1 Samuel 15

Saul’s Disobedience

1Then SamuelH8050 saidH559 to SaulH7586, “1The LordH3068 sentH7971 me to anointH4886 you as kingH4428 overH5921 His peopleH5971, overH5921 IsraelH3478; nowH6258 therefore, listenH8085 to the 2wordsH1697 of the LordH3068. 2ThisH3541 isH3541 whatH3541 the LordH3068 of armiesH6635 saysH559: ‘I will 3punishH6485 AmalekH6002 4for whatH834 he didH6213 to IsraelH3478, in that he obstructedH7760 him on the wayH1870 while he was comingH5927 upH5927 from EgyptH4714. 3NowH6258 goH1980 and strikeH5221 AmalekH6002 and 5completelyH2763 destroyH2763 everythingH3605 that he has, and do not spareH2550 him; but 6putH4191 toH4191 deathH4191 bothH4480 manH376 and womanH802, childH5768 and infantH3243, oxH7794 and sheepH7716, camelH1581 and donkeyH2543.’”

4Then SaulH7586 summonedH8085 the peopleH5971 and 7countedH6485 them in 8TelaimH2923: twoH3967 hundredH3967 thousandH505 footH7273 soldiersH7273 and tenH6235 thousandH505 menH376 of JudahH3063. 5And SaulH7586 cameH935 to the cityH5892 of AmalekH6002 and setH693 anH693 ambushH693 in the 9wadiH5158. 6But SaulH7586 saidH559 to 10the KenitesH7017, “GoH1980, getH5493 awayH5493, goH3381 downH3381 from amongH8432 the AmalekitesH6003, so that I do not destroyH622 you alongH5973 withH5973 them; for 11you showedH6213 kindnessH2617 to allH3605 the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478 when they wentH5927 upH5927 from EgyptH4714.” So the KenitesH7017 gotH5493 awayH5493 from amongH8432 the AmalekitesH6002. 7Then 12SaulH7586 13defeatedH5221 the AmalekitesH6002, from 14HavilahH2341 15goingH935 toward 16ShurH7793, whichH834 is 17eastH5921H6440 of EgyptH4714. 8He capturedH8610 18AgagH90 the kingH4428 of the AmalekitesH6002 aliveH2416, and 19completelyH2763 destroyedH2763 allH3605 the peopleH5971 with the edgeH6310 of the swordH2719. 9But SaulH7586 and the peopleH5971 20sparedH2550 AgagH90 and the bestH4315 of the sheepH6629, the oxenH1241, the moreH4932 valuableH4932 animals, the lambsH3733, and everythingH3605 that was goodH2896, and were unwillingH3808H14 to destroyH2763 them completelyH2763; but everythingH3605H4399 despicableH959 and weakH4549, that they completelyH2763 destroyedH2763.

Samuel Rebukes Saul

10Then the wordH1697 of the LordH3068 cameH1961 to SamuelH8050, sayingH559, 11“21I regretH5162 that I have madeH4427 SaulH7586 kingH4428, becauseH3588 22he has turnedH7725 backH7725 from 23followingH310 Me and has not carriedH6965 outH6965 My commandsH1697.” And SamuelH8050 wasH2734 furiousH2734 and 24criedH2199 outH2199 to the LordH3068 allH3605 nightH3915. 12SamuelH8050 gotH7925 upH7925 earlyH7925 in the morningH1242 to meetH7122 SaulH7586; and it was reportedH5046 to SamuelH8050, sayingH559, “SaulH7586 cameH935 to 25CarmelH3760, and beholdH2009, he setH5324 upH5324 a monumentH3027 for himself, then turnedH5437 and proceededH5674 onH5674 26downH3381 to 27GilgalH1537.” 13So SamuelH8050 cameH935 to SaulH7586, and SaulH7586 saidH559 to him, “28BlessedH1288 are you of the LordH3068! I have carriedH6965 outH6965 the commandH1697 of the LordH3068.” 14But SamuelH8050 saidH559, “29WhatH4100 then is thisH2088 30bleatingH6963 of the sheepH6629 in my earsH241, and the 31bellowingH6963 of the oxenH1241 whichH834 I hearH8085?” 15SaulH7586 saidH559, “They have broughtH935 them from the AmalekitesH6003, for 32the peopleH5971 sparedH2550 the bestH4315 of the sheepH6629 and oxenH1241 to sacrificeH2076 to the LordH3068 your GodH430; but the restH3498 we have completelyH2763 destroyedH2763.” 16Then SamuelH8050 saidH559 to SaulH7586, “StopH7503, and let me informH5046 you of whatH834 the LordH3068 saidH1696 to me last nightH3915.” And he saidH559 to him, “SpeakH1696!”

17So SamuelH8050 saidH559, “33Is it not true, 34thoughH518 you were 35insignificantH6996 in your own eyesH5869, that you became the headH7218 of the tribesH7626 of IsraelH3478? For the LordH3068 anointedH4886 you as kingH4428 overH5921 IsraelH3478. 18And the LordH3068 sentH7971 you on a 36missionH1870, and saidH559, ‘37GoH1980 and completelyH2763 destroyH2763 the sinnersH2400, the AmalekitesH6002, and fightH3898 against them untilH5704 they are eliminatedH3615.’ 19WhyH4100 then did you not obeyH8085 the voiceH6963 of the LordH3068? 38Instead, you loudlyH5860 rushedH5860 upon the spoilsH7998 and didH6213 whatH7451 wasH7451 evilH7451 in the sightH5869 of the LordH3068!”

20Then SaulH7586 saidH559 to SamuelH8050, “39I did obeyH8085 the voiceH6963 of the LordH3068, for I wentH1980 on the 40missionH1870 on whichH834 the LordH3068 sentH7971 me; and I have broughtH935 AgagH90 the kingH4428 of AmalekH6002, and have completelyH2763 destroyedH2763 the AmalekitesH6002. 21But 41the peopleH5971 tookH3947 some of the spoilsH7998, sheepH6629 and oxenH1241, the choicestH7225 of the thingsH2764 designatedH2764 forH2764 destructionH2764, to sacrificeH2076 to the LordH3068 your GodH430 at GilgalH1537.” 22SamuelH8050 saidH559, “42Does the LordH3068 have as much delightH2656 in burntH5930 offeringsH5930 and sacrificesH2077 As in obeyingH8085 the voiceH6963 of the LordH3068? BeholdH2009, 43to obeyH8085 is betterH2896 thanH4480 a sacrificeH2077, And to payH7181 attentionH7181 is better thanH4480 the fatH2459 of ramsH352.23For rebellionH4805 is as reprehensible as the sinH2403 of 44divinationH7081, And insubordinationH6484 is as reprehensible as 45falseH205 religionH205 and idolatryH8655. SinceH3282 you have rejectedH3988 the wordH1697 of the LordH3068, 46He has also rejectedH3988 you from being kingH4428.”

24Then SaulH7586 saidH559 to SamuelH8050, “47I have sinnedH2398, for 48I have violatedH5674 the 49commandH6310 of the LordH3068 and your wordsH1697, becauseH3588 I fearedH3372 the peopleH5971 and listenedH8085 to their voiceH6963. 25NowH6258 then, 50pleaseH4994 pardonH5545 my sinH2403 and returnH7725 with me, so that I may worshipH2331 the LordH3068.” 26But SamuelH8050 saidH559 to SaulH7586, “I will not returnH7725 with you; for 51you have rejectedH3988 the wordH1697 of the LordH3068, and the LordH3068 has rejectedH3988 you from beingH1961 kingH4428 overH5921 IsraelH3478.” 27Then SamuelH8050 turnedH5437 to goH1980, but 52Saul graspedH2388 the edgeH3671 of his robeH4598, and it toreH7167 offH7167. 28So SamuelH8050 saidH559 to him, “53The LordH3068 has tornH7167 the kingdomH4468 of IsraelH3478 from you todayH3117 and has givenH5414 it to your neighborH7453, who is betterH2896 thanH4480 you. 29AlsoH1571 the 5455GloryH5331 of IsraelH3478 56will not lieH8266 norH3808 changeH5162 His mindH5162; for He is not a manH120, that He would changeH5162 His mindH5162.” 30Then Saul saidH559, “I have sinnedH2398; 57but pleaseH4994 honorH3513 me nowH6258 beforeH5048 the eldersH2205 of my peopleH5971 and beforeH5048 all IsraelH3478, and goH7725 backH7725 with me, 58so that I may worshipH2331 the LordH3068 your GodH430.” 31So SamuelH8050 wentH7725 backH7725 followingH310 SaulH7586, and SaulH7586 worshipedH2331 the LordH3068.

32Then SamuelH8050 saidH559, “BringH5066 me AgagH90, the kingH4428 of the AmalekitesH6002.” And AgagH90 cameH1980 to him 59cheerfullyH4575. And AgagH90 saidH559, “SurelyH403 the bitternessH4751 of deathH4194 is goneH5493!” 33But SamuelH8050 saidH559, “60As your swordH2719 has madeH7921 womenH802 childlessH7921, soH3651 shall your motherH517 beH7921 childlessH7921 amongH4480 womenH802.” And SamuelH8050 cutH8158 AgagH90 toH8158 piecesH8158 beforeH6440 the LordH3068 at GilgalH1537.

34Then SamuelH8050 wentH1980 to 61RamahH7414, but SaulH7586 wentH5927 upH5927 to his houseH1004 at 62GibeahH1390 of SaulH7586. 35And 63SamuelH8050 did not seeH7200 SaulH7586 againH3254 untilH5704 the dayH3117 of his deathH4194, thoughH3588 SamuelH8050 64mournedH56 for 65SaulH7586. And the LordH3068 regrettedH5162 that He had madeH4427 SaulH7586 kingH4427 overH5921 IsraelH3478.