1 Samuel 15 : 1 (ERVEN)
One day Samuel said to Saul, "The Lord sent me to anoint you king over his people Israel. Now listen to his message.
1 Samuel 15 : 2 (ERVEN)
The Lord All-Powerful says: 'When the Israelites came out of Egypt, the Amalekites tried to stop them from going to Canaan. I saw what the Amalekites did.
1 Samuel 15 : 3 (ERVEN)
Now go fight against the Amalekites. You must completely destroy the Amalekites and everything that belongs to them. Don't let anything live; you must kill all the men and women and all of their children and little babies. You must kill all of their cattle and sheep and all of their camels and donkeys.'"
1 Samuel 15 : 4 (ERVEN)
Saul gathered the army together at Telaim. There were 200,000 foot soldiers and 10,000 other men, including the men from Judah.
1 Samuel 15 : 5 (ERVEN)
Then Saul went to the city of Amalek and waited in the valley.
1 Samuel 15 : 6 (ERVEN)
He said to the Kenites, "Go away, leave the Amalekites. Then I won't destroy you with the Amalekites. You showed kindness to the Israelites when they came out of Egypt." So the Kenites left the Amalekites.
1 Samuel 15 : 7 (ERVEN)
Saul defeated the Amalekites. He fought them and chased them all the way from Havilah to Shur, at the border of Egypt.
1 Samuel 15 : 8 (ERVEN)
Agag was the king of the Amalekites. Saul captured Agag alive. Saul let Agag live, but he killed all the men in Agag's army.
1 Samuel 15 : 9 (ERVEN)
Saul and the Israelite soldiers felt bad about destroying everything. So they let Agag live. They also kept the fat cattle, the best sheep, and the lambs. They kept everything that was worth keeping. They didn't want to destroy those things. They destroyed only what was not worth keeping.
1 Samuel 15 : 10 (ERVEN)
Then Samuel received a message from the Lord.
1 Samuel 15 : 11 (ERVEN)
The Lord said, "Saul has stopped following me, so I am sorry that I made him king. He is not doing what I tell him." Samuel became angry and cried to the Lord all night.
1 Samuel 15 : 12 (ERVEN)
Samuel got up early the next morning and went to meet Saul. But the people told Samuel, "Saul went to Carmel. He went there to set up a stone monument to honor himself. Then he left there and went down to Gilgal." So Samuel went to Saul. Saul had just offered the first part of the things he took from the Amalekites as a burnt offering to the Lord.
1 Samuel 15 : 13 (ERVEN)
When Samuel came near to Saul, Saul greeted him and said, "The Lord bless you! I have obeyed the Lord's commands."
1 Samuel 15 : 14 (ERVEN)
But Samuel said, "Then what is that sound I hear? Why do I hear sheep and cattle?"
1 Samuel 15 : 15 (ERVEN)
Saul said, "The soldiers took them from the Amalekites. They saved the best sheep and cattle to burn as sacrifices to the Lord your God. But we destroyed everything else."
1 Samuel 15 : 16 (ERVEN)
Samuel said to Saul, "Stop! Let me tell you what the Lord told me last night." Saul answered, "Tell me what he said."
1 Samuel 15 : 17 (ERVEN)
Samuel said, "In the past you didn't think that you were important, but the Lord chose you to be the king. So you became the leader of the tribes of Israel.
1 Samuel 15 : 18 (ERVEN)
The Lord sent you on a special mission. He said, 'Go and destroy all of the Amalekites. They are evil people. Destroy them all! Fight them until they are completely finished'
1 Samuel 15 : 19 (ERVEN)
So why didn't you listen to the Lord? You did what the Lord said is wrong because you wanted to keep what you took in battle."
1 Samuel 15 : 20 (ERVEN)
Saul said, "But I did obey the Lord! I went where the Lord sent me. I destroyed all the Amalekites. I brought back only one�their king Agag.
1 Samuel 15 : 21 (ERVEN)
And the soldiers took the best sheep and cattle to sacrifice to the Lord your God at Gilgal."
1 Samuel 15 : 22 (ERVEN)
But Samuel answered, "Which pleases the Lord more: burnt offerings and sacrifices or obeying his commands? It is better to obey God than to offer sacrifices to him. It is better to listen to him than to offer the fat from rams.
1 Samuel 15 : 23 (ERVEN)
Refusing to obey is as bad as the sin of sorcery. Being stubborn and doing what you want is like the sin of worshiping idols. You refused to obey the Lord's command, so he now refuses to accept you as king."
1 Samuel 15 : 24 (ERVEN)
Then Saul said to Samuel, "I have sinned. I did not obey the Lord's commands, and I did not do what you told me. I was afraid of the people, and I did what they said.
1 Samuel 15 : 25 (ERVEN)
Now I beg you, forgive me for doing this sin. Come back with me, so I may worship the Lord."
1 Samuel 15 : 26 (ERVEN)
But Samuel said to Saul, "I won't go back with you. You rejected the Lord's command, and now he rejects you as king of Israel."
1 Samuel 15 : 27 (ERVEN)
When Samuel turned to leave, Saul caught Samuel's robe. The robe tore.
1 Samuel 15 : 28 (ERVEN)
Samuel said to Saul, "Just as you tore my robe, the Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today. The Lord has given the kingdom to one of your friends. This man is a better person than you are.
1 Samuel 15 : 29 (ERVEN)
The Lord is the God of Israel. He lives forever. He does not lie or change his mind. He is not like a man who changes his mind."
1 Samuel 15 : 30 (ERVEN)
Saul answered, "All right, I sinned! But please come back with me. Show me some respect in front of the leaders and the Israelites. Come back with me so that I may worship the Lord your God."
1 Samuel 15 : 31 (ERVEN)
Samuel went back with Saul, and Saul worshiped the Lord.
1 Samuel 15 : 32 (ERVEN)
Samuel said, "Bring King Agag of the Amalekites to me." Agag came to Samuel. Agag was tied with chains and thought, "Surely he won't kill me."
1 Samuel 15 : 33 (ERVEN)
But Samuel said to Agag, "Your sword took babies from their mothers. So now, your mother will have no children." And Samuel cut Agag to pieces before the Lord at Gilgal.
1 Samuel 15 : 34 (ERVEN)
Then Samuel left and went to Ramah. And Saul went up to his home in Gibeah.
1 Samuel 15 : 35 (ERVEN)
After that, Samuel never saw Saul again. Samuel was very sad for Saul. And the Lord was very sorry that he had made Saul king of Israel.
❮
❯