1 Samuel 15
1 And Samuel saith unto Saul, 'Me did Jehovah send to anoint thee for king over His people, over Israel; and now, hearken to the voice of the words of Jehovah:
Samuel told Saul, “The Lord sent me to anoint you king of his people Israel. So now pay attention to what the Lord has to say.
2 'Thus said Jehovah 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.
This is what the Lord Almighty says: I observed what the Amalekites did to Israel when they ambushed them on their way from Egypt.
3 Now, go, and thou hast smitten Amalek, and devoted all that it hath, and thou hast no pity on it, and hast put to death from man unto woman, from infant unto suckling, from ox unto sheep, from camel unto ass.'
Go and attack the Amalekites and exterminate all of them. Don't spare anyone, but kill every man, woman, child, and baby; every ox, sheep, camel, and donkey.”
4 And Saul summoneth the people, and inspecteth them in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen, and ten thousand [are] men of Judah.
Saul called up his army at Telem. There were 200,000 Israelite infantry and 10,000 men from Judah.
5 And Saul cometh in unto a city of Amalek, and layeth wait in a valley;
Saul advanced on the town of Amalek and set up an ambush in the valley.
6 and Saul saith unto the Kenite, 'Go, turn aside, go down from the midst of Amalek, lest I consume thee with it, and thou didst kindness with all the sons of Israel, in their going up out of Egypt;' and the Kenite turneth aside from the midst of Amalek.
Saul sent a message to warn the Kenites, “Move out of the area and leave the Amalekites so that I don't destroy you with them, because you showed kindness to all the people of Israel on their way from Egypt.” So the Kenites moved away and left the Amalekites.
7 And Saul smiteth Amalek from Havilah — thy going in to Shur, which [is] on the front of Egypt,
Saul defeated the Amalekites from Havilah as far as Shur, to the east of Egypt.
8 and he catcheth Agag king of Amalek alive, and all the people he hath devoted by the mouth of the sword;
He captured Agag, king of Amalek, alive, but exterminated all the people by the sword.
9 and Saul hath 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.
Saul and his army spared Agag, together with the best sheep and cattle, the fat calves and lambs, and everything else that was any good. They didn't want to destroy those, but they completely destroyed all that was unwanted and worthless.
10 And the word of Jehovah is unto Samuel, saying,
The Lord sent a message to Samuel, saying,
11 'I have repented that I caused Saul to reign for king, for he hath turned back from after Me, and My words he hath not performed;' and it is displeasing to Samuel, and he crieth unto Jehovah all the night.
“I'm sorry I made Saul king, for he has given up following me and hasn't done as I ordered.” Samuel was upset, and he cried out to the Lord all through the night.
12 And Samuel riseth early to meet Saul in the morning, and it is declared to Samuel, saying, 'Saul hath come in to Carmel, and lo, he is setting up to himself a monument, and goeth round, and passeth over, and goeth down to Gilgal.'
Samuel got up early in the morning and went to meet Saul, but he was told, “Saul's gone to Carmel. There he's even erected a monument to honor himself, and now he's left and gone down to Gilgal.”
13 And Samuel cometh in unto Saul, and Saul saith to him, 'Blessed [art] thou of Jehovah; I have performed the word of Jehovah.'
When Samuel caught up with him, Saul said, “The Lord bless you! I have done what the Lord ordered.”
14 And Samuel saith, 'And what [is] the noise of this flock in mine ears — and the noise of the herd which I am hearing?'
“So what's this bleating of sheep my ears are picking up? What's this lowing of cattle that I'm hearing?” Samuel asked.
15 And Saul saith, 'From Amalek they have brought them, because the people had pity on the best of the flock, and of the herd, in order to sacrifice to Jehovah thy God, and the remnant we have devoted.'
“The army brought them from the Amalekites,” Saul replied. “They spared the best sheep and cattle to sacrifice to the Lord your God, but we completely destroyed the rest.”
16 And Samuel saith unto Saul, 'Desist, and I declare to thee that which Jehovah hath spoken unto me to-night;' and he saith to him, 'Speak.'
“Oh, be quiet!” Samuel told Saul. “Let me tell you what the Lord told me last night.” “Tell me what he said,” Saul replied.
17 And Samuel saith, 'Art not thou, if thou [art] little in thine own eyes, head of the tribes of Israel? and Jehovah doth anoint thee for king over Israel,
“Once you didn't use to think much of yourself, but haven't you become the leader of the tribes of Israel?” Samuel asked. “The Lord anointed you king of Israel.
18 and Jehovah sendeth thee in the way, and saith, Go, and thou hast devoted the sinners, the Amalekite, and fought against them till they are consumed;
Then he sent you out to do something, telling you, ‘Go and exterminate those sinners, the Amalekites. Attack them until they're all destroyed.’
19 and why hast thou not hearkened to the voice of Jehovah — and dost fly unto the spoil, and dost do the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah?'
Why didn't you do what the Lord ordered? Why did you swoop down on the plunder and do what was evil in the Lord's sight?”
20 And Saul saith unto Samuel, 'Because — I have hearkened to the voice of Jehovah, and I go in the way which Jehovah hath sent me, and bring in Agag king of Amalek, and Amalek I have devoted;
“But I did do what the Lord ordered!” Saul replied. “I went and did what the Lord sent me to do. I brought back Agag, king of Amalek, and completely destroyed the Amalekites.
21 and the people taketh of the spoil of the flock and herd, the first part of the devoted thing, for sacrifice to Jehovah thy God in Gilgal.'
The army took sheep and cattle from the plunder, the best of what was consecrated to God, to sacrifice them to the Lord your God in Gilgal.”
22 And Samuel saith, 'Hath Jehovah had delight in burnt-offerings and sacrifices as [in] hearkening to the voice of Jehovah? lo, hearkening than sacrifice is better; to give attention than fat of rams;
“Does the Lord prefer burnt offerings and sacrifices, or obedience to what he says?” Samuel asked. “Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice. Paying attention is more important than offering the fat of rams.
23 for a sin of divination [is] rebellion, and iniquity and teraphim [is] stubbornness; because thou hast rejected the word of Jehovah, He also doth reject thee from [being] king.'
Rebellion is as bad as witchcraft, and arrogance is as bad as the sin of idolatry. Because you have rejected the Lord's commands, he has rejected you as king.”
24 And Saul saith unto Samuel, 'I have sinned, for I passed over the command of Jehovah, and thy words; because I have feared the people, I also hearken to their voice;
“I have sinned,” Saul confessed to Samuel. “I disobeyed the Lord's orders and your instructions, because I was afraid of the people and followed what they said.
25 and now, bear, I pray thee, with my sin, and turn back with me, and I bow myself to Jehovah.'
So please forgive my sin and come back with me, so I can worship the Lord.”
26 And Samuel saith unto Saul, 'I do not turn back with thee; for thou hast rejected the word of Jehovah, and Jehovah doth reject thee from being king over Israel.'
But Samuel told him, “I'm not going back with you. You have rejected the Lord's orders, and the Lord has rejected you as king of Israel!”
27 And Samuel turneth round to go, and he layeth hold on the skirt of his upper robe — and it is rent!
As Samuel turned away to leave, Saul grabbed hold of the hem of his robe, and it ripped.
28 And Samuel saith unto him, 'Jehovah hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee to-day, and given it to thy neighbour who is better than thou;
Samuel said to him, “The Lord has ripped the kingdom of Israel away from you today and has given it to your neighbor—someone who is better than you!
29 and also, the Pre-eminence of Israel doth not lie nor repent, for He [is] not a man to be penitent.'
In addition, the Glory of Israel does not lie or change his mind, for he is not a human being who changes his mind!”
30 And he saith, 'I have sinned; now, honour me, I pray thee, before the elders of my people, and before Israel, and turn back with me; and I have bowed myself to Jehovah thy God.'
“Yes, 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.”
31 And Samuel turneth back after Saul, and Saul boweth himself to Jehovah;
So Samuel went back with Saul after all, and Saul worshiped the Lord.
32 and Samuel saith, 'Bring ye nigh unto me Agag king of Amalek,' and Agag cometh unto him daintily, and Agag saith, 'Surely the bitterness of death hath turned aside.'
Then Samuel said, “Bring me Agag, king of the Amalekites.” Agag came to him confidently, for he thought, “The threat of death of being killed must have passed.”
33 And Samuel saith, 'As thy sword bereaved women — so is thy mother bereaved above women;' and Samuel heweth Agag in pieces before Jehovah in Gilgal.
But Samuel said, “In the same way that your sword has made women childless, so too your mother will be childless among women.” Samuel cut Agag to pieces before the Lord at Gilgal.
34 And Samuel goeth to Ramath, and Saul hath gone unto his house — to Gibeah of Saul.
Samuel left for Ramah, and Saul went home to Gibeah of Saul.
35 And Samuel hath not added to see Saul till the day of his death, for Samuel mourned for Saul, and Jehovah repented that He had caused Saul to reign over Israel.
Until the day of his death, Samuel never visited Saul again. Samuel mourned over Saul, and the Lord regretted he had made Saul the king of Israel.
