I Samuel Chapter 15

I Samuel 15 — English translation

Translation: THE JPS TANAKH: Gender-Sensitive Edition. Verse numbers match the Hebrew text below.

1. 1Samuel said to Saul, “I am the one G OD sent to anoint you king over Israel—God’s people. Therefore, listen to G OD ’s command!
2. 2“Thus said G OD of Hosts: I am exacting the penalty for what Amalek did to Israel, for the assault he made upon them on the road, on their way up from Egypt.
3. 3Now go, attack Amalek, and proscribe all that belongs to him. Spare no one, but kill alike men and women, infants and sucklings, oxen and sheep, camels and donkeys!”
4. 4Saul mustered the troops and enrolled them at Telaim: 200,000 men on foot, and 10,000 as Judah’s contingent.
5. 5Then Saul advanced as far as the city of Amalek and lay in wait in the wadi.
6. 6Saul said to the Kenites, “Come, withdraw at once from among the Amalekites, that I may not destroy you along with them; for you showed kindness to all the Israelites when they left Egypt.” So the Kenites withdrew from among the Amalekites.
7. 7Saul destroyed Amalek from Havilah all the way to Shur, which is close to Egypt,
8. 8and he captured King Agag of Amalek alive. He proscribed all the people, putting them to the sword;
9. 9but Saul and the troops spared Agag and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the second-born, the lambs, and all else that was of value. They would not proscribe them; they proscribed only what was cheap and worthless.
10. 10The word of G OD then came to Samuel:
11. 11“I regret that I made Saul king, for he has turned away from Me and has not carried out My commands.” Samuel was distressed and he entreated G OD all night long.
12. 12Early in the morning Samuel went to meet Saul. Samuel was told, “Saul went to Carmel, where he erected a monument for himself; then he left and went on down to Gilgal.”
13. 13When Samuel came to Saul, Saul said to him, “Blessed are you of G OD ! I have fulfilled G OD ’s command.”
14. 14“Then what,” demanded Samuel, “is this bleating of sheep in my ears, and the lowing of oxen that I hear?”
15. 15Saul answered, “They were brought from the Amalekites, for the troops spared the choicest of the sheep and oxen for sacrificing to the E TERNAL your God. And we proscribed the rest.”
16. 16Samuel said to Saul, “Stop! Let me tell you what G OD said to me last night!” “Speak,” he replied.
17. 17And Samuel said, “You may look small to yourself, but you are the head of the tribes of Israel. G OD anointed you king over Israel,
18. 18and G OD sent you on a mission, saying, ‘Go and proscribe the sinful Amalekites; make war on them until you have exterminated them.’
19. 19Why did you disobey G OD and swoop down on the spoil in defiance of G OD ’s will?”
20. 20Saul said to Samuel, “But I did obey G OD ! I performed the mission on which G OD sent me: I captured King Agag of Amalek, and I proscribed Amalek,
21. 21and the troops took from the spoil some sheep and oxen—the best of what had been proscribed—to sacrifice to the E TERNAL your God at Gilgal.”
22. 22But Samuel said: “Does G OD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices As much as in obedience to G OD ’s command? Surely, obedience is better than sacrifice, Compliance than the fat of rams.
23. 23For rebellion is like the sin of divination, Defiance, like the iniquity of oracle idols. Because you rejected G OD ’s command, [God] has rejected you as king.”
24. 24Saul said to Samuel, “I did wrong to transgress G OD ’s command and your instructions; but I was afraid of the troops and I yielded to them.
25. 25Please, forgive my offense and come back with me, and I will bow low to G OD .”
26. 26But Samuel said to Saul, “I will not go back with you; for you have rejected G OD ’s command, and G OD has rejected you as king over Israel.”
27. 27As Samuel turned to leave, Saul seized the corner of his robe, and it tore.
28. 28And Samuel said to him, “G OD has this day torn the kingship over Israel away from you and has given it to another who is worthier than you.
29. 29Moreover, the Glory of Israel does not deceive or have a change of heart, for [God] is not human to have a change of heart.”
30. 30But [Saul] pleaded, “I did wrong. Please, honor me in the presence of the elders of my people and in the presence of Israel, and come back with me until I have bowed low to the E TERNAL your God.”
31. 31So Samuel followed Saul back, and Saul bowed low to G OD .
32. 32Samuel said, “Bring forward to me King Agag of Amalek.” Agag approached him with faltering steps;, “to falter”; cf. Septuagint. and Agag said, “Ah, bitter death is at hand!”
33. 33Samuel said: “As your sword has bereaved women, So shall your mother be bereaved among women.” And Samuel cut Agag down before G OD at Gilgal.
34. 34Samuel then departed for Ramah, and Saul went up to his home at Gibeah of Saul.
35. 35Samuel never saw Saul again to the day of his death. But Samuel grieved over Saul, because G OD regretted having made Saul king over Israel.

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