< 1 Samuel 15 >

1 And Samuel saith unto Saul, 'Me did Jehovah send to anoint thee for king over His people, over Israel; and now, hearken to the voice of the words of Jehovah:
Samuel said to Saul, “Yahweh sent me to anoint you king over his people Israel. Now listen to the words of Yahweh.
2 'Thus said Jehovah 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.
This is what Yahweh of hosts says, 'I have noted what Amalek did to Israel in opposing them on the way, when they came up from Egypt.
3 Now, go, and thou hast smitten Amalek, and devoted all that it hath, and thou hast no pity on it, and hast put to death from man unto woman, from infant unto suckling, from ox unto sheep, from camel unto ass.'
Now go and attack Amalek and completely destroy all that they have. Do not spare them, but kill both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.'”
4 And Saul summoneth the people, and inspecteth them in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen, and ten thousand [are] men of Judah.
Saul summoned the people and numbered them at the city of Telaim—two hundred thousand men on foot, and ten thousand men of Judah.
5 And Saul cometh in unto a city of Amalek, and layeth wait in a valley;
Then Saul came to the city of Amalek and waited in the valley.
6 and Saul saith unto the Kenite, 'Go, turn aside, go down from the midst of Amalek, lest I consume thee with it, and thou didst kindness with all the sons of Israel, in their going up out of Egypt;' and the Kenite turneth aside from the midst of Amalek.
Then Saul said to the Kenites, “Go, depart, come out from among the Amalekites, so I do not destroy you along with them. For you showed kindness to all the people of Israel, when they came from Egypt.” So the Kenites moved away from the Amalekites.
7 And Saul smiteth Amalek from Havilah — thy going in to Shur, which [is] on the front of Egypt,
Then Saul attacked the Amalekites, from Havilah as far as Shur, which is east of Egypt.
8 and he catcheth Agag king of Amalek alive, and all the people he hath devoted by the mouth of the sword;
Then he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive; he completely destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword.
9 and Saul hath 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.
But Saul and the people spared Agag, as well as the best of the sheep, oxen, fattened calves, and the lambs. Everything that was good, they did not destroy. But they completely destroyed anything that was despised and worthless.
10 And the word of Jehovah is unto Samuel, saying,
Then the word of Yahweh came to Samuel, saying,
11 'I have repented that I caused Saul to reign for king, for he hath turned back from after Me, and My words he hath not performed;' and it is displeasing to Samuel, and he crieth unto Jehovah all the night.
“It grieves me that I have made Saul king, for he has turned back from following me and has not performed my commandments.” Samuel was angry; he cried out to Yahweh all night.
12 And Samuel riseth early to meet Saul in the morning, and it is declared to Samuel, saying, 'Saul hath come in to Carmel, and lo, he is setting up to himself a monument, and goeth round, and passeth over, and goeth down to Gilgal.'
Samuel got up early to meet Saul in the morning. Samuel was told, “Saul came to Carmel and he set up a monument to himself, then turned and proceeded on down to Gilgal.”
13 And Samuel cometh in unto Saul, and Saul saith to him, 'Blessed [art] thou of Jehovah; I have performed the word of Jehovah.'
Then Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said to him, “Blessed are you by Yahweh! I have fulfilled the command of Yahweh.”
14 And Samuel saith, 'And what [is] the noise of this flock in mine ears — and the noise of the herd which I am hearing?'
Samuel said, “What then is this bleating of sheep in my ears, and the lowing of the oxen that I hear?”
15 And Saul saith, 'From Amalek they have brought them, because the people had pity on the best of the flock, and of the herd, in order to sacrifice to Jehovah thy God, and the remnant we have devoted.'
Saul replied, “They have brought them from the Amalekites. For the people spared the best of the sheep and oxen, to sacrifice to Yahweh your God. The rest we have completely destroyed.”
16 And Samuel saith unto Saul, 'Desist, and I declare to thee that which Jehovah hath spoken unto me to-night;' and he saith to him, 'Speak.'
Then Samuel said to Saul, “Wait, and I will tell you what Yahweh has said to me tonight.” Saul said to him, “Speak!”
17 And Samuel saith, 'Art not thou, if thou [art] little in thine own eyes, head of the tribes of Israel? and Jehovah doth anoint thee for king over Israel,
Samuel said, “Though you are little in your own sight, were you not made the head of the tribes of Israel? Then Yahweh anointed you king over Israel,
18 and Jehovah sendeth thee in the way, and saith, Go, and thou hast devoted the sinners, the Amalekite, and fought against them till they are consumed;
and Yahweh sent you on your way and said, 'Go and completely destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are destroyed.'
19 and why hast thou not hearkened to the voice of Jehovah — and dost fly unto the spoil, and dost do the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah?'
Why did you not obey the voice of Yahweh, but instead you seized the booty and did what was evil in the sight of Yahweh?”
20 And Saul saith unto Samuel, 'Because — I have hearkened to the voice of Jehovah, and I go in the way which Jehovah hath sent me, and bring in Agag king of Amalek, and Amalek I have devoted;
Then Saul said to Samuel, “I have indeed obeyed the voice of Yahweh, and have gone on the way that Yahweh sent me. I have captured Agag, the king of Amalek, and have completely destroyed the Amalekites.
21 and the people taketh of the spoil of the flock and herd, the first part of the devoted thing, for sacrifice to Jehovah thy God in Gilgal.'
But the people took some of the booty—sheep and oxen, the best of the things devoted to destruction, to sacrifice to Yahweh your God in Gilgal.”
22 And Samuel saith, 'Hath Jehovah had delight in burnt-offerings and sacrifices as [in] hearkening to the voice of Jehovah? lo, hearkening than sacrifice is better; to give attention than fat of rams;
Samuel replied, “Has Yahweh as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of Yahweh? Obedience is better than sacrifice, and to listen is better than the fat of rams.
23 for a sin of divination [is] rebellion, and iniquity and teraphim [is] stubbornness; because thou hast rejected the word of Jehovah, He also doth reject thee from [being] king.'
For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and stubbornness is like wickedness and iniquity. Because you have rejected the word of Yahweh, he has also rejected you from being king.”
24 And Saul saith unto Samuel, 'I have sinned, for I passed over the command of Jehovah, and thy words; because I have feared the people, I also hearken to their voice;
Then Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned; for I have broken Yahweh's commandment and your words, because I was afraid of the people and obeyed their voice.
25 and now, bear, I pray thee, with my sin, and turn back with me, and I bow myself to Jehovah.'
Now, please pardon my sin, and return with me so that I may worship Yahweh.”
26 And Samuel saith unto Saul, 'I do not turn back with thee; for thou hast rejected the word of Jehovah, and Jehovah doth reject thee from being king over Israel.'
Samuel said to Saul, “I will not go back with you; for you have rejected the word of Yahweh, and Yahweh has rejected you from being king over Israel.”
27 And Samuel turneth round to go, and he layeth hold on the skirt of his upper robe — and it is rent!
As Samuel turned to leave, Saul took hold of the hem of his robe, and it tore.
28 And Samuel saith unto him, 'Jehovah hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee to-day, and given it to thy neighbour who is better than thou;
Samuel said to him, “Yahweh has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to a neighbor of yours, one who is better than you.
29 and also, the Pre-eminence of Israel doth not lie nor repent, for He [is] not a man to be penitent.'
Also, the Strength of Israel will not lie nor change his mind; for he is not a man, that he should change his mind.”
30 And he saith, 'I have sinned; now, honour me, I pray thee, before the elders of my people, and before Israel, and turn back with me; and I have bowed myself to Jehovah thy God.'
Then Saul said, “I have sinned. But please honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel. Turn again with me, that I may worship Yahweh your God.”
31 And Samuel turneth back after Saul, and Saul boweth himself to Jehovah;
So Samuel turned again after Saul, and Saul worshiped Yahweh.
32 and Samuel saith, 'Bring ye nigh unto me Agag king of Amalek,' and Agag cometh unto him daintily, and Agag saith, 'Surely the bitterness of death hath turned aside.'
Then Samuel said, “Bring Agag the king of the Amalekites here to me.” Agag came to him confined with chains and said, “Surely the bitterness of death has past.”
33 And Samuel saith, 'As thy sword bereaved women — so is thy mother bereaved above women;' and Samuel heweth Agag in pieces before Jehovah in Gilgal.
Samuel replied, “As your sword has made women childless, so shall your mother be childless among women.” Then Samuel chopped Agag to pieces before Yahweh at Gilgal.
34 And Samuel goeth to Ramath, and Saul hath gone unto his house — to Gibeah of Saul.
Samuel went to Ramah, and Saul went up to his house at Gibeah of Saul.
35 And Samuel hath not added to see Saul till the day of his death, for Samuel mourned for Saul, and Jehovah repented that He had caused Saul to reign over Israel.
Samuel did not see Saul until the day of his death, for he mourned for Saul. Yahweh was grieved that he had made Saul king over Israel.

< 1 Samuel 15 >