The First Book of Samuel

⭑ Literal Standard Version :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Kapitel 15 -

And Samuel says to Saul, “YHWH sent me to anoint you for king over His people, over Israel; and now, listen to the voice of the words of YHWH.

Thus said YHWH 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.

Now go, and you have struck Amalek, and devoted all that he has, and you have no pity on him, and have put to death from man to woman, from infant to suckling, from ox to sheep, from camel to donkey.”

And Saul summons the people, and inspects them in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen, and ten thousand [are] men of Judah.

And Saul comes to a city of Amalek, and lays wait in a valley;

and Saul says to the Kenite, “Go, turn aside, go down from the midst of Amalek, lest I consume you with it, and you did kindness with all the sons of Israel, in their going up out of Egypt”; and the Kenite turns aside from the midst of Amalek.

And Saul strikes Amalek from Havilah [to] your going to Shur, which [is] on the front of Egypt,

and he catches Agag king of Amalek alive, and he has devoted all the people by the mouth of the sword;

and Saul has 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.

Samuel Denounces Saul

And the word of YHWH is to Samuel, saying,

“I have regretted that I caused Saul to reign for king, for he has turned back from after Me, and he has not performed My words”; and it is displeasing to Samuel, and he cries to YHWH all the night.

And Samuel rises early to meet Saul in the morning, and it is declared to Samuel, saying, “Saul has come to Carmel, and behold, he is setting up a monument to himself, and goes around, and passes over, and goes down to Gilgal.”

And Samuel comes to Saul, and Saul says to him, “Blessed [are] you of YHWH; I have performed the word of YHWH.”

And Samuel says, “And what [is] the noise of this flock in my ears—and the noise of the herd which I am hearing?”

And Saul says, “They have brought them from Amalek, because the people had pity on the best of the flock, and of the herd, in order to sacrifice to your God YHWH, and we have devoted the remnant.”

And Samuel says to Saul, “Desist, and I declare to you that which YHWH has spoken to me tonight”; and he says to him, “Speak.”

And Samuel says, “Are you not, if you [are] little in your own eyes, head of the tribes of Israel? And YHWH anoints you for king over Israel,

and YHWH sends you in the way, and says, Go, and you have devoted the sinners, the Amalekite, and fought against them until they are consumed;

and why have you not listened to the voice of YHWH—and fly to the spoil, and do evil in the eyes of YHWH?”

And Saul says to Samuel, “Because—I have listened to the voice of YHWH, and I go in the way which YHWH has sent me, and bring in Agag king of Amalek, and I have devoted Amalek;

and the people take of the spoil of the flock and herd, the first part of the devoted thing, for sacrifice to your God YHWH in Gilgal.”

And Samuel says, “Has YHWH had delight in burnt-offerings and sacrifices as [in] listening to the voice of YHWH? Behold, listening is better than sacrifice; to give attention than fat of rams;

for rebellion [is as] a sin of divination, and stubbornness [is as] iniquity and teraphim; because you have rejected the word of YHWH, He also rejects you from [being] king.”

Saul’s Confession

And Saul says to Samuel, “I have sinned, for I passed over the command of YHWH, and your words; because I have feared the people, I also listen to their voice;

and now, please bear with my sin, and return with me, and I bow myself to YHWH.”

And Samuel says to Saul, “I do not return with you; for you have rejected the word of YHWH, and YHWH rejects you from being king over Israel.”

And Samuel turns around to go, and he lays hold on the skirt of his upper robe—and it is torn!

And Samuel says to him, “YHWH has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today, and given it to your neighbor who is better than you;

and also, the Preeminence of Israel does not lie nor relent, for He [is] not a man that He should relent.”

And he says, “I have sinned; now please honor me before [the] elderly of my people and before Israel, and return with me; and I have bowed myself to your God YHWH.”

And Samuel turns back after Saul, and Saul bows himself to YHWH;

and Samuel says, “Bring Agag king of Amalek to me,” and Agag comes to him daintily, and Agag says, “Surely the bitterness of death has turned aside.”

And Samuel says, “As your sword bereaved women—so is your mother bereaved above women”; and Samuel hews Agag in pieces before YHWH in Gilgal.

And Samuel goes to Ramath, and Saul has gone to his house—to Gibeah of Saul.

And Samuel has not added to see Saul until the day of his death, for Samuel mourned for Saul, and YHWH regretted that He had caused Saul to reign over Israel.

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.

The LORD of Armies says, ‘I remember what Amalek did to Israel, how he set himself against him on the way when he came up out of Egypt.

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.’”

Saul summoned the people, and counted them in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen and ten thousand men of Judah.

Saul came to the city of Amalek, and set an ambush in the valley.

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.

Saul struck the Amalekites, from Havilah as you go to Shur, which is before Egypt.

He took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword.

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.

Samuel Denounces Saul

Then the LORD’s word came to Samuel, saying,

“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.

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.”

Samuel came to Saul; and Saul said to him, “You are blessed by the LORD! I have performed the commandment of the LORD.”

Samuel said, “Then what does this bleating of the sheep in my ears and the lowing of the cattle which I hear mean?”

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 Samuel said to Saul, “Stay, and I will tell you what the LORD said to me last night.” He said to him, “Say on.”

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 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.’

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?”

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.

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.”

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.

For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as idolatry and teraphim.(a) Because you have rejected the LORD’s word, he has also rejected you from being king.”

Saul’s Confession

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.

Now therefore, please pardon my sin, and turn again with me, that I may worship the LORD.”

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.”

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

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.

Also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent; for he is not a man, that he should repent.”

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.”

So Samuel went back with Saul; and Saul worshiped the LORD.

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.”

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.

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

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.

Fußnoten

(a)15:23 teraphim were household idols that may have been associated with inheritance rights to the household property.