New Living Translation
1 Samuel 15:3
3Now go and completely destroy the entire Amalekite nation—men, women, children, babies, cattle, sheep, goats, camels, and donkeys.”
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 King James Version (NKJV)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.’ ”
Context of 1 Samuel 15:3
1One day Samuel said to Saul, “It was the Lord who told me to anoint you as king of his people, Israel. Now listen to this message from the Lord! 2This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies has declared: I have decided to settle accounts with the nation of Amalek for opposing Israel when they came from Egypt. Now go and completely destroy the entire Amalekite nation—men, women, children, babies, cattle, sheep, goats, camels, and donkeys.” 4So Saul mobilized his army at Telaim. There were 200,000 soldiers from Israel and 10,000 men from Judah. 5Then Saul and his army went to a town of the Amalekites 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“However, anything specially set apart for the Lord—whether a person, an animal, or family property—must never be sold or bought back. Anything devoted in this way has been set apart as holy, and it belongs to the Lord.
- Numbers 24:20Then Balaam looked over toward the people of Amalek and delivered this message: “Amalek was the greatest of nations, but its destiny is destruction!”
- Deuteronomy 13:15you must attack that town and completely destroy all its inhabitants, as well as all the livestock.
- Deuteronomy 20:16In those towns that the Lord your God is giving you as a special possession, destroy every living thing.
- Joshua 6:17Jericho and everything in it must be completely destroyed as an offering to the Lord. Only Rahab the prostitute and the others in her house will be spared, for she protected our spies.
- Exodus 20:5You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me.
- Numbers 31:17So kill all the boys and all the women who have had intercourse with a man.
- Isaiah 14:21Kill this man’s children! Let them die because of their father’s sins! They must not rise and conquer the earth, filling the world with their cities.”
- Genesis 3:17And to the man he said, “Since you listened to your wife and ate from the tree whose fruit I commanded you not to eat, the ground is cursed because of you. All your life you will struggle to scratch a living from it.
- Romans 8:20Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager 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
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