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OEB 1SA Chapter 15

15 Samuel said to Saul, ‘The Lord sent me to anoint you to be king over his people Israel. Now listen to the words of the Lord. 2 This says the Lord of armies: “I have determined to punish the Amalekites for wha they did to Israel, in opposing them as they came up out of Egypt. 3 Now go and attack Amalek and utterly destroy all that they have. Spare no one but slay both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.” ’

4 So Saul summoned the people and mustered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand foot soldiers and ten thousand from Judah. 5 When Saul came to the city of Amalek, he lay in wait in the valley. 6 Saul said to the Kenites, ‘Go away, withdraw from among the Amalekites, or I will destroy you with them, for you showed kindness to all the Israelites when they came up from Egypt.’ So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites. 7 And Saul struck the Amalekites from Havilah as far as Shur, which is east of Egypt. 8 He took Agag the king of Amalek alive and completely destroyed all the people with the sword. 9 But Saul and his army spared Agag and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the fat beasts, the lambs, and all that was good, and would not completely destroy them. But everything that was worthless and despised they completely destroyed.

10 Then the word of the Lord came to Samuel saying, 11 ‘I repent of making Saul king, because he has turned from following me and has not carried out my commands.’ And Samuel was angry and cried to the Lord all night. 12 Early in the morning Samuel rose to meet Saul. Then Samuel was told, ‘Saul came to Carmel and has just set up a monument to himself and has turned and passed on and gone down to Gilgal.’ 13 When Samuel came to Saul, Saul said to him, ‘Blessed be you of the Lord! I have fulfilled the command of the Lord.’ 14 And Samuel said, ‘What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears and the lowing of the cattle which I hear?’ 15 And Saul said, ‘They have brought them from the Amalekites, for the people spared the best off the sheep and of the oxen to sacrifice to the Lord your God, and the rest we have completely destroyed.’ 16 Then Samuel said to ‘Saul, Stop! and let me tell you what the Lord has said to me this night.’ He said to him, ‘Speak.’

17 Samuel said, ‘Though you are little in your own sight, are you not the head of the tribes of Israel? And the Lord anointed you king over Israel, 18 and the Lord sent you on an expedition and said, “Go, and completely destroy the sinners of Amalek and fight against them until they are consumed.” 19 Why then did you not obey the voice of the Lord and why did you swoop upon the spoil and displease the Lord?’ 20 And Saul said to Samuel, ‘I have obeyed the voice of the Lord and have gone on the expedition which the Lord sent me on and have brought back Agag the king of the Amalekites and have completely destroyed the Amalekites. 21 But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the best of the things which were placed under the ban, to sacrifice to the Lord your God in Gilgal.’ 22 And Samuel said, ‘Does the Lord delight in burnt-offerings and sacrifices as in obedience to the voice of the Lord? Behold to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams. 23 For rebellion is as bad as the sin of divination, and obstinacy as idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has rejected you from being king.’ 24 And Saul said to Samuel, ‘I have sinned, for I have transgressed the command of the Lord and your words because I feared the people and listened to their voice. 25 Now therefore pardon for my sin and turn back with me, that I may worship the Lord.’ 26 But Samuel said to Saul, ‘I will not turn back with you, for you have rejected the word of the Lord and the Lord has rejected you from being king over Israel.’ 27 As Samuel turned to go away, Saul seized the skirt of his robe, but it tore. 28 Then Samuel said to him, ‘The Lord has today torn the kingdom of Israel from you and has given it to your neighbor who is better than you. 29 Moreover the Glory of Israel will not lie nor repent, for he is not a mortal that he should change his mind.’ 30 Then Saul said, ‘I have sinned, yet honour me now at least before the elders of my people and before Israel, and turn back with me, so that I may worship the Lord your God.’ 31 So Samuel turned back and followed Saul, while Saul worshipped the Lord.

32 Then Samuel said, ‘Bring here to me Agag the king of the Amalekites.’ And Agag came to him trembling and said, ‘Surely death is bitter.’ 33 Samuel said, ‘As your sword has bereaved women, so will your mother be the most bereaved of women.’ Then Samuel hewed Agag in pieces before the Lord in Gilgal.

34 Then Samuel went to Ramah, but Saul went up to his house to Gibeah of Saul. 35 And Samuel did not see Saul again until the day of his death, for Samuel grieved over Saul. Now the Lord repented that he had made Saul king over Israel.

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