1 Samuel 15

Saul’s Disobedience

1Then SamuelH8050 saidH559 toH413 SaulH7586, “The LORDH3068 sentH7971 meH853 to anoint youH4886 kingH4428 overH5921 His peopleH5971H5921 IsraelH3478. Now thereforeH6258, listenH8085H6963 to the wordsH1697 of the LORDH3068. 2This is whatH3541 the LORDH3068 of HostsH6635 saysH559: ‘I witnessedH6485 whatH834 the AmalekitesH6002 didH6213 to the IsraelitesH3478 whenH834 they opposedH7760 them on their wayH1870 upH5927 from EgyptH4714. 3NowH6258 goH1980 and attackH5221 the AmalekitesH6002 and devote to destructionH27631 allH3605 thatH834 belongs to them. Do notH3808 spareH2550 themH5921, but put to deathH4191 menH376 andH5704 womenH802, childrenH5768 andH5704 infantsH3243, oxenH7794 andH5704 sheepH7716, camelsH1581 andH5704 donkeysH2543.’”

4So SaulH7586 summonedH8085 the troopsH5971 and numbered themH6485 at TelaimH2923—200,000H3967H505 foot soldiersH7273 and 10,000H6235H505H854 menH376 of JudahH3063. 5SaulH7586 cameH935 toH5704 the cityH5892 of AmalekH6002 and lay in waitH693 in the valleyH5158. 6And heH7586 warnedH559H413 the KenitesH7017, “Since youH859 showedH6213 kindnessH2617 toH5973 allH3605 the IsraelitesH1121H3478 when they came upH5927 out of EgyptH4714, go onH1980 and get awayH5493H3381 fromH8432 the AmalekitesH6003. OtherwiseH6435 I will sweep you awayH622 with themH5973.”

So the KenitesH7017 moved awayH5493 fromH8432 the AmalekitesH6002.

7Then SaulH7586 struck downH5221 the AmalekitesH6002 all the wayH935 from HavilahH2341 to ShurH7793, which isH834 eastH6440 of EgyptH4714. 8He capturedH8610 AgagH90 kingH4428 of AmalekH6002 aliveH2416, but devotedH2763H6310 allH3605 the others to destructionH5971 with the swordH2719.

9SaulH7586 and his troopsH5971H5921 sparedH2550 AgagH90, along withH5921 the bestH4315 of the sheepH6629 and cattleH1241, the fat calvesH49322 andH5921 lambsH3733, andH5921 the bestH2896 of everything elseH3605. They were unwillingH3808H14 to devote them to destructionH2763, but they devoted to destructionH2763 allH3605 that was despisedH4399H5240 and worthlessH4549.

Samuel Denounces Saul

10Then the wordH1697 of the LORDH3068 cameH1961 toH413 SamuelH8050, sayingH559, 11“I regretH5162 thatH3588 I have made SaulH7586 kingH4427, forH3588 he has turned awayH7725 from following MeH310 andH853 has notH3808 carried outH6965 My instructionsH1697.”

And SamuelH8050 was distressedH2734 and cried outH2199 toH413 the LORDH3068 allH3605 that nightH3915.

12Early in the morningH1242 SamuelH8050 got upH7925 to confrontH7122 SaulH7586, but he was toldH5046H8050H559, “SaulH7586 has goneH935 to CarmelH3760, and beholdH2009, he has set upH5324 a monumentH3027 for himself and has turnedH5437H5674 and gone downH3381 to GilgalH1537.”

13When SamuelH8050 reachedH935H413 himH7586, SaulH7586 saidH559 to him, “May the LORDH3068 blessH1288 youH859. I have carried outH6965 the LORD’sH3068 instructionsH1697.”

14But SamuelH8050 repliedH559, “Then whatH4100 is thisH2088 bleatingH6963 of sheepH6629 and lowingH6963 of cattleH1241 thatH834 IH595 hearH8085?”

15SaulH7586 answeredH559, “The troopsH5971H5921 brought themH935 from the AmalekitesH6003; they sparedH2550 the bestH4315 sheepH6629 and cattleH1241 toH4616 sacrificeH2076 to the LORDH3068 your GodH430, butH853 the restH3148 we devoted to destructionH2763.”

16“StopH7503!” exclaimedH559 SamuelH8050. “Let me tellH5046 you whatH834 the LORDH3068 saidH1696 to meH413 last nightH3915.”

“Tell meH1696,” Saul repliedH559.

17And SamuelH8050 saidH559, “AlthoughH518 youH859 were once smallH6996 in your own eyesH5869, have youH859 notH3808 become the headH7218 of the tribesH7626 of IsraelH3478? The LORDH3068 anointedH4886 you kingH4428 overH5921 IsraelH3478 18and sentH7971H3068 you on a missionH1870, sayingH559, ‘GoH1980 and devote to destructionH2763 the sinfulH2400 AmalekitesH6002. FightH3898 against them untilH5704 you have wiped them outH3615.’ 19So whyH4100 did you notH3808 obeyH8085H6963 the LORDH3068? Why did you rushH5860 uponH413 the plunderH7998 and doH6213 evilH7451 in the sightH5869 of the LORDH3068?”

20“But I did obeyH8085H6963 the LORDH3068,” SaulH7586 repliedH559. “I wentH1980 on the missionH1870 thatH834 the LORDH3068 gave meH7971. I brought backH935 AgagH90 kingH4428 of AmalekH6002 and devotedH2763 the Amalekites to destructionH6002. 21The troopsH5971 tookH3947 sheepH6629 and cattleH1241 from the plunderH7998, the best ofH7225 the things devoted to destructionH2764, in order to sacrificeH2076 them to the LORDH3068 your GodH430 at GilgalH1537.”

22But SamuelH8050 declaredH559:

Saul’s Confession

24Then SaulH7586 saidH559 toH413 SamuelH8050, “I have sinnedH2398; I have transgressedH5674 the LORD’sH3068 commandmentH6310 and your instructionsH1697, becauseH3588 I fearedH3372 the peopleH5971 and obeyedH8085 their voiceH6963. 25Now thereforeH6258, pleaseH4994 forgiveH5375 my sinH2403 and returnH7725 with meH5973 so I can worshipH7812 the LORDH3068.”

26“I will notH3808 returnH7725 with youH5973,” SamuelH8050 repliedH559. “ForH3588 you have rejectedH3988 the wordH1697 of the LORDH3068, andH3068 He has rejected youH3988 asH1961 kingH4428 overH5921 IsraelH3478.”

27As SamuelH8050 turnedH5437 to goH1980, Saul grabbedH2388 the hemH3671 of his robeH4598, and it toreH7167. 28So SamuelH8050 saidH559 to himH413, “The LORDH3068 has tornH7167 the kingdomH4468 of IsraelH3478 from youH5921 todayH3117 and has givenH5414 it to your neighborH7453 who is betterH2896 than youH4480. 29MoreoverH1571, the GloryH5331 of IsraelH3478 does notH3808 lieH8266 or change His mindH5162, forH3588H3808 HeH1931 is notH3808 a manH120, that He should change His mindH5162.”

30“I have sinnedH2398,” Saul repliedH559. “PleaseH4994 honor meH3513 nowH6258 beforeH5048 the eldersH2205 of my peopleH5971 and beforeH5048 IsraelH3478. Come backH7725 with meH5973, so that I may worshipH7812 the LORDH3068 your GodH430.”

31So SamuelH8050 went backH7725 withH310 SaulH7586, and SaulH7586 worshipedH7812 the LORDH3068.

32Then SamuelH8050 saidH559, “BringH5066 meH413 AgagH90 kingH4428 of the AmalekitesH6002.”

AgagH90 cameH1980 to himH413 cheerfullyH4575,3 for heH90 thoughtH559, “SurelyH403 the bitternessH4751 of deathH4194 is pastH5493.”4

33But SamuelH8050 declaredH559:

And SamuelH8050 hacked AgagH90 to piecesH8158 beforeH6440 the LORDH3068 at GilgalH1537.

34Then SamuelH8050 wentH1980 to RamahH7414, but SaulH7586 went upH5927 toH413 his homeH1004 in GibeahH1390 of SaulH7586. 35And toH5704 the dayH3117 of his deathH4194H3588, SamuelH8050 neverH3808 againH3254 visitedH7200 SaulH7586. SamuelH8050 mournedH56 forH413 SaulH7586, and the LORDH3068 regrettedH5162 thatH3588 He had made SaulH7586 kingH4427 overH5921 IsraelH3478.