1 Samuel 15 — Read & Listen Online

Saul Defeats Amalek but Disobeys

Chapter 15.

Samuel said to Saul, "Our Father sent me to anoint you king over his people Israel. Now then, listen to the words of our Father."

This is what the Father of heaven's armies says: "I have taken account of what Amalek did to Israel, how he set himself against them on the way when they came up from Egypt." "Now go and strike Amalek, and devote to destruction all that they have. Do not spare them; put to death man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey." ¹

So Saul summoned the troops and mustered them at Telaim: two hundred thousand foot soldiers, and ten thousand men of Judah. Saul came to the city of Amalek and lay in wait in the valley. Saul said to the Kenites, "Go, leave, get away from among the Amalekites, or I will sweep you away with them; for you showed kindness to all the people of Israel when they came up from Egypt." So the Kenites moved away from among the Amalekites.

Then Saul struck down the Amalekites from Havilah as far as Shur, which is east of Egypt. He captured Agag king of the Amalekites alive, but devoted all the people to destruction with the sword.

But Saul and the troops spared Agag and the best of the sheep and cattle, the fattened animals and the lambs — all that was good. They were unwilling to destroy them, but everything despised and worthless they devoted to destruction.

Our Father Rejects Saul as King

Then the word of our Father came to Samuel: "I regret that I made Saul king, for he has turned back from following me and has not carried out my commands." Samuel was angry, and he cried out to our Father all night. ²

Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning, and he was told, "Saul went to Carmel, and there he set up a monument for himself; then he turned and went down to Gilgal."

When Samuel came to Saul, Saul said to him, "May our Father bless you! I have carried out the command of our Father."

But Samuel said, "Then what is this bleating of sheep in my ears, and the lowing of cattle that I hear?"

Saul said, "They brought them from the Amalekites; the troops spared the best of the sheep and cattle to sacrifice to your Father, but the rest we devoted to destruction."

Then Samuel said to Saul, "Stop! Let me tell you what our Father said to me last night." "Tell me," Saul replied.

Samuel said, "Though you were small in your own eyes, did you not become the head of the tribes of Israel? Our Father anointed you king over Israel, and our Father sent you on a mission and said, 'Go, devote to destruction those sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are wiped out.' Why then did you not obey the voice of our Father? You pounced on the plunder and did what was evil in the sight of our Father."

Saul said to Samuel, "But I did obey the voice of our Father! I went on the mission our Father sent me on; I brought back Agag king of Amalek, and I devoted the Amalekites to destruction. But the troops took sheep and cattle from the plunder, the best of what was devoted to destruction, to sacrifice to your Father at Gilgal."

But Samuel said, "Does our Father delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of our Father? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen is better than the fat of rams.

For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance is like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of our Father, he has rejected you from being king."

The Kingdom Torn from Saul

Then Saul said to Samuel, "I have sinned. I violated the command of our Father and your words, because I feared the people and did what they demanded. Now please, forgive my sin and return with me, so that I may worship our Father."

But Samuel said to Saul, "I will not return with you. You have rejected the word of our Father, and our Father has rejected you as king over Israel."

As Samuel turned to go, Saul seized the hem of his robe, and it tore. Samuel said to him, "Our Father has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and given it to a companion of yours, one better than you. And the Glory of Israel, our Father, will not lie or change his mind; for he is not a man, that he should change his mind."

Saul said, "I have sinned. Yet please honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel, and return with me, so that I may worship your Father."

So Samuel went back with Saul, and Saul worshiped our Father.

Then Samuel said, "Bring me Agag king of the Amalekites." Agag came to him confidently, for Agag thought, "Surely the danger of death is past."

But Samuel said, "As your sword has made women childless, so will your mother be childless among women." And Samuel cut Agag to pieces before our Father at Gilgal.

Then Samuel went to Ramah, and Saul went up to his home in Gibeah of Saul. Samuel never saw Saul again until the day of his death, but Samuel grieved over Saul. And our Father regretted that he had made Saul king over Israel.

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