1 Samuel 15
1 Then Samuel said to Saul, “The LORD sent me to anoint you king over His people Israel. Now therefore, listen to the words of the LORD.
And Samuel said unto Saul, It was, me, Yahweh sent to anoint thee to be king over his people, over Israel, —now, therefore, hearken thou to the voice of Yahweh’s words.
2 This is what the LORD of Hosts says: ‘I witnessed what the Amalekites did to the Israelites when they ambushed them on their way up from Egypt.
Thus, saith Yahweh of hosts, I have well considered what Amalek did unto Israel—how he lay in wait for him in the way, when he came up out of Egypt.
3 Now go and attack the Amalekites and devote to destruction all that belongs to them. Do not spare them, but put to death men and women, children and infants, oxen and sheep, camels and donkeys.’”
Now, go and smite Amalek, and devote ye to destruction all that he hath, and spare him not, —but thou shalt slay both man and woman, both child and suckling, both ox and sheep, both camel and ass.
4 So Saul summoned the troops and numbered them at Telaim—200,000 foot soldiers and 10,000 men of Judah.
So then Saul called together the people, and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen, —and ten thousand men of Judah.
5 Saul came to the city of Amalek and lay in wait in the valley.
And Saul came as far as the city of Amalek, —and stirred up strife in the ravine.
6 And he warned the Kenites, “Since you showed kindness to all the Israelites when they came up out of Egypt, go on and get away from the Amalekites. Otherwise I will sweep you away with them.” So the Kenites moved away from the Amalekites.
Then said Saul unto the Kenites—Go, depart, get you down out of the midst of the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them, yet, ye, dealt in lovingkindness, with all the sons of Israel, when they came up out of Egypt. So the Kenites departed out of the midst of the Amalekites.
7 Then Saul struck down the Amalekites all the way from Havilah to Shur, which is east of Egypt.
And Saul smote Amalek, —from Havilah, till thou enterest Shur, which is over against Egypt.
8 He captured Agag king of Amalek alive, but devoted all the others to destruction with the sword.
And he took Agag, king of Amalek, alive, —but, all the people, devoted he to destruction at the edge of the sword.
9 Saul and his troops spared Agag, along with the best of the sheep and cattle, the fat calves and lambs, and the best of everything else. They were unwilling to destroy them, but they devoted to destruction all that was despised and worthless.
But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep and the oxen and the lambs, also the fatlings, and all that was good, and would not devote them to destruction, —but, all the cattle that was contemptible and diseased, that, devoted they to destruction.
10 Then the word of the LORD came to Samuel, saying,
Then came the word of Yahweh unto Samuel, saying—
11 “I regret that I have made Saul king, for he has turned away from following Me and has not carried out My instructions.” And Samuel was distressed and cried out to the LORD all that night.
I am grieved that I made Saul to be king, for he hath turned back from following me, and, my words, hath he not established. And it was vexing to Samuel, so that he made outcry unto Yahweh, all the night.
12 Early in the morning Samuel got up to confront Saul, but he was told, “Saul has gone to Carmel, and behold, he has set up a monument for himself and has turned and gone down to Gilgal.”
And Samuel rose early to meet Saul, in the morning, and it was told Samuel, saying—Saul having come to Carmel, and lo! having set him up a sign, hath gone round, and passed over, and descended to Gilgal.
13 When Samuel reached him, Saul said to him, “May the LORD bless you. I have carried out the LORD’s instructions.”
And Samuel came unto Saul, —and Saul said unto him—Blessed, be thou by Yahweh: I have established the word of Yahweh.
14 But Samuel replied, “Then what is this bleating of sheep and lowing of cattle that I hear?”
And Samuel said, What then is this bleating of sheep, in mine ears, —and the lowing of oxen, which I can hear?
15 Saul answered, “The troops brought them from the Amalekites; they spared the best sheep and cattle to sacrifice to the LORD your God, but the rest we devoted to destruction.”
Then said Saul—From the Amalekites, have they brought them in; in that the people spared the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, to sacrifice unto Yahweh thy God, —but, the rest, have we devoted to destruction.
16 “Stop!” exclaimed Samuel. “Let me tell you what the LORD said to me last night.” “Tell me,” Saul replied.
Then said Samuel unto Saul, Stay, and let me tell thee, that which Yahweh hath spoken unto me, this night. And he said to him—Speak.
17 And Samuel said, “Although you were once small in your own eyes, have you not become the head of the tribes of Israel? The LORD anointed you king over Israel
And Samuel said, Was it not, when, little, thou wast in thine own eyes, that thou wast made, head of the tribes of Israel, —and that Yahweh anointed thee to be king over Israel?
18 and sent you on a mission, saying, ‘Go and devote to destruction the sinful Amalekites. Fight against them until you have wiped them out.’
So then Yahweh sent thee on a journey, —and said—Go, and devastate to destruction, the sinners—the Amalekites, and make war against them, until they have consumed them.
19 So why did you not obey the LORD? Why did you rush upon the plunder and do evil in the sight of the LORD?”
Wherefore, then, didst thou not hearken unto the voice of Yahweh, —but didst rush upon the spoil, and do that which was wrong in the sight of Yahweh?
20 “But I did obey the LORD,” Saul replied. “I went on the mission that the LORD gave me. I brought back Agag king of Amalek and devoted the Amalekites to destruction.
And Saul said unto Samuel—As indeed I have hearkened unto the voice of Yahweh, and have been on the journey on which Yahweh sent me, —and have brought in Agag, king of Amalek, and, the Amalekites, have I devoted to destruction.
21 The troops took sheep and cattle from the plunder, the best of the things devoted to destruction, in order to sacrifice them to the LORD your God at Gilgal.”
And the people took, of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the things so devoted, —to sacrifice unto Yahweh thy God, in Gilgal.
22 But Samuel declared: “Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obedience to His voice? Behold, obedience is better than sacrifice, and attentiveness is better than the fat of rams.
Then said Samuel—Doth that which is pleasing unto Yahweh consist in ascending-offerings and sacrifices, So much as in hearkening unto the voice of Yahweh? Lo! to hearken, is, better, than, sacrifice. And, to give heed, than, the fat of rams;
23 For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance is like the wickedness of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He has rejected you as king.”
For, as the sin of divination, is, rebelliousness, —and, as transgression with household gods, is, stubbornness, —Because thou hast rejected the word of Yahweh, therefore hath he rejected thee from being king.
24 Then Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned; I have transgressed the LORD’s commandment and your instructions, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice.
Then said Saul unto Samuel—I have sinned; for I have transgressed the bidding of Yahweh, and thy words, —for I feared the people, and hearkened unto their voice.
25 Now therefore, please forgive my sin and return with me so I can worship the LORD.”
Now, therefore, I pray thee, pardon my sin, —and turn again with me, that I may bow down unto Yahweh.
26 “I will not return with you,” Samuel replied. “For you have rejected the word of the LORD, and He has rejected you as king over Israel.”
And Samuel said unto Saul, I will not turn again with thee, —Because thou hast rejected the word of Yahweh, therefore hath Yahweh rejected thee from being king over Israel.
27 As Samuel turned to go, Saul grabbed the hem of his robe, and it tore.
And, when Samuel turned about to go away, then laid he hold of the skirt of his robe, and it was rent.
28 So Samuel said to him, “The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to your neighbor who is better than you.
And Samuel said unto him, Yahweh hath rent the kingdom of Israel from off thee, to-day, —and will give it unto a neighbour of thine, who is better than thou.
29 Moreover, the Glory of Israel does not lie or change His mind, for He is not a man, that He should change His mind.”
Moreover also, the Eminence of Israel, will not lie, neither will he repent, —For no, iron of earth, is, he, to repent!
30 “I have sinned,” Saul replied. “Please honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel. Come back with me, so that I may worship the LORD your God.”
Then he said: I have sinned, Now, honour me, I pray thee, before the elders of my people, and before Israel, —and turn again with me, then will I bow down unto Yahweh thy God.
31 So Samuel went back with Saul, and Saul worshiped the LORD.
So then Samuel turned again, after Saul—and Saul bowed down unto Yahweh.
32 Then Samuel said, “Bring me Agag king of the Amalekites.” Agag came to him cheerfully, for he thought, “Surely the bitterness of death is past.”
Then said Samuel—Bring ye near unto me—Agag, king of Amalek, And Agag came unto him, in fetters. Then said Agag, Surely, terrible, is the bitterness of death!
33 But Samuel declared: “As your sword has made women childless, so your mother will be childless among women.” And Samuel hacked Agag to pieces before the LORD at Gilgal.
And Samuel said, As women have been made childless by thy sword, So, childless among women, shall be, thine own mother. And Samuel cut Agag asunder before Yahweh, in Gilgal.
34 Then Samuel went to Ramah, but Saul went up to his home in Gibeah of Saul.
Then Samuel departed unto Ramah, —but, Saul, went up unto his own house, at Gibeah of Saul.
35 And to the day of his death, Samuel never again visited Saul. Samuel mourned for Saul, and the LORD regretted that He had made Saul king over Israel.
And Samuel did no more see Saul, until the day of his death, for Samuel pined for Saul, —but, Yahweh, was grieved that he had made Saul king over Israel.
