1 Samuel 15 – New American Standard Bible 2020 (NASB20)

Saul’s Disobedience

1 Then Samuel ^H8050 said ^H559 to Saul ^H7586, “The LORD ^H3068 sent ^H7971 me to anoint ^H4886 you as king ^H4428 over ^H5921 His people ^H5971, over ^H5921 Israel ^H3478; now ^H6258 therefore, listen ^H8085 to the [fn]words ^H1697 of the LORD ^H3068.

2 This ^H3541 is ^H3541 what ^H3541 the LORD ^H3068 of armies ^H6635 says ^H559: ‘I will [fn]punish ^H6485 Amalek ^H6002 for what ^H834 he did ^H6213 to Israel ^H3478, in that he obstructed ^H7760 him on the way ^H1870 while he was coming ^H5927 up ^H5927 from Egypt ^H4714. 3 Now ^H6258 go ^H1980 and strike ^H5221 Amalek ^H6002 and completely ^H2763 destroy ^H2763 everything ^H3605 that he has, and do not spare ^H2550 him; but put ^H4191 to ^H4191 death ^H4191 both ^H4480 man ^H376 and woman ^H802, child ^H5768 and infant ^H3243, ox ^H7794 and sheep ^H7716, camel ^H1581 and donkey ^H2543.’”

4 Then Saul ^H7586 summoned ^H8085 the people ^H5971 and [fn]counted ^H6485 them in Telaim ^H2923: two ^H3967 hundred ^H3967 thousand ^H505 foot ^H7273 soldiers ^H7273 and ten ^H6235 thousand ^H505 men ^H376 of Judah ^H3063. 5 And Saul ^H7586 came ^H935 to the city ^H5892 of Amalek ^H6002 and set ^H693 an ^H693 ambush ^H693 in the [fn]wadi ^H5158. 6 But Saul ^H7586 said ^H559 to the Kenites ^H7017, “Go ^H1980, get ^H5493 away ^H5493, go ^H3381 down ^H3381 from among ^H8432 the Amalekites ^H6003, so that I do not destroy ^H622 you along ^H5973 with ^H5973 them; for you showed ^H6213 kindness ^H2617 to all ^H3605 the sons ^H1121 of Israel ^H3478 when they went ^H5927 up ^H5927 from Egypt ^H4714.” So the Kenites ^H7017 got ^H5493 away ^H5493 from among ^H8432 the Amalekites ^H6002. 7 Then Saul ^H7586 [fn]defeated ^H5221 the Amalekites ^H6002, from Havilah ^H2341 [fn]going ^H935 toward Shur ^H7793, which ^H834 is [fn]east ^H5921 H6440 of Egypt ^H4714. 8 He captured ^H8610 Agag ^H90 the king ^H4428 of the Amalekites ^H6002 alive ^H2416, and completely ^H2763 destroyed ^H2763 all ^H3605 the people ^H5971 with the edge ^H6310 of the sword ^H2719. 9 But Saul ^H7586 and the people ^H5971 spared ^H2550 Agag ^H90 and the best ^H4315 of the sheep ^H6629, the oxen ^H1241, the more ^H4932 valuable ^H4932 animals, the lambs ^H3733, and everything ^H3605 that was good ^H2896, and were unwilling ^H3808 H14 to destroy ^H2763 them completely ^H2763; but everything ^H3605 H4399 despicable ^H959 and weak ^H4549, that they completely ^H2763 destroyed ^H2763.

Samuel Rebukes Saul

10 Then the word ^H1697 of the LORD ^H3068 came ^H1961 to Samuel ^H8050, saying ^H559,

11 “I regret ^H5162 that I have made ^H4427 Saul ^H7586 king ^H4428, because ^H3588 he has turned ^H7725 back ^H7725 from [fn]following ^H310 Me and has not carried ^H6965 out ^H6965 My commands ^H1697.” And Samuel ^H8050 was ^H2734 furious ^H2734 and cried ^H2199 out ^H2199 to the LORD ^H3068 all ^H3605 night ^H3915. 12 Samuel ^H8050 got ^H7925 up ^H7925 early ^H7925 in the morning ^H1242 to meet ^H7122 Saul ^H7586; and it was reported ^H5046 to Samuel ^H8050, saying ^H559, “Saul ^H7586 came ^H935 to Carmel ^H3760, and behold ^H2009, he set ^H5324 up ^H5324 a monument ^H3027 for himself, then turned ^H5437 and proceeded ^H5674 on ^H5674 [fn]down ^H3381 to Gilgal ^H1537.” 13 So Samuel ^H8050 came ^H935 to Saul ^H7586, and Saul ^H7586 said ^H559 to him, “Blessed ^H1288 are you of the LORD ^H3068! I have carried ^H6965 out ^H6965 the command ^H1697 of the LORD ^H3068.” 14 But Samuel ^H8050 said ^H559, “What ^H4100 then is this ^H2088 [fn]bleating ^H6963 of the sheep ^H6629 in my ears ^H241, and the [fn]bellowing ^H6963 of the oxen ^H1241 which ^H834 I hear ^H8085?” 15 Saul ^H7586 said ^H559, “They have brought ^H935 them from the Amalekites ^H6003, for the people ^H5971 spared ^H2550 the best ^H4315 of the sheep ^H6629 and oxen ^H1241 to sacrifice ^H2076 to the LORD ^H3068 your God ^H430; but the rest ^H3498 we have completely ^H2763 destroyed ^H2763.” 16 Then Samuel ^H8050 said ^H559 to Saul ^H7586, “Stop ^H7503, and let me inform ^H5046 you of what ^H834 the LORD ^H3068 said ^H1696 to me last night ^H3915.” And he said ^H559 to him, “Speak ^H1696!”

17 So Samuel ^H8050 said ^H559, “[fn]Is it not true, though ^H518 you were [fn]insignificant ^H6996 in your own eyes ^H5869, that you became the head ^H7218 of the tribes ^H7626 of Israel ^H3478? For the LORD ^H3068 anointed ^H4886 you as king ^H4428 over ^H5921 Israel ^H3478. 18 And the LORD ^H3068 sent ^H7971 you on a [fn]mission ^H1870, and said ^H559, ‘Go ^H1980 and completely ^H2763 destroy ^H2763 the sinners ^H2400, the Amalekites ^H6002, and fight ^H3898 against them until ^H5704 they are eliminated ^H3615.’ 19 Why ^H4100 then did you not obey ^H8085 the voice ^H6963 of the LORD ^H3068? Instead, you loudly ^H5860 rushed ^H5860 upon the spoils ^H7998 and did ^H6213 what ^H7451 was ^H7451 evil ^H7451 in the sight ^H5869 of the LORD ^H3068!”

20 Then Saul ^H7586 said ^H559 to Samuel ^H8050, “I did obey ^H8085 the voice ^H6963 of the LORD ^H3068, for I went ^H1980 on the [fn]mission ^H1870 on which ^H834 the LORD ^H3068 sent ^H7971 me; and I have brought ^H935 Agag ^H90 the king ^H4428 of Amalek ^H6002, and have completely ^H2763 destroyed ^H2763 the Amalekites ^H6002. 21 But the people ^H5971 took ^H3947 some of the spoils ^H7998, sheep ^H6629 and oxen ^H1241, the choicest ^H7225 of the things ^H2764 designated ^H2764 for ^H2764 destruction ^H2764, to sacrifice ^H2076 to the LORD ^H3068 your God ^H430 at Gilgal ^H1537.” 22 Samuel ^H8050 said ^H559,

“Does the LORD ^H3068 have as much delight ^H2656 in burnt ^H5930 offerings ^H5930 and sacrifices ^H2077

As in obeying ^H8085 the voice ^H6963 of the LORD ^H3068?

Behold ^H2009, to obey ^H8085 is better ^H2896 than ^H4480 a sacrifice ^H2077,

And to pay ^H7181 attention ^H7181 is better than ^H4480 the fat ^H2459 of rams ^H352.

23 “For rebellion ^H4805 is as reprehensible as the sin ^H2403 of divination ^H7081,

And insubordination ^H6484 is as reprehensible as false ^H205 religion ^H205 and idolatry ^H8655.

Since ^H3282 you have rejected ^H3988 the word ^H1697 of the LORD ^H3068,

He has also rejected ^H3988 you from being king ^H4428.”

24 Then Saul ^H7586 said ^H559 to Samuel ^H8050, “I have sinned ^H2398, for I have violated ^H5674 the [fn]command ^H6310 of the LORD ^H3068 and your words ^H1697, because ^H3588 I feared ^H3372 the people ^H5971 and listened ^H8085 to their voice ^H6963. 25 Now ^H6258 then, please ^H4994 pardon ^H5545 my sin ^H2403 and return ^H7725 with me, so that I may worship ^H2331 the LORD ^H3068.” 26 But Samuel ^H8050 said ^H559 to Saul ^H7586, “I will not return ^H7725 with you; for you have rejected ^H3988 the word ^H1697 of the LORD ^H3068, and the LORD ^H3068 has rejected ^H3988 you from being ^H1961 king ^H4428 over ^H5921 Israel ^H3478.” 27 Then Samuel ^H8050 turned ^H5437 to go ^H1980, but Saul grasped ^H2388 the edge ^H3671 of his robe ^H4598, and it tore ^H7167 off ^H7167. 28 So Samuel ^H8050 said ^H559 to him, “The LORD ^H3068 has torn ^H7167 the kingdom ^H4468 of Israel ^H3478 from you today ^H3117 and has given ^H5414 it to your neighbor ^H7453, who is better ^H2896 than ^H4480 you. 29 Also ^H1571 the [fn]Glory ^H5331 of Israel ^H3478 will not lie ^H8266 nor ^H3808 change ^H5162 His mind ^H5162; for He is not a man ^H120, that He would change ^H5162 His mind ^H5162.” 30 Then Saul said ^H559, “I have sinned ^H2398; but please ^H4994 honor ^H3513 me now ^H6258 before ^H5048 the elders ^H2205 of my people ^H5971 and before ^H5048 all Israel ^H3478, and go ^H7725 back ^H7725 with me, so that I may worship ^H2331 the LORD ^H3068 your God ^H430.” 31 So Samuel ^H8050 went ^H7725 back ^H7725 following ^H310 Saul ^H7586, and Saul ^H7586 worshiped ^H2331 the LORD ^H3068.

32 Then Samuel ^H8050 said ^H559, “Bring ^H5066 me Agag ^H90, the king ^H4428 of the Amalekites ^H6002.” And Agag ^H90 came ^H1980 to him [fn]cheerfully ^H4575. And Agag ^H90 said ^H559, “Surely ^H403 the bitterness ^H4751 of death ^H4194 is gone ^H5493!” 33 But Samuel ^H8050 said ^H559, “As your sword ^H2719 has made ^H7921 women ^H802 childless ^H7921, so ^H3651 shall your mother ^H517 be ^H7921 childless ^H7921 among ^H4480 women ^H802.” And Samuel ^H8050 cut ^H8158 Agag ^H90 to ^H8158 pieces ^H8158 before ^H6440 the LORD ^H3068 at Gilgal ^H1537.

34 Then Samuel ^H8050 went ^H1980 to Ramah ^H7414, but Saul ^H7586 went ^H5927 up ^H5927 to his house ^H1004 at Gibeah ^H1390 of Saul ^H7586. 35 And Samuel ^H8050 did not see ^H7200 Saul ^H7586 again ^H3254 until ^H5704 the day ^H3117 of his death ^H4194, though ^H3588 Samuel ^H8050 mourned ^H56 for [fn]Saul ^H7586. And the LORD ^H3068 regretted ^H5162 that He had made ^H4427 Saul ^H7586 king ^H4427 over ^H5921 Israel ^H3478.