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.
[One day] Samuel said to Saul, “Yahweh sent me to appoint you to be the king of the Israeli people. So now listen to this message from Yahweh:
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.
Yahweh, [the commander] of the armies [of angels] has declared this: ‘I am going to punish [the descendants of] Amalek for [attacking] the Israeli people after the Israelis left 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.
So now go [with your army] and attack the Amalek people-group. Destroy them completely—destroy them and everything that belongs to them—the men and women, their children and infants, their cattle and sheep and camels and donkeys. Do not (spare any of them/allow any of them to remain alive)!’”
4 So then Saul called together the people, and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen, —and ten thousand men of Judah.
So Saul summoned the army, and they gathered at Telaim [town]. There were 200,000 soldiers. 10,000 of them were from Judah, [and the others were from the other Israeli tribes].
5 And Saul came as far as the city of Amalek, —and stirred up strife in the ravine.
Then Saul went [with his army] to a town where some of the Amalek people-group lived. [His army prepared to attack them suddenly by] hiding in the 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.
Then Saul sent this message to the Ken people-group [who lived in that area]: “You acted kindly toward all our Israeli [ancestors] when they left Egypt. But we are going to kill all of the Amalek people-group, [because they opposed/attacked our ancestors]. So move away from where the Amalek people-group live. [If you do not move away], you will be killed when they are killed.” So [when] the Ken people-group [heard that, they immediately] left that area.
7 And Saul smote Amalek, —from Havilah, till thou enterest Shur, which is over against Egypt.
Then Saul’s [army] slaughtered the Amalek people-group, from Havilah [town in the east] to Shur [town in the west]. Shur was at the border [between Israel and] Egypt.
8 And he took Agag, king of Amalek, alive, —but, all the people, devoted he to destruction at the edge of the sword.
Saul’s army captured Agag, the king of the Amalek people-group, but they killed everyone else.
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.
They not only (spared/did not kill) Agag, but they also took the best sheep and goats and cattle. They took everything that was good. They destroyed only the animals that they considered to be worthless.
10 Then came the word of Yahweh unto Samuel, saying—
Then Yahweh said to Samuel,
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 am sorry that I appointed Saul to be your king, because he has turned away from me and has not obeyed what I commanded him to do.” Samuel was very disturbed/upset [when he heard that], and he cried out to Yahweh all that 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.
Early the next morning, Samuel got up and went to talk with Saul. But someone told Samuel, “Saul went to Camel [city], where he has set up a monument to honor himself. Now he has left there and gone 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.
When Samuel arrived [at Gilgal] he approached Saul, and Saul said to him, “I wish/desire that Yahweh will bless you! I have obeyed what Yahweh told me to do.”
14 And Samuel said, What then is this bleating of sheep, in mine ears, —and the lowing of oxen, which I can hear?
But Samuel replied, “If that is true, why is it that I hear cattle mooing and I hear sheep bleating?”
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.
Saul replied, “The soldiers took them from the Amalek people-group. They saved the best sheep and cattle, in order to offer them as sacrifices to Yahweh, your God. But we have completely destroyed all the others.”
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.
Samuel said to Saul, “Stop [talking]! Allow me to tell you what Yahweh said to me last night.” Saul replied, “Tell me [what he said].”
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?
Samuel said, “Previously you did not think that you were important. But now you have become [RHQ] the leader of the tribes of Israel. Yahweh appointed you to be their king.
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 Yahweh sent you to do something [for him]. He said to you, ‘Go and get rid of all those sinful people, the Amalek people-group. Attack them and kill all of them.’
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?
So why did you not obey Yahweh [RHQ]? Why did your men take the best animals [RHQ]? Why did you do what Yahweh said was evil?” [RHQ]
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.
Saul replied to Samuel, “Hey, I did what Yahweh sent me to do! I brought back King Agag, but we killed everyone else!
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.
My men brought back only the best sheep and cattle and other things, in order to sacrifice them to Yahweh your God here 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;
But Samuel replied, “Which [do you think] pleases Yahweh more, animals that are completely burned [on the altar] and other sacrifices, or people obeying him [SYN]? It is better to obey [Yahweh] than [to offer] sacrifices [to him]. It is better to pay attention to what he says than [to burn] the fat of rams, [even though God said they should be sacrificed to him].
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.
To rebel [against God] is as sinful as doing sorcery/black magic, and being stubborn is as sinful as worshiping idols. So, because you disobeyed what Yahweh told you to do, he has declared that you will no longer be 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.
Then Saul said to Samuel, “[Yes], I have sinned. I disobeyed what you told me to do, which is what Yahweh commanded. I did that because I was (afraid of/worried about) what my men would say [if I did not do what they wanted]. So I did what they demanded.
25 Now, therefore, I pray thee, pardon my sin, —and turn again with me, that I may bow down unto Yahweh.
But now, please forgive me for having sinned. And come back with me [to where the people are] in order that I may worship Yahweh.”
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.
But Samuel replied, “No, I will not go back with you. You have rejected/disobeyed what Yahweh commanded you to do. So he has rejected you, [and declared that you will no longer] be the king of Israel. [So I do not want to talk any more with you].”
27 And, when Samuel turned about to go away, then laid he hold of the skirt of his robe, and it was rent.
As Samuel turned to leave, Saul tried to stop him by grabbing the edge of Samuel’s robe, 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.
Samuel said to him, “[You tore my robe! And] today Yahweh has torn away from you the kingdom of Israel! He will appoint someone else to be king, someone who is a better man 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!
And since the one who is the glorious [God] of the Israeli people does not lie, he will not change (his mind/what he has said). Humans sometimes change their minds, but God does not do that, because he is not a human.”
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 Saul [pleaded again. He] said, “I know that I have sinned. But please honor me in front of the leaders of the Israeli people and in front of all the other Israeli people by coming back [to them] with me in order that I may worship Yahweh your God.”
31 So then Samuel turned again, after Saul—and Saul bowed down unto Yahweh.
So Samuel finally agreed to do that, and they went together back [to where the people were], and Saul worshiped Yahweh there.
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!
Then Samuel said, “Bring King Agag to me.” So they brought Agag to him. Agag was confidently expecting that they would spare him/not kill him. He was thinking, “Surely I will not have to endure an agonizing death!”
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.
But Samuel said to him, “You have killed the sons of many women with your sword, so now your mother will no longer have a son.” And Samuel cut Agag into pieces [with his sword], there at Gilgal, in the presence of Yahweh.
34 Then Samuel departed unto Ramah, —but, Saul, went up unto his own house, at Gibeah of Saul.
Then Samuel left there and returned to his home in Ramah, and Saul went to his home in 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.
Samuel never saw Saul again, but he was very sad about [what] Saul [had done]. And Yahweh was very sorry that he had appointed Saul to be the king of Israel.
