The Lord Rejects Saul

1 Samuel 15

1 And Samuel said to Saul, c "The Lord sent me to anoint you king over his people Israel; now therefore listen to the words of the Lord. 2 Thus says the Lord of hosts, 'I have noted what Amalek did to Israel d in opposing them on the way when they came up out of Egypt. 3 Now go and strike Amalek and e devote to destruction 1 all that they have. Do not spare them, f but kill both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.'"

4 So Saul summoned the people and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand men on foot, and ten thousand men of Judah. 5 And Saul came to the city of Amalek and lay in wait in the valley. 6 Then Saul said to g the Kenites, "Go, depart; go down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them. h 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 i And Saul defeated the Amalekites from j Havilah as far as k Shur, which is east of Egypt. 8 And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive l and devoted to destruction all the people with the edge of the sword. 9 m But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep and of the oxen and of the fattened calves 2 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 word of the Lord came to Samuel: 11 n "I regret that I have made Saul king, for he has turned back from following me and o has not performed my commandments." And Samuel was angry, and he cried to the Lord all night. 12 And Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning. And it was told Samuel, "Saul came to p Carmel, and behold, he set up a monument for himself and turned and passed on and went down to Gilgal." 13 And Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said to him, q "Blessed be you to the Lord. I have performed the commandment of the Lord." 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 Saul said, "They have brought them from the Amalekites, r 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! I will tell you what the Lord said to me this night." And he said to him, "Speak."

17 And Samuel said, s "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 said, 'Go, devote to destruction the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are consumed.' 19 Why then did you not obey the voice of the Lord? t Why did you pounce on the spoil and do what was evil in the sight of the Lord?" 20 And Saul said to Samuel, u "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 v 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 And Samuel said,
w "Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices,
as in obeying the voice of the Lord?
Behold, x to obey is better than sacrifice,
and to listen than the fat of rams.
 23 For rebellion is as the sin of divination,
and presumption is as iniquity and y idolatry.
Because z you have rejected the word of the Lord,
a he has also rejected you from being king."

24 Saul said to Samuel, b "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 Now therefore, please pardon my sin and c return with me that I may worship the Lord." 26 And Samuel said to Saul, "I will not return with you. d For you have rejected the word of the Lord, e and the Lord has rejected you from being king over Israel." 27 f As Samuel turned to go away, Saul seized the skirt of his robe, and it tore. 28 And Samuel said to him, g "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 also the Glory of Israel h will not lie or have regret, for he is not a man, that he should have regret." 30 Then he said, "I have sinned; yet i honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel, j and return with me, that I may bow before the Lord your God." 31 So Samuel turned back after Saul, and Saul bowed before the Lord.

32 Then Samuel said, "Bring here to me Agag the king of the Amalekites." And Agag came to him cheerfully. 3 Agag said, "Surely the bitterness of death is past." 33 And Samuel said, k "As your sword has made women childless, so shall your mother be childless among women." And Samuel hacked Agag to pieces before the Lord l in Gilgal.

34 Then Samuel went m to Ramah, and Saul went up to his house in n Gibeah of Saul. 35 o And Samuel did not see Saul again until the day of his death, p but Samuel grieved over Saul. q And the Lord regretted that he had made Saul king over Israel.

  1. Cross References
    1 Samuel 9:16
    "Tomorrow about this time I will send to you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him to be prince over my people Israel. He shall save my people from the hand of the Philistines. For I have seen my people, because their cry has come to me."
  2. Cross References
    Exodus 17:8 - 16
    Then Amalek came and fought with Israel at Rephidim.
    Deuteronomy 25:17 - 19
    Remember what Amalek did to you on the way as you came out of Egypt.
  3. Cross References
    Leviticus 27:28 - 29
    But no devoted thing that a man devotes to the Lord, of anything that he has, whether man or beast, or of his inherited field, shall be sold or redeemed; every devoted thing is most holy to the Lord.
    Joshua 6:17
    And the city and all that is within it shall be devoted to the Lord for destruction. Only Rahab the prostitute and all who are with her in her house shall live, because she hid the messengers whom we sent.
    Joshua 6:21
    Then they devoted all in the city to destruction, both men and women, young and old, oxen, sheep, and donkeys, with the edge of the sword.
  4. Cross References
    1 Samuel 22:19
    And Nob, the city of the priests, he put to the sword; both man and woman, child and infant, ox, donkey and sheep, he put to the sword.
  5. Cross References
    1 Samuel 27:10
    When Achish asked, "Where have you made a raid today?" David would say, "Against the Negeb of Judah," or, "Against the Negeb of the Jerahmeelites," or, "Against the Negeb of the Kenites.
    Judges 1:16
    And the descendants of the Kenite, Moses' father-in-law, went up with the people of Judah from the city of palms into the wilderness of Judah, which lies in the Negeb near Arad, and they went and settled with the people.
  6. Cross References
    Exodus 18:10
    Jethro said, "Blessed be the Lord, who has delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of Pharaoh and has delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians.
    Exodus 18:19
    Now obey my voice; I will give you advice, and God be with you! You shall represent the people before God and bring their cases to God.
    Numbers 10:29
    And Moses said to Hobab the son of Reuel the Midianite, Moses' father-in-law, "We are setting out for the place of which the Lord said, 'I will give it to you.' Come with us, and we will do good to you, for the Lord has promised good to Israel.
    Numbers 10:32
    And if you do go with us, whatever good the Lord will do to us, the same will we do to you.
  7. Cross References
    1 Samuel 14:48
    And he did valiantly and struck the Amalekites and delivered Israel out of the hands of those who plundered them.
  8. Cross References
    Genesis 2:11
    The name of the first is the Pishon. It is the one that flowed around the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold.
    Genesis 25:18
    They settled from Havilah to Shur, which is opposite Egypt in the direction of Assyria. He settled over against all his kinsmen.
  9. Cross References
    1 Samuel 27:8
    Now David and his men went up and made raids against the Geshurites, the Girzites, and the Amalekites, for these were the inhabitants of the land from of old, as far as Shur, to the land of Egypt.
    Genesis 16:7
    The angel of the Lord found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, the spring on the way to Shur.
    Exodus 15:22
    Then Moses made Israel set out from the Red Sea, and they went into the wilderness of Shur. They went three days in the wilderness and found no water.
  10. Cross References
    1 Samuel 27:8 - 9
    Now David and his men went up and made raids against the Geshurites, the Girzites, and the Amalekites, for these were the inhabitants of the land from of old, as far as Shur, to the land of Egypt.
    1 Samuel 30:1
    Now when David and his men came to Ziklag on the third day, the Amalekites had made a raid against the Negeb and against Ziklag. They had overcome Ziklag and burned it with fire
  11. Cross References
    1 Samuel 15:15
    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.
    1 Samuel 15:21
    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.
    1 Samuel 28:18
    Because you did not obey the voice of the Lord and did not carry out his fierce wrath against Amalek, therefore the Lord has done this thing to you this day.
  12. Cross References
    1 Samuel 15:35
    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.
    1 Samuel 15:29
    And also the Glory of Israel will not lie or have regret, for he is not a man, that he should have regret.
    Genesis 6:6
    And the Lord was sorry that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart.
  13. Cross References
    1 Samuel 15:3
    Now go and strike Amalek and devote to destruction all that they have. Do not spare them, but kill both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.'
    1 Samuel 15:9
    But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep and of the oxen and of the fattened calves and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them. All that was despised and worthless they devoted to destruction.
    1 Samuel 13:13
    And Samuel said to Saul, "You have done foolishly. You have not kept the command of the Lord your God, with which he commanded you. For then the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever.
  14. Cross References
    Joshua 15:55
    Maon, Carmel, Ziph, Juttah.
  15. Cross References
    Ruth 2:20
    And Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, "May he be blessed by the Lord, whose kindness has not forsaken the living or the dead!" Naomi also said to her, "The man is a close relative of ours, one of our redeemers.
  16. Cross References
    1 Samuel 15:9
    But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep and of the oxen and of the fattened calves and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them. All that was despised and worthless they devoted to destruction.
    1 Samuel 15:21
    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.
  17. Cross References
    1 Samuel 9:21
    Saul answered, "Am I not a Benjaminite, from the least of the tribes of Israel? And is not my clan the humblest of all the clans of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then have you spoken to me in this way?
  18. Cross References
    1 Samuel 14:32
    The people pounced on the spoil and took sheep and oxen and calves and slaughtered them on the ground. And the people ate them with the blood.
  19. Cross References
    1 Samuel 15:13
    And Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said to him, "Blessed be you to the Lord. I have performed the commandment of the Lord.
  20. Cross References
    1 Samuel 15:15
    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.
  21. Cross References
    Psalms 40:6 - 8
    In sacrifice and offering you have not delighte...
    Psalms 50:8 - 9
    Not for your sacrifices do I rebuke you; your b...
    Proverbs 21:3
    To do righteousness and justice is more accepta...
    Isaiah 1:11 - 13
    What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices?...
    Isaiah 1:16 - 17
    Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove ...
    Jeremiah 7:22 - 23
    For in the day that I brought them out of the l...
    Micah 6:6 - 8
    With what shall I come before the Lord, and bow...
    Hebrews 10:6 - 9
    In burnt offerings and sin offerings you have t...
  22. Cross References
    Ecclesiastes 5:1
    Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. To draw near to listen is better than to offer the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they are doing evil.
    Hosea 6:6
    For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.
    Matthew 9:13
    Go and learn what this means, 'I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.' For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.
    Matthew 12:7
    And if you had known what this means, 'I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the guiltless.
    Mark 12:33
    And to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.
  23. Cross References
    Genesis 31:19
    Laban had gone to shear his sheep, and Rachel stole her father's household gods.
    Genesis 31:34
    Now Rachel had taken the household gods and put them in the camel's saddle and sat on them. Laban felt all about the tent, but did not find them.
  24. Cross References
    1 Samuel 15:26
    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.
  25. Cross References
    1 Samuel 13:14
    But now your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought out a man after his own heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be prince over his people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you.
  26. Cross References
    2 Samuel 12:13
    David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the Lord." And Nathan said to David, "The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die.
  27. Cross References
    1 Samuel 15:30
    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.
  28. Cross References
    1 Samuel 15:23
    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.
  29. Cross References
    1 Samuel 16:1
    The Lord said to Samuel, "How long will you grieve over Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go. I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons.
  30. Cross References
    1 Kings 11:30 - 31
    Then Ahijah laid hold of the new garment that was on him, and tore it into twelve pieces.
  31. Cross References
    1 Samuel 28:17 - 18
    The Lord has done to you as he spoke by me, for the Lord has torn the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbor, David.
  32. Cross References
    Numbers 23:19
    God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?
    Ezekiel 24:14
    I am the Lord. I have spoken; it shall come to pass; I will do it. I will not go back; I will not spare; I will not relent; according to your ways and your deeds you will be judged, declares the Lord God.
  33. Cross References
    John 5:44
    How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?
    John 12:43
    For they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God.
  34. Cross References
    1 Samuel 15:25
    Now therefore, please pardon my sin and return with me that I may worship the Lord.
  35. Cross References
    Judges 1:7
    And Adoni-bezek said, "Seventy kings with their thumbs and their big toes cut off used to pick up scraps under my table. As I have done, so God has repaid me." And they brought him to Jerusalem, and he died there.
  36. Cross References
    1 Samuel 15:12
    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.
    1 Samuel 15:21
    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.
  37. Cross References
    1 Samuel 1:19
    They rose early in the morning and worshiped before the Lord ; then they went back to their house at Ramah. And Elkanah knew Hannah his wife, and the Lord remembered her.
  38. Cross References
    1 Samuel 11:4
    When the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul, they reported the matter in the ears of the people, and all the people wept aloud.
  39. Cross References
    1 Samuel 19:24
    And he too stripped off his clothes, and he too prophesied before Samuel and lay naked all that day and all that night. Thus it is said, "Is Saul also among the prophets?
  40. Cross References
    1 Samuel 16:1
    The Lord said to Samuel, "How long will you grieve over Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go. I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons.
  41. Cross References
    1 Samuel 15:11
    I regret 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.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.
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