1 Samuel 15

1 Then Samuel [the prophet and judge] said to Saul, “The LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] sent me to anoint [to set apart, to consecrate] you king [a ruler, a monarch] over His people [a nation, a community] Israel [the descendants of Jacob, God’s chosen people]. Now [at this time, in this moment] therefore, listen [to hear and obey, to give attention] to the words [the voice, the message] of the LORD [the sovereign God]. word study 2 This is what [thus, in this manner] the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] of Hosts [armies, large groups] says: ‘I [as the all-seeing God] witnessed [reckoned, took note of] what the Amalekites [enemies of Israel, descendants of Esau] did [committed, performed] to the Israelites [descendants of Jacob, God’s chosen people] when they ambushed [laid wait for, set themselves against] them on their way [journey, path] up from Egypt [the land of bondage, a country in northeastern Africa]. word study 3 Now [at this time, presently] go and attack [smite, utterly destroy] the Amalekites [descendants of Esau, enemies of Israel] and devote [consecrate, set apart] to destruction [utterly destroy, dedicate to God] all that belongs to them [everything they have, all their possessions]. Do not spare [have pity on, show mercy to] them, but put to death [slay, kill] men [adult males] and women [females], children [youth] and infants [babies, sucklings], oxen [cattle, livestock] and sheep [flocks], camels [riding animals] and donkeys [beasts of burden].’” word study 4 So Saul [the desired one, Shaul] summoned [gathered, called up] the troops [people, army] and numbered [reckoned, visited] them at Telaim [a place in ancient Judah]—200,000 [two hundred thousand] foot soldiers [on foot, infantry] and 10,000 [ten thousand] men [individuals, persons] of Judah [the tribe descended from Judah]. word study 5 Saul [the desired one, Shaul] came to the city [a town, settlement] of Amalek [a descendant of Esau, enemy of Israel] and lay [set, prepared] in wait [in ambush, secretly] in the valley [a low area, brook]. word study 6 And he warned the Kenites [a group of people who lived between southern Palestine and the Sinai desert], “Since you showed [demonstrated, exercised] kindness [mercy, compassion, loving actions towards humanity] to all [every single one, the entirety of] the Israelites [descendants of Jacob, the chosen people of God] when they came up [ascended, journeyed] out of Egypt [a country in northeastern Africa], go on [depart, remove yourselves] and get away [separate, distance yourselves] from the Amalekites [enemies of the Israelites, a tribe in southern Canaan]. Otherwise [lest, unless] I will sweep [destroy, utterly remove] you away [together, as one] with them [in the same judgment, as a consequence].” So the Kenites [the Kenite tribe] moved away [turned aside, departed] from the Amalekites [the Amalekite tribe, descended from Amalek]. word study 7 Then Saul [Shaul, the desired one] struck down [smiteth, to strike or hit] the Amalekites [enemies of Israel, descendants of Esau] all the way from Havilah [a region in Arabia, a circle] to Shur [a desert region near Egypt], which is [before, in the presence of] east of Egypt [a country in northeastern Africa]. word study 8 He captured [seized, took hold of] Agag [the king of Amalek, a descendant of Esau] king of Amalek [a tribe in southern Canaan, enemies of Israel] alive [still living, not killed], but devoted [utterly destroyed, completely dedicated] all the others [the entire nation, every person] to destruction [annihilation, devastation] with the sword [the edge of the sword, a cutting instrument]. word study 9 Saul [Shaul, the desired one] and his troops spared [had pity on, showed mercy to] Agag, along with the best [most excellent, choice] of the sheep [flock, herd] and cattle [domesticated animals, oxen], the fat [plump, well-fed] calves and lambs, and the best [most valuable, superior] of everything else [all that was good, pleasant]. They were unwilling [did not want to, refused] to destroy [devote to destruction, utterly ruin] them, but they devoted [set apart, consecrated] to destruction [ruin, waste] all that was despised [vile, worthless, without value] and worthless [without use, useless]. word study 10 Then the word [message, declaration] of the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] came [existed, came into being] to Samuel [Shemuel, a judge and prophet of Israel], saying [to speak, to command], word study 11 “I regret [am grieved, have sorrow] that I have made Saul [Shaul, the desired one] king, for he has turned away [turned back, rebelled] from following Me [obeying my commands, walking in my ways] and has not carried out [performed, executed] My instructions [commandments, divine orders].” And Samuel [Shemuel, heard by God] was distressed [angry, grieved] and cried out [called unto, prayed] to the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] all that night [the entire evening, the dark hours]. word study 12 Early [at the break of day] in the morning Samuel [Shemuel, a prophet and judge of Israel] got up [to rise, to start early] to confront [to meet, to encounter] Saul, but he was told, “Saul [Shaul, meaning desired] has gone [to come, to approach] to Carmel [a fruitful and plentiful field], and behold [look, see], he has set up [to stand, to station] a monument [a memorial, a reminder] for himself [to honor himself, to glorify himself] and has turned [to surround, to change direction] and gone down [to descend, to go lower] to Gilgal [a place of rolling, a region in Palestine].” word study 13 When Samuel [the prophet and judge] reached him, Saul said to him, “May the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] bless [praise or honor] you. I have carried out [performed, fulfilled] the LORD’s [Yehovah’s] instructions [commandment, word].” word study 14 But Samuel [Shemuel, a judge and prophet of Israel] replied, “Then what [what or how, expressing surprise] is this [the sound of] bleating [crying, noise] of sheep [a flock, the sheep or goats] and lowing [a deep, mournful sound] of cattle [domesticated oxen, used for work or sacrifice] that I [the speaker, referring to himself] hear [to listen, pay attention, obey]?” word study 15 Saul answered, “The troops brought them from the Amalekites [a group descended from Esau’s grandson]; they spared [had pity on, showed mercy to] the best [most excellent, superior] sheep [a flock, or figuratively, people] and cattle [domesticated oxen, used for work or sacrifice] to sacrifice [slaughter as a religious offering] to the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] your God [Elohim, the supreme one], but the rest [what remained, the remnant] we devoted [utterly destroyed, completely devoted] to destruction [total annihilation, ruin].” word study 16 “Stop [desist, cease]!” exclaimed Samuel [Shemuel, the prophet]. “Let me tell [declare, reveal] you what the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] said [spoke, communicated] to me last night [in the darkness, during the evening].” “Tell [speak, inform] me,” Saul [Shaul, the king] replied. word study 17 And Samuel [Shemuel, a judge and prophet of Israel] said, “Although you were once [in the past, previously] small [insignificant, humble] in your own eyes [perception, self-view], have you not become [been made, appointed] the head [leader, chief] of the tribes [clans, families] of Israel [God’s chosen people]? The LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] anointed [set apart, consecrated] you king [ruler, sovereign] over Israel [as their leader] word study 18 and sent you on a mission [a journey, a way of life], saying, ‘Go [to walk, to live] and devote to destruction [to utterly destroy, to put to the curse] the sinful [guilty, having committed a crime] Amalekites [enemies of the Israelites, descendants of Esau]. Fight [to feed on, to consume] against them until you have wiped them out [until they are consumed, until every one is dead].’ word study 19 So why did you not [refuse to] obey [listen to and follow] the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God]? Why did you rush [swoop down, pounce] upon the plunder [spoils of war, booty] and do [commit, perform] evil [what is bad or morally wrong] in the sight [presence, eyes] of the LORD [Yehovah, the all-seeing God]?” word study 20 “But I did obey [fully listen to, heed the voice of] the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God],” Saul [Shaul, meaning desired] replied. “I went on the mission [way, journey] that the LORD [Yehovah] gave me [sent me, commanded me to do]. I brought back Agag [the king of Amalek, a descendant of Esau] king of Amalek [a group of people who lived near the Israelites, enemies of the Israelites] and devoted [utterly destroyed, completely wiped out] the Amalekites [the people of Amalek, a tribe in southern Canaan] to destruction [harm, devastation]. word study 21 The troops [the army, the people] took [to capture, to seize] sheep [flock, cattle] and cattle [oxen, domesticated animals] from the plunder [spoils of war, booty], the best [chief, first] of the things [objects, items] devoted to destruction [doomed, under the curse], in order to sacrifice [to slaughter, to offer] them to the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] your God [Elohim, the one true God] at Gilgal [a place of worship, a sacred site].” word study 22 But Samuel [the prophet and judge] declared: “Does the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] delight [take pleasure, find joy] in burnt offerings [completely consumed by fire] and sacrifices [the act of offering an animal’s flesh to God] as much as in obedience [listening and following, heeding the voice] to His voice [the sound of God’s command, the divine utterance]? Behold [look, pay attention], obedience [to hear and follow] is better [more pleasing, of greater value] than sacrifice [the act of giving up something precious], and attentiveness [to listen carefully, to give ear] is better [more desirable, of greater importance] than the fat [the richest and best part, the choicest portion] of rams [strong and powerful animals]. word study 23 For rebellion [as the sin of witchcraft, a deliberate disobedience] is like the sin [guilt, or punishment for sin] of divination [seeking guidance through witchcraft or false prophecy], and arrogance [stubbornness, pride] is like the wickedness [evil, iniquity] of idolatry [worshiping idols, teraphim]. Because you have rejected [spurned, refused to obey] the word [divine command, instruction] of the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God], He has rejected [spurned, cast away] you as king [ruler, leader].” word study 24 Then Saul said to Samuel, “I have [deeply] sinned [missed the mark, gone wrong]; I have transgressed [rebelled against, disobeyed] the LORD’s [Yehovah] commandment [instruction, decree] and your instructions [words, teachings], because I feared [stood in awe of, was afraid of] the people [nation, crowd] and obeyed [listened to, followed] their voice [sound, opinion]. word study 25 Now [at this time, in this moment] therefore, please [I pray, I beseech] forgive [pardon, take away] my sin [guilt, transgression] and return [turn again, come back] with me [together, in company] so I can worship [bow down, show reverence to] the LORD [Yehovah].” word study 26 “I will not return [go back, turn back] with you,” Samuel [Shemuel, a prophet and judge] replied. “For you have rejected [spurned, refused to obey] the word [divine command, instruction] of the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God], and He has rejected [cast away, removed] you as king [ruler, leader] over Israel [God’s chosen people, the descendants of Jacob].” word study 27 As Samuel [Shemuel, a judge and prophet of Israel] turned [to turn, surrounded by God’s presence] to go, Saul grabbed [laid hold upon, seized] the hem [wing, edge] of his robe [outer garment], and it tore [rent, was ripped apart]. word study 28 So Samuel [the prophet and judge] said to him, “The LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] has torn [rent, ripped away] the kingdom [dominion, rule] of Israel [the descendants of Jacob] from you today [this very day, at this moment] and has given [bestowed, appointed] it to your neighbor [companion, fellow] who is better [more pleasing, more worthy] than you [as a ruler, in God’s sight]. word study 29 Moreover, the Glory [Strength, Pre-eminence] of Israel does not lie [deal falsely, cheat] or change His mind [repent, be sorry], for He is not a man [human being, Adam], that He should change His mind [repent, be penitent].” word study 30 “I have sinned [committed a transgression, missed the mark],” Saul replied [said, spoke]. “Please [I pray, I ask] honor me now [at this time, in this moment] before [in the presence of] the elders [the elderly, respected leaders] of my people [my nation, Israel] and before [in the sight of] Israel [the descendants of Jacob]. Come back [return, turn again] with me, so that I may worship [bow down, pay homage to] the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] your God [Elohim, the one supreme deity].” word study 31 So Samuel [Shemuel, a judge and prophet] went back [turned again, returned] with Saul [Shaul, the desired one], and Saul [Shaul, the king] worshiped [bowed down, gave reverence to] the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God]. word study 32 Then Samuel [the prophet and judge] said, “Bring me Agag [the king of the Amalekites, a descendant of Esau] king of the Amalekites [a tribe in southern Canaan, enemies of the Israelites].” Agag came to him cheerfully [confidently, delicately], for he thought, “Surely [truly, certainly] the bitterness [pain, unpleasantness] of death [separation from life, eternal punishment] is past [has turned aside, is no longer a threat].” word study 33 But Samuel [the prophet and judge] declared: “As your sword [instrument of war, cutting instrument] has made women [females, mothers] childless [bereaved, without offspring], so your mother [female parent, matriarch] will be childless [barren, without children] among women [females, wives].” And Samuel [Shemuel, the leader] hacked Agag [the Amalekite king] to pieces [hewed, cut into parts] before the LORD [Yehovah, the divine Presence] at Gilgal [the place of rolling, a region in Palestine]. word study 34 Then Samuel [Shemuel, a judge and prophet of Israel] went to Ramah [a city in Palestine, a place of battle], but Saul [Shaul, meaning desired] went up [to ascend, to rise] to his home [dwelling place, house] in Gibeah [a city in the region of Benjamin, the birthplace of King Saul] of Saul [Shaul, a Benjamite who became the first king of Israel]. word study 35 And to the day [until the very end] of his death, Samuel [Shemuel, the prophet and judge] never again visited [came to see, met with] Saul [Shaul, the king]. Samuel mourned [was sorrowful, lamented] for Saul, and the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] regretted [was sorry, grieved] that He had made [appointed, anointed] Saul king [to reign, ruler] over Israel [the chosen people, God’s nation]. word study