have. Do not spare them. Kill man and woman, child and nursing baby, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.'"
The Hebrew word: "Utterly destroy" is charam, the word explained in the note on : to set apart under a ban, especially for destruction. A thing under the ban is cherem, "the devoted things" of verse 21 (see the note on ). Charam is in 6 verses of 1 Samuel, all in this chapter, and this Bible says "utterly destroy" or a longer form in all 6.
Good to know: The text says plainly what was commanded: man and woman, child and nursing baby, and the animals too. Verse 2 gives the reason the text states, what Amalek did on the way up from Egypt. It is the war law of that time as the text records it, and Jewish and Christian readers differ on how to read it now.
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4Saul summoned the people, and counted them in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen and ten thousand men of Judah.
In plain English: Saul called the people together and counted them at Telaim: two hundred thousand foot soldiers, and ten thousand men of Judah.
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5Saul came to the city of Amalek, and set an ambush in the valley.
In plain English: Saul came to the city of Amalek and set an ambush in the valley.
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6Saul said to the Kenites, “Go, depart, go down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them; for you showed kindness to all the children of Israel when they came up out of Egypt.” So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites.
In plain English: Saul said to the Kenites, "Go, leave, go down from among the Amalekites, or I may destroy you with them. For you showed kindness to all the Israelites when they came up out of Egypt." So the Kenites left the Amalekites.
Good to know: The Kenites were the family of Moses' brother-in-law, who went up with the people of Judah into the wilderness of Judah ( and ). The text here does not say what kindness they showed Israel on the way out of Egypt.
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7Saul struck the Amalekites, from Havilah as you go to Shur, which is before Egypt.
In plain English: Saul struck the Amalekites, from Havilah all the way to Shur, which faces Egypt (or: is east of Egypt; literally: on the face of Egypt).
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8He took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword.
In plain English: He took Agag the king of Amalek alive, and he utterly destroyed all the people with the sword (literally: by the mouth of the sword).
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9But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep, of the cattle, of the fat calves, of the lambs, and all that was good, and were not willing to utterly destroy them; but everything that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly.
In plain English: But Saul and the people spared (or: had pity on) Agag, and the best of the sheep and the cattle, the fat calves (literally: the seconds), the lambs, and everything that was good. They were not willing to destroy them. But everything that was despised and worthless (this Bible: vile and refuse), that they utterly destroyed.
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10Then Yahweh’s word came to Samuel, saying,
In plain English: Then the word of Yahweh came to Samuel, saying,
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11“It grieves me that I have set up Saul to be king, for he has turned back from following me, and has not performed my commandments.” Samuel was angry; and he cried to Yahweh all night.God speaks
In plain English: "I regret (or: it grieves me) that I have made Saul king, because he has turned back from following me and has not carried out my words (this Bible: commandments)." Samuel was angry (literally: it burned in Samuel), and he cried out to Yahweh all night.
The Hebrew word: "It grieves me" is nacham, which the dictionary gives as "properly, to sigh, i.e. breathe strongly; by implication, to be sorry, i.e. (in a favorable sense) to pity, console or (reflexively) rue". "Rue" means to regret.
How it is translated: In 1 Samuel the word is in 3 verses, all in this chapter: here, verse 29 and verse 35. This Bible says "grieves" here, "repent" in verse 29 and "grieved" in verse 35. In the whole Bible it says "comfort" or a longer form in 58 of the 100 verses that use it.
What changes: Read as "I regret" or "I am sorry that I made Saul king", Yahweh speaks of making Saul king as something he is sorry he did. Read as "it grieves me", Yahweh speaks of his sorrow over Saul. Either way, the reason given is Saul's: "he has turned back from following me".
Good to know: Verse 29 uses the same word to say that the Strength of Israel will not "repent; for he is not a man, that he should repent", and verse 35 uses it again: "Yahweh grieved that he had made Saul king". The chapter puts these side by side and does not explain how they fit together. uses the same word: "Yahweh was sorry that he had made man on the earth." Jewish and Christian readers explain these verses in different ways.
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12Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning; and Samuel was told, saying, “Saul came to Carmel, and behold, he set up a monument for himself, turned, passed on, and went down to Gilgal.”
In plain English: Samuel got up early to meet Saul in the morning. Samuel was told, "Saul came to Carmel, and there he set up a monument (literally: a hand) for himself. Then he turned and went on, down to Gilgal."
The Hebrew word: "A monument" is literally "a hand": the word yad, which the dictionary gives as "a hand (the open one (indicating power, means, direction, etc.)". The same word is used for "Absalom's monument" in , a pillar Absalom set up "to keep my name in memory". The text does not say what Saul's monument looked like.
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13Samuel came to Saul; and Saul said to him, “You are blessed by Yahweh! I have performed the commandment of Yahweh.”
In plain English: Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said to him, "You are blessed by Yahweh (or: May Yahweh bless you)! I have carried out Yahweh's command (literally: word)."
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14Samuel said, “Then what does this bleating of the sheep in my ears and the lowing of the cattle which I hear mean?”
In plain English: Samuel said, "Then what is this bleating of sheep in my ears, and the lowing of cattle that I hear?"
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15Saul said, “They have brought them from the Amalekites; for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the cattle, to sacrifice to Yahweh your God. We have utterly destroyed the rest.”
In plain English: Saul said, "They have brought them from the Amalekites. The people spared the best of the sheep and the cattle, to sacrifice to Yahweh your God. The rest we have utterly destroyed."
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16Then Samuel said to Saul, “Stay, and I will tell you what Yahweh said to me last night.” He said to him, “Say on.”
In plain English: Then Samuel said to Saul, "Stop (or: Be quiet), and I will tell you what Yahweh said to me last night." Saul said to him, "Tell me (this Bible: Say on)."
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17Samuel said, “Though you were little in your own sight, weren’t you made the head of the tribes of Israel? Yahweh anointed you king over Israel;
In plain English: Samuel said, "Even though you were small in your own eyes, were you not made head of the tribes of Israel? Yahweh anointed you king over Israel.
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18and Yahweh sent you on a journey, and said, ‘Go, and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are consumed.’
In plain English: Yahweh sent you on a mission and said, 'Go and utterly destroy the sinners, the Amalekites. Fight against them until they are wiped out.'
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19Why then didn’t you obey Yahweh’s voice, but took the plunder, and did that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight?”
In plain English: Why then did you not obey Yahweh's voice, but swooped (this Bible: took) on the plunder, and did what was evil in Yahweh's sight?"
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20Saul said to Samuel, “But I have obeyed Yahweh’s voice, and have gone the way which Yahweh sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites.
In plain English: Saul said to Samuel, "But I did obey Yahweh's voice. I went on the mission Yahweh sent me on. I have brought back Agag the king of Amalek, and I have utterly destroyed the Amalekites.
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21But the people took of the plunder, sheep and cattle, the best of the devoted things, to sacrifice to Yahweh your God in Gilgal.”
In plain English: But the people took from the plunder sheep and cattle, the best of the things devoted to destruction, to sacrifice to Yahweh your God at Gilgal."
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22Samuel said, “Has Yahweh as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying Yahweh’s voice? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.
In plain English: Samuel said, "Does Yahweh delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying Yahweh's voice? Look, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen is better than the fat of rams.
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23For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as idolatry and teraphim. Because you have rejected Yahweh’s word, he has also rejected you from being king.”
In plain English: For rebellion is like the sin of divination (this Bible: witchcraft), and stubbornness (or: presumption) is like wickedness (or: idols) and teraphim. Because you have rejected Yahweh's word, he has also rejected you as king."
The Hebrew words: This verse is short and hard in Hebrew. "Rebellion" is meri, which the dictionary gives as "bitterness, i.e. (figuratively) rebellion". "Witchcraft" is qesem, "a lot; also divination". "Stubbornness" is from patsar, "to peck at"; this Bible says "urge" or a longer form in 5 of the 7 verses that use it, and the STEPBible meaning for this verse gives it as "presumption". "Idolatry" is aven, "strictly nothingness; also trouble. vanity, wickedness; specifically an idol". Teraphim are what the dictionary calls "a family idol", like the teraphim Rachel stole from her father ().
What changes: Read the way this Bible has it, rebellion and stubbornness are as bad as divination and idols. Read with the STEPBible meaning, it is presumption, acting too boldly, that is set beside wickedness and teraphim. Either way, the verse ends the same: "Because you have rejected Yahweh's word, he has also rejected you from being king."
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24Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned; for I have transgressed the commandment of Yahweh and your words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice.
In plain English: Saul said to Samuel, "I have sinned. I have gone against the command (literally: the mouth) of Yahweh and your words, because I was afraid of the people and obeyed their voice.
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25Now therefore, please pardon my sin, and turn again with me, that I may worship Yahweh.”
In plain English: So now, please forgive (literally: lift) my sin, and come back with me, so that I may worship (literally: bow down to) Yahweh."
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26Samuel said to Saul, “I will not return with you; for you have rejected Yahweh’s word, and Yahweh has rejected you from being king over Israel.”
In plain English: Samuel said to Saul, "I will not go back with you. You have rejected Yahweh's word, and Yahweh has rejected you from being king over Israel."
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27As Samuel turned around to go away, Saul grabbed the skirt of his robe, and it tore.
In plain English: As Samuel turned to go, Saul (the Hebrew says only: he) took hold of the edge (this Bible: skirt) of his robe, and it tore.
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28Samuel said to him, “Yahweh has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today, and has given it to a neighbor of yours who is better than you.
In plain English: Samuel said to him, "Yahweh has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given (or: will give) it to a neighbor of yours who is better than you.
Good to know: "Tore" in verse 27 and "has torn" here are the same Hebrew word, qara: the robe tears, and Samuel says Yahweh has torn the kingdom from Saul. The text does not name the neighbor here. In , at Endor, the words spoken to Saul say: "Yahweh has torn the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbor, even to David." In David cuts off "the skirt of Saul's robe", with the same words for skirt and robe as in verse 27.
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29Also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent; for he is not a man, that he should repent.”
In plain English: Also, the Strength (or: the Glory, or: the Eternal One) of Israel will not lie or regret (or: be sorry; this Bible: repent), for he is not a man, that he should regret (or: be sorry)."
The Hebrew words: "The Strength of Israel" is netsach yisrael. The dictionary gives netsach as "properly, a goal ... hence (figuratively), splendor, or (subjectively) truthfulness, or (objectively) confidence; but usually ... continually". This Bible says "forever" in 27 of the 42 verses that use it, and "strength" in only 2: here and . "Repent" is nacham, the word explained in the note on verse 11.
What changes: Read as "the Strength of Israel", "the Glory of Israel" or "the Eternal One of Israel", it is a name for God. The old Greek translation in this collection (Brenton) reads the verse another way: "And Israel shall be divided to two: and God will not turn nor repent".
Good to know: Balaam says nearly the same in : "God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should repent." Verse 11 and verse 35 of this chapter say, with the same word, that Yahweh regretted (or: was grieved) that he had made Saul king. These are Samuel's words in verse 29 and the narrator's in verse 35, and the text does not say how they fit together. Readers explain it in different ways.
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30Then he said, “I have sinned; yet please honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel, and come back with me, that I may worship Yahweh your God.”
In plain English: Then Saul said, "I have sinned. Yet please honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel, and come back with me, so that I may worship Yahweh your God."
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31So Samuel went back with Saul; and Saul worshiped Yahweh.
In plain English: So Samuel went back after Saul, and Saul worshiped Yahweh.
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32Then Samuel said, “Bring Agag the king of the Amalekites here to me!” Agag came to him cheerfully. Agag said, “Surely the bitterness of death is past.”
In plain English: Then Samuel said, "Bring Agag the king of Amalek here to me." Agag came to him cheerfully (or: in chains). Agag said, "Surely the bitterness of death is past."
The Hebrew word: "Cheerfully" is ma'adannot. Read with ma'adan, which the dictionary gives as "a delicacy or (abstractly) pleasure", and also "cheerfully", Agag came cheerfully. The STEPBible meaning for this verse gives it as "bonds", from a word spelled almost the same, so he came in chains. The old Greek translation in this collection (Brenton) has "trembling", and gives his words as a question: "Is death thus bitter?"
What changes: Read as "cheerfully", Agag thinks he will live, and "surely the bitterness of death is past" means the danger is over. Read as "in chains" or "trembling", he comes as a prisoner, afraid. The text does not say which.
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33Samuel said, “As your sword has made women childless, so your mother will be childless among women!” Then Samuel cut Agag in pieces before Yahweh in Gilgal.
In plain English: Samuel said, "As your sword has made women childless, so your mother will be childless among women." And Samuel cut Agag in pieces before Yahweh at Gilgal.
The Hebrew word: "Cut in pieces" is shasaph, which the dictionary gives as "to cut in pieces, i.e. slaughter". It is in only this verse of the Bible. The text says plainly that Samuel did it, "before Yahweh in Gilgal", right after Samuel's words about Agag's sword.
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34Then Samuel went to Ramah; and Saul went up to his house to Gibeah of Saul.
In plain English: Then Samuel went to Ramah, and Saul went up to his house at Gibeah of Saul.
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35Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death, but Samuel mourned for Saul. Yahweh grieved that he had made Saul king over Israel.
In plain English: Samuel did not see Saul again until the day of his death, but Samuel mourned for Saul. And Yahweh regretted (or: was grieved) that he had made Saul king over Israel.
Good to know: "Yahweh grieved" is nacham again, the word explained in the note on verse 11, so it can be read "Yahweh regretted" or "Yahweh was grieved". The word is in verse 11 and here, and in between Samuel says the Strength of Israel will not "repent" (verse 29). The text does not say how these fit together.
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