New Living Translation
1 Samuel 15:9
9Saul 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.
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.
- English Standard Version (ESV)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.
- 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.
Context of 1 Samuel 15:9
7Then Saul slaughtered the Amalekites from Havilah all the way to Shur, east of Egypt. 8He captured Agag, the Amalekite king, but completely destroyed everyone else. 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. 10Then the Lord said to Samuel, 11“I am sorry that I ever made Saul king, for he has not been loyal to me and has refused to obey my command.” Samuel was so deeply moved when he heard this that he cried out 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 completely destroy the entire Amalekite nation—men, women, children, babies, cattle, sheep, goats, camels, and donkeys.”
- Joshua 7:21Among the plunder I saw a beautiful robe from Babylon, 200 silver coins, and a bar of gold weighing more than a pound. I wanted them so much that I took them. They are hidden in the ground beneath my tent, with the silver buried deeper than the rest.”
- 2 Samuel 6:13After the men who were carrying the Ark of the Lord had gone six steps, David sacrificed a bull and a fattened calf.
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
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