1Samuel 15:1 - Prayer Tents

1Samuel 15

Saul Defeats the Amalekites

15One 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!H8050H559H7586H3068H7971H4886H4428H5971H3478H8085H6963H1697H30682This 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.H559H3068H6635H6485H6002H6213H3478H7760H1870H5927H47143Now go and completely destroy

the entire Amalekite nation—men, women, children, babies, cattle, sheep, goats, camels, and donkeys."H3212H5221H6002H2763H2550H4191H376H802H5768H3243H7794H7716H1581H25434So Saul mobilized his army at Telaim. There were 200,000 soldiers from Israel and 10,000 men from Judah.H7586H8085H5971H8085H6485H2923H3967H505H7273H6235H505H376H30635Then Saul and his army went to a town of the Amalekites and lay in wait in the valley.H7586H935H5892H6002H7378H693H51586Saul 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.H7586H559H7017H3212H5493H3381H8432H6002H622H6213H2617H1121H3478H5927H4714H7017H5493H8432H60037Then Saul slaughtered the Amalekites from Havilah all the way to Shur, east of Egypt.H7586H5221H6002H2341H935H7793H6440H47148He captured Agag, the Amalekite king, but completely destroyed everyone else.H8610H90H4428H6002H2416H2763H5971H6310H27199Saul 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.H7586H5971H2550H90H4315H6629H1241H4932H3733H2896H14H2763H4399H5240H4549H2763

The Lord Rejects Saul

10Then the LORD said to Samuel,H1697H3068H8050H55911"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.H5162H4427H7586H4428H7725H310H6965H1697H2734H8050H2199H3068H391512Early 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."H8050H7925H7125H7586H1242H5046H8050H559H7586H935H3760H5324H3027H5437H5674H3381H153713When Samuel finally found him, Saul greeted him cheerfully. "May the LORD bless you," he said. "I have carried out the LORD's command!"H8050H935H7586H7586H559H1288H3068H6965H1697H306814"Then what is all the bleating of sheep and goats and the lowing of cattle I hear?" Samuel demanded.H8050H559H6963H6629H241H6963H1241H808515"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."H7586H559H935H6003H5971H2550H4315H6629H1241H2076H3068H430H3498H276316Then Samuel said to Saul, "Stop! Listen to what the LORD told me last night!" "What did he tell you?" Saul asked.H8050H559H7586H7503H5046H3068H1696H3915H559H169617And 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.H8050H559H6996H5869H7218H7626H3478H3068H4886H4428H347818And the LORD sent you on a mission and told you, 'Go and completely destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, until they are all dead.'H3068H7971H1870H559H3212H2763H2400H6002H3898H361519Why haven't you obeyed the LORD? Why did you rush for the plunder and do what was evil in the LORD's sight?"H8085H6963H3068H5860H7998H6213H7451H5869H306820"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.H7586H559H8050H8085H6963H3068H3212H1870H3068H7971H935H90H4428H6002H2763H600221Then my troops brought in the best of the sheep, goats, cattle, and plunder to sacrifice to the LORD your God in Gilgal."H5971H3947H7998H6629H1241H7225H2764H2076H3068H430H153722But 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.H8050H559H3068H2656H5930H2077H8085H6963H3068H8085H2896H2077H7181H2459H35223Rebellion 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."H4805H2403H7081H6484H205H8655H3988H1697H3068H3988H4428

Saul Pleads for Forgiveness

24Then 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.H7586H559H8050H2398H5674H6310H3068H1697H3372H5971H8085H696325But now, please forgive my sin and come back with me so that I may worship the LORD."H5375H2403H7725H7812H306826But 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."H8050H559H7586H7725H3988H1697H3068H3068H3988H4428H347827As Samuel turned to go, Saul tried to hold him back and tore the hem of his robe.H8050H5437H3212H2388H3671H4598H716728And 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.H8050H559H3068H7167H4468H3478H3117H5414H7453H289629And 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!"H5331H3478H8266H5162H120H516230Then 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."H559H2398H3513H2205H5971H3478H7725H7812H3068H43031So Samuel finally agreed and went back with him, and Saul worshiped the LORD.H8050H7725H310H7586H7586H7812H3068

Samuel Executes King Agag

32Then 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!"

H559H8050H5066H90H4428H6002H90H3212H4574H90H559H403H4751H4194H549333But 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.H8050H559H2719H802H7921H517H7921H802H8050H8158H90H8158H6440H3068H153734Then Samuel went home to Ramah, and Saul returned to his house at Gibeah of Saul.H8050H3212H7414H7586H5927H1004H1390H758635Samuel 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.H8050H3254H7200H7586H3117H4194H3588H8050H56H7586H3068H5162H7586H4427H3478