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 says to Saul, “YHWH sent me to anoint you for king over His people, over Israel; and now, listen to the voice of the words of YHWH.
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 said YHWH of Hosts: I have looked after that which Amalek did to Israel, that which he laid for him in the way in his going up out of 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 go, and you have struck Amalek, and devoted all that he has, and you have no pity on him, and have put to death from man to woman, from infant to suckling, from ox to sheep, from camel to 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 Saul summons the people, and inspects them in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen, and ten thousand [are] men of Judah.
5 And Saul came as far as the city of Amalek, —and stirred up strife in the ravine.
And Saul comes to a city of Amalek, and lays wait in a valley;
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 says to the Kenite, “Go, turn aside, go down from the midst of Amalek, lest I consume you with it, and you did kindness with all the sons of Israel, in their going up out of Egypt”; and the Kenite turns aside from the midst of Amalek.
7 And Saul smote Amalek, —from Havilah, till thou enterest Shur, which is over against Egypt.
And Saul strikes Amalek from Havilah [to] your going to Shur, which [is] on the front 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 catches Agag king of Amalek alive, and he has devoted all the people by the mouth 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 has pity—also the people—on Agag, and on the best of the flock, and of the herd, and of the seconds, and on the lambs, and on all that [is] good, and have not been willing to devote them; and all the work, despised and wasted—it they devoted.
10 Then came the word of Yahweh unto Samuel, saying—
And the word of YHWH is 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.
“I have regretted that I caused Saul to reign for king, for he has turned back from after Me, and he has not performed My words”; and it is displeasing to Samuel, and he cries to YHWH all the night.
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 Samuel rises early to meet Saul in the morning, and it is declared to Samuel, saying, “Saul has come to Carmel, and behold, he is setting up a monument to himself, and goes around, and passes over, and goes down to Gilgal.”
13 And Samuel came unto Saul, —and Saul said unto him—Blessed, be thou by Yahweh: I have established the word of Yahweh.
And Samuel comes to Saul, and Saul says to him, “Blessed [are] you of YHWH; I have performed the word of YHWH.”
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 says, “And what [is] the noise of this flock in my ears—and the noise of the herd 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 says, “They have brought them from Amalek, because the people had pity on the best of the flock, and of the herd, in order to sacrifice to your God YHWH, and we have devoted the remnant.”
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.
And Samuel says to Saul, “Desist, and I declare to you that which YHWH has spoken to me tonight”; and he says 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 says, “Are you not, if you [are] little in your own eyes, head of the tribes of Israel? And YHWH anoints you for 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 YHWH sends you in the way, and says, Go, and you have devoted the sinners, the Amalekite, and fought against them until they are consumed;
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?
and why have you not listened to the voice of YHWH—and fly to the spoil, and do evil in the eyes of YHWH?”
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 says to Samuel, “Because—I have listened to the voice of YHWH, and I go in the way which YHWH has sent me, and bring in Agag king of Amalek, and I have devoted 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.
and the people take of the spoil of the flock and herd, the first part of the devoted thing, for sacrifice to your God YHWH in 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 says, “Has YHWH had delight in burnt-offerings and sacrifices as [in] listening to the voice of YHWH? Behold, listening is better than sacrifice; to give attention than 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.
for rebellion [is as] a sin of divination, and stubbornness [is as] iniquity and teraphim; because you have rejected the word of YHWH, He also rejects 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 says to Samuel, “I have sinned, for I passed over the command of YHWH, and your words; because I have feared the people, I also listen to their voice;
25 Now, therefore, I pray thee, pardon my sin, —and turn again with me, that I may bow down unto Yahweh.
and now, please bear with my sin, and return with me, and I bow myself to YHWH.”
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 says to Saul, “I do not return with you; for you have rejected the word of YHWH, and YHWH rejects 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 turns around to go, and he lays hold on the skirt of his upper robe—and it is torn!
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 says to him, “YHWH has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today, and given it to your neighbor who is better than you;
29 Moreover also, the Eminence of Israel, will not lie, neither will he repent, —For no, iron of earth, is, he, to repent!
and also, the Preeminence of Israel does not lie nor relent, for He [is] not a man that He should relent.”
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.
And he says, “I have sinned; now please honor me before [the] elderly of my people and before Israel, and return with me; and I have bowed myself to your God YHWH.”
31 So then Samuel turned again, after Saul—and Saul bowed down unto Yahweh.
And Samuel turns back after Saul, and Saul bows himself to YHWH;
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 says, “Bring Agag king of Amalek to me,” and Agag comes to him daintily, and Agag says, “Surely the bitterness of death has turned aside.”
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 says, “As your sword bereaved women—so is your mother bereaved above women”; and Samuel hews Agag in pieces before YHWH in Gilgal.
34 Then Samuel departed unto Ramah, —but, Saul, went up unto his own house, at Gibeah of Saul.
And Samuel goes to Ramath, and Saul has gone to his house—to Gibeah of Saul.
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 has not added to see Saul until the day of his death, for Samuel mourned for Saul, and YHWH regretted that He had caused Saul to reign over Israel.
