1 Samuel 15
1 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.
And Samuel said to Saul: “The Lord sent me, so that I would anoint you as king over his people Israel. Now therefore, listen to the voice of the Lord.
2 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.
‘Thus says the Lord of hosts: I have taken account of all that Amalek has done to Israel, how he stood against him in the way, when he ascended from Egypt.
3 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.
Now therefore, go and strike Amalek, and demolish all that is his. You shall not spare him, and you shall not covet anything out of the things that are his. Instead, kill from man even to woman, and little ones as well as infants, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’”
4 So then Saul called together the people, and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen, —and ten thousand men of Judah.
And so, Saul instructed the people, and he numbered them like lambs: two hundred thousand foot soldiers, and ten thousand men of Judah.
5 And Saul came as far as the city of Amalek, —and stirred up strife in the ravine.
And when Saul had arrived as far as the city of Amalek, he placed ambushes at the torrent.
6 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.
And Saul said to the Kenite: “Go away, withdraw, and descend from Amalek. Otherwise, I will include you with him. For you showed mercy to all the sons of Israel, when they ascended from Egypt.” And so the Kenite withdrew from the midst of Amalek.
7 And Saul smote Amalek, —from Havilah, till thou enterest Shur, which is over against Egypt.
And Saul struck down Amalek, from Havilah even until you arrive at Shur, which is opposite the region of Egypt.
8 And he took Agag, king of Amalek, alive, —but, all the people, devoted he to destruction at the edge of the sword.
And he apprehended Agag, the king of Amalek, alive. But all the common people he put to death with the edge of the sword.
9 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.
And Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the flocks of sheep, and of the herds, and the garments, and the rams, and all that was beautiful, and they were not willing to destroy them. Yet truly, whatever was vile or worthless, these they demolished.
10 Then came the word of Yahweh unto Samuel, saying—
Then the word of the Lord came to Samuel, saying
11 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.
“It displeases me that I have appointed Saul as king. For he has forsaken me, and he has not fulfilled the work of my words.” And Samuel was greatly saddened, and he cried out to the Lord, all night long
12 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.
And when Samuel had risen while it was still dark, so that he might go to Saul in the morning, it was reported to Samuel that Saul had arrived at Carmel, and that he had erected for himself a triumphant arch. And, while returning, he had continued on and descended to Gilgal. Therefore, Samuel went to Saul. And Saul was offering a holocaust to the Lord, from the best of the spoils, which he had brought from Amalek.
13 And Samuel came unto Saul, —and Saul said unto him—Blessed, be thou by Yahweh: I have established the word of Yahweh.
And when Samuel had gone to Saul, Saul said to him: “You are the blessed of the Lord. I have fulfilled the word of the Lord.”
14 And Samuel said, What then is this bleating of sheep, in mine ears, —and the lowing of oxen, which I can hear?
And Samuel said, “Then what is this voice of the flocks, which resounds in my ears, and of the herds, which I am hearing?”
15 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.
And Saul said: “They have brought these from Amalek. For the people spared the best of the sheep and of the herds, so that they might be immolated to the Lord your God. Yet truly, the remainder we have slain.”
16 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.
Then Samuel said to Saul, “Permit me, and I will reveal to you what the Lord has said to me this night.” And he said to him, “Speak.”
17 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?
And Samuel said: “Was it not when you were little in your own eyes that you were made the head of the tribes of Israel? And the Lord anointed you as king over Israel.
18 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.
And the Lord sent you on the way, and he said: ‘Go and put to death the sinners of Amalek. And you shall fight against them, even unto utter annihilation.’
19 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?
Why then, did you not listen to the voice of the Lord? Instead, you turned to the spoils, and you did evil in the eyes of the Lord.”
20 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.
And Saul said to Samuel: “On the contrary, I did listen to the voice of the Lord, and I walked in the way along which the Lord sent me, and I led back Agag, the king of Amalek, and I put to death Amalek.
21 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.
But the people took some of the spoils, sheep and oxen, as the first-fruits of those things that were slain, to immolate to the Lord their God at Gilgal.”
22 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;
And Samuel said: “Does the Lord want holocausts and victims, and not instead that the voice of the Lord should be obeyed? For obedience is better than sacrifice. And to heed is greater than to offer the fat of rams.
23 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.
Therefore, it is like the sin of paganism to rebel. And it is like the crime of idolatry to refuse to obey. For this reason, therefore, because you have rejected the word of the Lord, the Lord has also rejected you from being king.”
24 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.
And Saul said to Samuel: “I have sinned, for I have transgressed the word of the Lord, and your words, by fearing the people and obeying their voice.
25 Now, therefore, I pray thee, pardon my sin, —and turn again with me, that I may bow down unto Yahweh.
But now, I beg you, to bear my sin, and to return with me, so that I may adore the Lord.”
26 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.
And Samuel said to Saul: “I will not return with you. For you have rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord has rejected you from being king over Israel.”
27 And, when Samuel turned about to go away, then laid he hold of the skirt of his robe, and it was rent.
And Samuel turned away, so that he might depart. But Saul took hold of the edge of his cloak, and it tore.
28 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.
And Samuel said to him: “The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel away from you this day. And he has delivered it to your neighbor, who is better than you are.
29 Moreover also, the Eminence of Israel, will not lie, neither will he repent, —For no, iron of earth, is, he, to repent!
Moreover, the One who triumphs within Israel will not spare, and he will not be moved to repentance. For he is not a man, that he should repent.”
30 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.
Then he said: “I have sinned. But now, honor me before the elders of my people, and before Israel, and return with me, so that I may adore the Lord your God.”
31 So then Samuel turned again, after Saul—and Saul bowed down unto Yahweh.
Therefore, Samuel turned again after Saul. And Saul adored the Lord.
32 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!
And Samuel said, “Bring near to me Agag, the king of Amalek.” And Agag, very fat and trembling, was presented to him. And Agag said, “Does bitter death separate in this manner?”
33 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.
And Samuel said, “Just as your sword caused women to be without their children, so will your mother be without her children among women.” And Samuel cut him into pieces, before the Lord at Gilgal.
34 Then Samuel departed unto Ramah, —but, Saul, went up unto his own house, at Gibeah of Saul.
Then Samuel went away to Ramah. But Saul ascended to his house at Gibeah.
35 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.
And Samuel did not see Saul any more, until the day of his death. Yet truly, Samuel mourned for Saul, because the Lord regretted that he had appointed him as king over Israel.
