New King James Version
1 Samuel 15:3
3Now go and attack Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and do not spare them. But kill both man and woman, infant and nursing child, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’ ”
1 Samuel 15:3 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass.
- New International Version (NIV)Now go, attack the Amalekites and totally destroy all that belongs to them. Do not spare them; put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys.’ ”
- English Standard Version (ESV)Now 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.'"
- New Living Translation (NLT)Now go and completely destroy the entire Amalekite nation—men, women, children, babies, cattle, sheep, goats, camels, and donkeys.”
Context of 1 Samuel 15:3
1Samuel also said to Saul, “The Lord sent me to anoint you king over His people, over Israel. Now therefore, heed the voice of the words of the Lord. 2Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘I will punish Amalek for what he did to Israel, how he ambushed him on the way when he came up from Egypt. Now go and attack Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and do not spare them. But kill both man and woman, infant and nursing child, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’ ” 4So Saul gathered the people together and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand foot soldiers and ten thousand men of Judah. 5And Saul came to a city of Amalek, and lay in wait in the valley.
Read all of 1 Samuel 151 Samuel 15:3 word by word
עַתָּה֩ לֵ֨ךְ וְהִכִּֽיתָ֜ה אֶת־עֲמָלֵ֗ק וְהַֽחֲרַמְתֶּם֙ אֶת־כָּל־אֲשֶׁר־ל֔וֹ וְלֹ֥א תַחְמֹ֖ל עָלָ֑יו וְהֵמַתָּ֞ה מֵאִ֣ישׁ עַד־אִשָּׁ֗ה מֵֽעֹלֵל֙ וְעַד־יוֹנֵ֔ק מִשּׁ֣וֹר וְעַד־שֶׂ֔ה מִגָּמָ֖ל וְעַד־חֲמֽוֹר׃ סRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Now goיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
- and smiteנָכָהnâkâh · to smiteH5221
- Amalekעֲמָלֵק‛ămâlêq · AmalekH6002
- and utterly destroyחָרַםchâram · to devote/destroyH2763
- all that they have, and spareחָמַלchâmal · to spareH2550
- them not; but slayמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
- both manאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
- and womanאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · womanH802
- infantעוֹלֵל‛ôlêl ‛ôlâl · infantH5768
- and sucklingיָנַקyânaq · to suckleH3243
- oxשׁוֹרshôr · cattleH7794
- and sheepשֶׂהώeh ώêy · sheepH7716
- camelגָּמָלgâmâl · camelH1581
- and assחֲמוֹרchămôr chămôr · donkeyH2543
Cross-references for 1 Samuel 15:3
- Leviticus 27:28‘Nevertheless no devoted offering that a man may devote to the Lord of all that he has, both man and beast, or the field of his possession, shall be sold or redeemed; every devoted offering is most holy to the Lord.
- Numbers 24:20Then he looked on Amalek, and he took up his oracle and said: “Amalek was first among the nations, But shall be last until he perishes.”
- Deuteronomy 13:15you shall surely strike the inhabitants of that city with the edge of the sword, utterly destroying it, all that is in it and its livestock—with the edge of the sword.
- Deuteronomy 20:16“But of the cities of these peoples which the Lord your God gives you as an inheritance, you shall let nothing that breathes remain alive,
- Joshua 6:17Now the city shall be doomed by the Lord to destruction, it and all who are in it. Only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all who are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent.
- Exodus 20:5you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me,
- Numbers 31:17Now therefore, kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman who has known a man intimately.
- Isaiah 14:21Prepare slaughter for his children Because of the iniquity of their fathers, Lest they rise up and possess the land, And fill the face of the world with cities.”
- Genesis 3:17Then to Adam He said, “Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat of it’: “Cursed is the ground for your sake; In toil you shall eat of it All the days of your life.
- Romans 8:20For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope;
Commentaries on 1 Samuel 15:3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3Slay both man and woman - Nothing could justify such an exterminating decree but the absolute authority of God. This was given: all the reasons of it we do not know; but this we know well, The Judge of all the earth doth right. This war was not for plunder, for God commanded that all the property as well as all the people should be destroyed.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3Utterly destroy - Rather, “devote to destruction” (Leviticus 27:28 note). When a city or people were thus made cherem, everything living was to be destroyed, and no part of the spoil fall to the conquerors (compare 1 Samuel 15:21). The valuables were put into the sacred treasury.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3devote to destruction: See "Complete Dedication" Theme Note.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2-32-3. Amalek--the powerful tribe which inhabited the country immediately to the eastward of the northern Cushites. Their territory extended over the whole of the eastern portion of the desert of Sinai to Rephidim--the earliest opponent (De 25:18; Ex 17:8-16)--the hereditary and restless enemy of Israel (Nu 14:45; Jud 3:13; 6:3), and who had not repented (1Sa 14:48) of their bitter and sleepless hatred during the five hundred years that had elapsed since…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Samuel 15:3
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries