New Living Translation

English Standard Version

Saul Defeats the Amalekites

One day Samuel said to Saul, “It was the LORD who told me to anoint you as king of his people, Israel. Now listen to this message from the LORD!

1

The Lord Rejects Saul

And Samuel said to Saul, “The Lord sent me to anoint you king over his people Israel; now therefore listen to the words of the Lord.

2

This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies has declared: I have decided to settle accounts with the nation of Amalek for opposing Israel when they came from Egypt.

2

Thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘I have noted what Amalek did to Israel in opposing them on the way when they came up out of Egypt.

3

Now go and completely destroya the entire Amalekite nation — men, women, children, babies, cattle, sheep, goats, camels, and donkeys.”

3

Now go and strike Amalek and devote to destructiona all that they have. Do not spare them, but kill both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’”

4

So Saul mobilized his army at Telaim. There were 200,000 soldiers from Israel and 10,000 men from Judah.

4

So Saul summoned the people and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand men on foot, and ten thousand men of Judah.

5

Then Saul and his army went to a town of the Amalekites and lay in wait in the valley.

5

And Saul came to the city of Amalek and lay in wait in the valley.

6

Saul sent this warning to the Kenites: “Move away from where the Amalekites live, or you will die with them. For you showed kindness to all the people of Israel when they came up from Egypt.” So the Kenites packed up and left.

6

Then 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 people of Israel when they came up out of Egypt.” So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites.

7

Then Saul slaughtered the Amalekites from Havilah all the way to Shur, east of Egypt.

7

And Saul defeated the Amalekites from Havilah as far as Shur, which is east of Egypt.

8

He captured Agag, the Amalekite king, but completely destroyed everyone else.

8

And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive and devoted to destruction all the people with the edge of the sword.

9

Saul and his men spared Agag’s life and kept the best of the sheep and goats, the cattle, the fat calves, and the lambs — everything, in fact, that appealed to them. They destroyed only what was worthless or of poor quality.

9

But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep and of the oxen and of the fattened calvesb and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them. All that was despised and worthless they devoted to destruction.

10

The LORD Rejects Saul

Then the LORD said to Samuel,

10

The word of the Lord came to Samuel:

11

“I am sorry that I ever made Saul king, for he has not been loyal to me and has refused to obey my command.” Samuel was so deeply moved when he heard this that he cried out to the LORD all night.

11

“I regretc that I have made Saul king, for he has turned back from following me and has not performed my commandments.” And Samuel was angry, and he cried to the Lord all night.

12

Early the next morning Samuel went to find Saul. Someone told him, “Saul went to the town of Carmel to set up a monument to himself; then he went on to Gilgal.”

12

And Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning. And it was told Samuel, “Saul came to Carmel, and behold, he set up a monument for himself and turned and passed on and went down to Gilgal.”

13

When Samuel finally found him, Saul greeted him cheerfully. “May the LORD bless you,” he said. “I have carried out the LORD’s command!”

13

And Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said to him, “Blessed be you to the Lord. I have performed the commandment of the Lord.”

14

“Then what is all the bleating of sheep and goats and the lowing of cattle I hear?” Samuel demanded.

14

And Samuel said, “What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears and the lowing of the oxen that I hear?”

15

“It’s true that the army spared the best of the sheep, goats, and cattle,” Saul admitted. “But they are going to sacrifice them to the LORD your God. We have destroyed everything else.”

15

Saul said, “They have brought them from the Amalekites, for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen to sacrifice to the Lord your God, and the rest we have devoted to destruction.”

16

Then Samuel said to Saul, “Stop! Listen to what the LORD told me last night!”
“What did he tell you?” Saul asked.

16

Then Samuel said to Saul, “Stop! I will tell you what the Lord said to me this night.” And he said to him, “Speak.”

17

And Samuel told him, “Although you may think little of yourself, are you not the leader of the tribes of Israel? The LORD has anointed you king of Israel.

17

And Samuel said, “Though you are little in your own eyes, are you not the head of the tribes of Israel? The Lord anointed you king over Israel.

18

And the LORD sent you on a mission and told you, ‘Go and completely destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, until they are all dead.’

18

And the Lord sent you on a mission and said, ‘Go, devote to destruction the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are consumed.’

19

Why haven’t you obeyed the LORD? Why did you rush for the plunder and do what was evil in the LORD’s sight?”

19

Why then did you not obey the voice of the Lord? Why did you pounce on the spoil and do what was evil in the sight of the Lord?”

20

“But I did obey the LORD,” Saul insisted. “I carried out the mission he gave me. I brought back King Agag, but I destroyed everyone else.

20

And Saul said to Samuel, “I have obeyed the voice of the Lord. I have gone on the mission on which the Lord sent me. I have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and I have devoted the Amalekites to destruction.

21

Then my troops brought in the best of the sheep, goats, cattle, and plunder to sacrifice to the LORD your God in Gilgal.”

21

But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the best of the things devoted to destruction, to sacrifice to the Lord your God in Gilgal.”

22

But Samuel replied,
“What is more pleasing to the LORD:
your burnt offerings and sacrifices
or your obedience to his voice?
Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice,
and submission is better than offering the fat of rams.

22

And Samuel said,
“Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices,
as in obeying the voice of the Lord?
Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,
and to listen than the fat of rams.

23

Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft,
and stubbornness as bad as worshiping idols.
So because you have rejected the command of the LORD,
he has rejected you as king.”

23

For rebellion is as the sin of divination,
and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry.
Because you have rejected the word of the Lord,
he has also rejected you from being king.”

24

Saul Pleads for Forgiveness

Then Saul admitted to Samuel, “Yes, I have sinned. I have disobeyed your instructions and the LORD’s command, for I was afraid of the people and did what they demanded.

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.

25

But now, please forgive my sin and come back with me so that I may worship the LORD.”

25

Now therefore, please pardon my sin and return with me that I may bow before the Lord.”

26

But Samuel replied, “I will not go back with you! Since you have rejected the LORD’s command, he has rejected you as king of Israel.”

26

And Samuel said to Saul, “I will not return with you. For you have rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord has rejected you from being king over Israel.”

27

As Samuel turned to go, Saul tried to hold him back and tore the hem of his robe.

27

As Samuel turned to go away, Saul seized the skirt of his robe, and it tore.

28

And Samuel said to him, “The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to someone else — one who is better than you.

28

And Samuel said to him, “The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this day and has given it to a neighbor of yours, who is better than you.

29

And he who is the Glory of Israel will not lie, nor will he change his mind, for he is not human that he should change his mind!”

29

And also the Glory of Israel will not lie or have regret, for he is not a man, that he should have regret.”

30

Then Saul pleaded again, “I know I have sinned. But please, at least honor me before the elders of my people and before Israel by coming back with me so that I may worship the LORD your God.”

30

Then he said, “I have sinned; yet honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel, and return with me, that I may bow before the Lord your God.”

31

So Samuel finally agreed and went back with him, and Saul worshiped the LORD.

31

So Samuel turned back after Saul, and Saul bowed before the Lord.

32

Samuel Executes King Agag

Then Samuel said, “Bring King Agag to me.” Agag arrived full of hope, for he thought, “Surely the worst is over, and I have been spared!”b

32

Then Samuel said, “Bring here to me Agag the king of the Amalekites.” And Agag came to him cheerfully.d Agag said, “Surely the bitterness of death is past.”

33

But Samuel said, “As your sword has killed the sons of many mothers, now your mother will be childless.” And Samuel cut Agag to pieces before the LORD at Gilgal.

33

And Samuel said, “As your sword has made women childless, so shall your mother be childless among women.” And Samuel hacked Agag to pieces before the Lord in Gilgal.

34

Then Samuel went home to Ramah, and Saul returned to his house at Gibeah of Saul.

34

Then Samuel went to Ramah, and Saul went up to his house in Gibeah of Saul.

35

Samuel never went to meet with Saul again, but he mourned constantly for him. And the LORD was sorry he had ever made Saul king of Israel.

35

And Samuel did not see Saul again until the day of his death, but Samuel grieved over Saul. And the Lord regretted that he had made Saul king over Israel.

Parallel

New Living Translation

English Standard Version

1 Samuel 15

1 Samuel 15