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.
Samuel said to Saul, “Yahweh sent me to anoint you king over his people Israel. Now listen to the words of Yahweh.
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.
This is what Yahweh of hosts says, 'I have noted what Amalek did to Israel in opposing them on the way, when they came up from 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 attack Amalek and completely destroy all that they have. Do not spare them, but kill both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.'”
4 So Saul summoned the troops and numbered them at Telaim—200,000 foot soldiers and 10,000 men of Judah.
Saul summoned the people and numbered them at the city of Telaim—two hundred thousand men on foot, and ten thousand men of Judah.
5 Saul came to the city of Amalek and lay in wait in the valley.
Then Saul came to the city of Amalek and waited in the valley.
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 Saul said to the Kenites, “Go, depart, come out from among the Amalekites, so I do not destroy you along with them. For you showed kindness to all the people of Israel, when they came from Egypt.” So the Kenites moved away from the Amalekites.
7 Then Saul struck down the Amalekites all the way from Havilah to Shur, which is east of Egypt.
Then Saul attacked the Amalekites, from Havilah as far as Shur, which is east of Egypt.
8 He captured Agag king of Amalek alive, but devoted all the others to destruction with the sword.
Then he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive; he completely destroyed all the people with 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, as well as the best of the sheep, oxen, fattened calves, and the lambs. Everything that was good, they did not destroy. But they completely destroyed anything that was despised and worthless.
10 Then the word of the LORD came to Samuel, saying,
Then the word of Yahweh came to 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.
“It grieves me that I have made Saul king, for he has turned back from following me and has not performed my commandments.” Samuel was angry; he cried out to Yahweh all 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.”
Samuel got up early to meet Saul in the morning. Samuel was told, “Saul came to Carmel and he set up a monument to himself, then turned and proceeded on down to Gilgal.”
13 When Samuel reached him, Saul said to him, “May the LORD bless you. I have carried out the LORD’s instructions.”
Then Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said to him, “Blessed are you by Yahweh! I have fulfilled the command of Yahweh.”
14 But Samuel replied, “Then what is this bleating of sheep and lowing of cattle that I hear?”
Samuel said, “What then is this bleating of sheep in my ears, and the lowing of the oxen that I 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.”
Saul replied, “They have brought them from the Amalekites. For the people spared the best of the sheep and oxen, to sacrifice to Yahweh your God. The rest we have completely destroyed.”
16 “Stop!” exclaimed Samuel. “Let me tell you what the LORD said to me last night.” “Tell me,” Saul replied.
Then Samuel said to Saul, “Wait, and I will tell you what Yahweh has said to me tonight.” Saul 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
Samuel said, “Though you are little in your own sight, were you not made the head of the tribes of Israel? Then Yahweh anointed you 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.’
and Yahweh sent you on your way and said, 'Go and completely destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are destroyed.'
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?”
Why did you not obey the voice of Yahweh, but instead you seized the booty and did what was evil 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.
Then Saul said to Samuel, “I have indeed obeyed the voice of Yahweh, and have gone on the way that Yahweh sent me. I have captured Agag, the king of Amalek, and have completely destroyed the Amalekites.
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.”
But the people took some of the booty—sheep and oxen, the best of the things devoted to destruction, to sacrifice to Yahweh your 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.
Samuel replied, “Has Yahweh as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of Yahweh? Obedience is better than sacrifice, and to listen is better 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 rebellion is like the sin of divination, and stubbornness is like wickedness and iniquity. Because you have rejected the word of Yahweh, he has also rejected you 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 Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned; for I have broken Yahweh's commandment and your words, because I was afraid of the people and obeyed their voice.
25 Now therefore, please forgive my sin and return with me so I can worship the LORD.”
Now, please pardon my sin, and return with me so that I may worship 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.”
Samuel said to Saul, “I will not go back with you; for you have rejected the word of Yahweh, and Yahweh has rejected you from being king over Israel.”
27 As Samuel turned to go, Saul grabbed the hem of his robe, and it tore.
As Samuel turned to leave, Saul took hold of the hem of his robe, and it tore.
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.
Samuel said to him, “Yahweh has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to a neighbor of yours, one who is better than you.
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.”
Also, the Strength of Israel will not lie nor change his mind; for he is not a man, that he should change his mind.”
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 Saul said, “I have sinned. But please honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel. Turn again with me, that I may worship Yahweh your God.”
31 So Samuel went back with Saul, and Saul worshiped the LORD.
So Samuel turned again after Saul, and Saul worshiped 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 Samuel said, “Bring Agag the king of the Amalekites here to me.” Agag came to him confined with chains and said, “Surely the bitterness of death has past.”
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.
Samuel replied, “As your sword has made women childless, so shall your mother be childless among women.” Then Samuel chopped Agag to pieces before Yahweh at Gilgal.
34 Then Samuel went to Ramah, but Saul went up to his home in Gibeah of Saul.
Samuel went to Ramah, and Saul went up to his 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.
Samuel did not see Saul until the day of his death, for he mourned for Saul. Yahweh was grieved that he had made Saul king over Israel.
