1 Samuel 15
1 Samuel said to Saul, “The LORD sent me to anoint you to be king over his people, over Israel. Now therefore listen to the voice of the LORD’s words.
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 The LORD of Hosts says, ‘I remember what Amalek did to Israel, how he set himself against him on the way when he came up out of 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 strike Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and don’t spare them; but kill both man and woman, infant and nursing baby, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’”
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 Saul summoned the people, and counted them in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen and ten thousand 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 set an ambush in the valley.
And Saul came as far as the city of Amalek, —and stirred up strife in the ravine.
6 Saul said to the Kenites, “Go, depart, go down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them; for you showed kindness to all the children of Israel when they came up out of Egypt.” So the Kenites departed from among 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 Saul struck the Amalekites, from Havilah as you go to Shur, which is before Egypt.
And Saul smote Amalek, —from Havilah, till thou enterest Shur, which is over against Egypt.
8 He took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of 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 But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep, of the cattle, of the fat calves, of the lambs, and all that was good, and were not willing to utterly destroy them; but everything that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly.
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 LORD’s word came to Samuel, saying,
Then came the word of Yahweh unto Samuel, saying—
11 “It grieves me that I have set up Saul to be king, for he has turned back from following me, and has not performed my commandments.” Samuel was angry; and he cried to the LORD all 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 Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning; and Samuel was told, saying, “Saul came to Carmel, and behold, he set up a monument for himself, turned, passed on, and went 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 Samuel came to Saul; and Saul said to him, “You are blessed by the LORD! I have performed the commandment of the LORD.”
And Samuel came unto Saul, —and Saul said unto him—Blessed, be thou by Yahweh: I have established the word of Yahweh.
14 Samuel said, “Then what does this bleating of the sheep in my ears and the lowing of the cattle which I hear mean?”
And Samuel said, What then is this bleating of sheep, in mine ears, —and the lowing of oxen, which I can hear?
15 Saul said, “They have brought them from the Amalekites; for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the cattle, to sacrifice to the LORD your God. We have utterly destroyed the rest.”
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 Then Samuel said to Saul, “Stay, and I will tell you what the LORD said to me last night.” He said to him, “Say on.”
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 Samuel said, “Though you were little in your own sight, weren’t you made 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 the LORD sent you on a journey, and said, ‘Go, and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are consumed.’
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 Why then didn’t you obey the LORD’s voice, but took the plunder, and did that which was evil in the LORD’s sight?”
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 Saul said to Samuel, “But I have obeyed the LORD’s voice, and have gone the way which the LORD sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites.
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 But the people took of the plunder, sheep and cattle, the best of the devoted things, to sacrifice to the LORD your God in 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 Samuel said, “Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the LORD’s voice? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen 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 as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as idolatry and teraphim. Because you have rejected the LORD’s word, he has also rejected you from being 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 Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned; for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD and your words, 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 pardon my sin, and turn again with me, that I may worship the LORD.”
Now, therefore, I pray thee, pardon my sin, —and turn again with me, that I may bow down unto Yahweh.
26 Samuel said to Saul, “I will not return with you; for you have rejected the LORD’s word, and the LORD has rejected you from being 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 around to go away, Saul grabbed the skirt 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 Samuel said to him, “The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today, and has given it to a neighbor of yours 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 Also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent; for he is not a man, that he should repent.”
Moreover also, the Eminence of Israel, will not lie, neither will he repent, —For no, iron of earth, is, he, to repent!
30 Then he said, “I have sinned; yet please honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel, and come back with me, 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 Agag the king of the Amalekites here to me!” Agag came to him cheerfully. Agag said, “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 Samuel said, “As your sword has made women childless, so your mother will be childless among women!” Then Samuel cut Agag in pieces before the LORD in 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; and Saul went up to his house to Gibeah of Saul.
Then Samuel departed unto Ramah, —but, Saul, went up unto his own house, at Gibeah of Saul.
35 Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death, but Samuel mourned for Saul. The LORD grieved 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.
