1 Samuel 15  Christian Standard Bible Anglicised

Saul Rejected as King

15 Samuel told Saul, ‘The Lord sent me to anoint you as king over his people Israel.^(A) Now, listen to the words of the Lord. ² This is what the Lord of Armies says: “I witnessed^[a] what the Amalekites did to the Israelites when they opposed them along the way as they were coming out of Egypt.^{(B) 3} Now go and attack the Amalekites and completely destroy everything they have.^(C) Do not spare them. Kill men and women, infants and nursing babies, oxen and sheep, camels and donkeys.” ’^(D)

⁴ Then Saul summoned the troops and counted them at Telaim: two hundred thousand foot soldiers and ten thousand men from Judah. ⁵ Saul came to the city of Amalek and set up an ambush in the wadi. ⁶ He warned the Kenites,^(E) ‘Since you showed kindness to all the Israelites when they came out of Egypt,^(F) go on and leave! Get away from the Amalekites, or I’ll sweep you away with them.’ So the Kenites withdrew from the Amalekites.

⁷ Then Saul struck down the Amalekites^(G) from Havilah^(H) all the way to Shur,^(I) which is next to Egypt. ⁸ He captured King Agag^(J) of Amalek alive, but he completely destroyed all the rest of the people with the sword.^{(K) 9} Saul and the troops spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, goats, cattle, and choice animals,^[b] as well as the young rams and the best of everything else. They were not willing to destroy them, but they did destroy all the worthless and unwanted things.

¹⁰ Then the word of the Lord came to Samuel, ¹¹ ‘I regret that I made Saul king,^(L) for he has turned away from following me and has not carried out my instructions.’^(M) So Samuel became angry and cried out to the Lord all night.^(N)

¹² Early in the morning Samuel got up to confront Saul, but it was reported to Samuel, ‘Saul went to Carmel^(O) where he set up a monument for himself. Then he turned around and went down to Gilgal.’^{(P) 13} When Samuel came to him, Saul said, ‘May the Lord bless you.^(Q) I have carried out the Lord’s instructions.’

¹⁴ Samuel replied, ‘Then what is this sound of sheep, goats, and cattle I hear? ’

¹⁵ Saul answered, ‘The troops brought them from the Amalekites and spared the best sheep, goats, and cattle in order to offer a sacrifice to the Lord your God,^(R) but the rest we destroyed.’^(S)

¹⁶ ‘Stop! ’ exclaimed Samuel. ‘Let me tell you what the Lord said to me last night.’

‘Tell me,’ he replied.

¹⁷ Samuel continued, ‘Although you once considered yourself unimportant,^(T) haven’t you become the leader of the tribes of Israel? The Lord anointed you king over Israel ¹⁸ and then sent you on a mission and said, “Go and completely destroy the sinful Amalekites. Fight against them until you have annihilated them.” ¹⁹ So why didn’t you obey the Lord? Why did you rush on the plunder^(U) and do what was evil in the Lord’s sight? ’

²⁰ ‘But I did obey the Lord! ’ Saul answered.^[c] ‘I went on the mission the Lord gave me: I brought back King Agag of Amalek, and I completely destroyed the Amalekites. ²¹ The troops took sheep, goats, and cattle from the plunder – the best of what was set apart for destruction – to sacrifice to the Lord your God at Gilgal.’^(V)

²² Then Samuel said:

²⁴ Saul answered Samuel, ‘I have sinned.^(AB) I have transgressed the Lord’s command^(AC) and your words. Because I was afraid of the people, I obeyed them. ²⁵ Now therefore, please forgive my sin^(AD) and return with me so I can worship the Lord.’

²⁶ Samuel replied to Saul, ‘I will not return with you. Because you rejected the word of the Lord,^(AE) the Lord has rejected you from being king over Israel.’ ²⁷ When Samuel turned to go, Saul grabbed the corner of his robe, and it tore. ²⁸ Samuel said to him, ‘The Lord has torn the kingship of Israel away from you today^(AF) and has given it to your neighbour who is better than you.^{(AG) 29} Furthermore, the Eternal One of Israel^(AH) does not lie or change his mind, for he is not man who changes his mind.’^(AI)

³⁰ Saul said, ‘I have sinned. Please honour me^(AJ) now before the elders of my people and before Israel. Come back with me so I can bow in worship to the Lord your God.’^{(AK) 31} Then Samuel went back, following Saul, and Saul bowed down to the Lord.

³² Samuel said, ‘Bring me King Agag of Amalek.’

Agag came to him trembling,^[d] for he thought, ‘Certainly the bitterness of death has come.’^[e][f]

³³ Samuel declared:

Then he hacked Agag to pieces before the Lord at Gilgal.

³⁴ Samuel went to Ramah,^(AM) and Saul went up to his home in Gibeah^(AN) of Saul. ³⁵ Even to the day of his death, Samuel never saw Saul again.^(AO) Samuel mourned for Saul,^(AP) and the Lord regretted he had made Saul king over Israel.