English Standard Version
1 Samuel 15:9
9But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep and of the oxen and of the fattened calves and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them. All that was despised and worthless they devoted to destruction.
1 Samuel 15:9 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them: but every thing that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly.
- New International Version (NIV)But Saul and the army spared Agag and the best of the sheep and cattle, the fat calves and lambs—everything that was good. These they were unwilling to destroy completely, but everything that was despised and weak they totally destroyed.
- New King James Version (NKJV)But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the fatlings, the lambs, and all that was good, and were unwilling to utterly destroy them. But everything despised and worthless, that they utterly destroyed.
- New Living Translation (NLT)Saul and his men spared Agag’s life and kept the best of the sheep and goats, the cattle, the fat calves, and the lambs—everything, in fact, that appealed to them. They destroyed only what was worthless or of poor quality.
Context of 1 Samuel 15:9
7And Saul defeated the Amalekites from Havilah as far as Shur, which is east of Egypt. 8And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive and devoted to destruction all the people with the edge of the sword. But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep and of the oxen and of the fattened calves and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them. All that was despised and worthless they devoted to destruction. 10The word of the Lord came to Samuel: 11"I regret that I have made Saul king, for he has turned back from following me and has not performed my commandments." And Samuel was angry, and he cried to the Lord all night.
Read all of 1 Samuel 151 Samuel 15:9 word by word
וַיַּחְמֹל֩ שָׁא֨וּל וְהָעָ֜ם עַל־אֲגָ֗ג וְעַל־מֵיטַ֣ב הַצֹּאן֩ וְהַבָּקָ֨ר וְהַמִּשְׁנִ֤ים וְעַל־הַכָּרִים֙ וְעַל־כָּל־הַטּ֔וֹב וְלֹ֥א אָב֖וּ הַחֲרִימָ֑ם וְכָל־הַמְּלָאכָ֛ה נְמִבְזָ֥ה וְנָמֵ֖ס אֹתָ֥הּ הֶחֱרִֽימוּ׃ פRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- But Saulשָׁאוּלshâ'ûl · SaulH7586
- and the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- sparedחָמַלchâmal · to spareH2550
- Agagאֲגָג'ăgag · AgagH90
- and the bestמֵיטָבmêyţâb · bestH4315
- of the sheepצֹאןtsô'n tse'ôn · flockH6629
- and of the oxenבָּקָרbâqâr · cattleH1241
- and of the fatlingsמִשְׁנֶהmishneh · secondH4932
- and the lambsכַּרkar · ramH3733
- goodטוֹבţôb · goodH2896
- and wouldאָבָה'âbâh · be willingH14
- not utterly destroyחָרַםchâram · to devote/destroyH2763
- them: but every thingמְלָאכָהmelâ'kâh · workH4399
- vileנְמִבְזֶהnemibzeh · vileH5240
- and refuseמָסַסmâsas · to meltH4549
Cross-references for 1 Samuel 15:9
- 1 Samuel 15:3Now go and strike Amalek and devote to destruction all that they have. Do not spare them, but kill both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.'"
- Joshua 7:21when I saw among the spoil a beautiful cloak from Shinar, and 200 shekels of silver, and a bar of gold weighing 50 shekels, then I coveted them and took them. And see, they are hidden in the earth inside my tent, with the silver underneath."
- 2 Samuel 6:13And when those who bore the ark of the Lord had gone six steps, he sacrificed an ox and a fattened animal.
Commentaries on 1 Samuel 15:9
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9The fatlings - The present Hebrew text cannot be so rendered. It can only mean “the second best” (compare the margin), i. e., sheep of the age to cut or shed the two teeth, sheep in their prime. But it is probable that the reading is corrupt, and that “fat or dainty bits” is the true reading.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 9Saul and his men ignored the Lord's order to devote the Amalekites to destruction (1 Samuel 15:3). Even though the whole army disobeyed God's command, Saul was responsible as their leader.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 7-97-9. Saul smote the Amalekites--His own view of the proper and expedient course to follow was his rule, not the command of God.Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Samuel 15:9
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 1 Samuel 15
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries