1 Samuel 15:1-23 – To Obey Is Better Than Sacrifice

Translation & Sermon by Nate Wilson for Christ The Redeemer Church, Manhattan, KS, 28 Mar 2021

Introduction: Having the Qualifications and Ethnic Backgrounds

Vs. 1-21) The story

Vs. 22-23) The moral

Application

  1. There was Saul, who valued his opinion above God’s and therefore failed to obey God in his mission.

  1. The second character who was a steward of God’s word was the Prophet Samuel.



Questions for further consideration:

1 Samuel 15 :1-23- Side-by side comparison of versionsA

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1

καὶ εἶπεν Σαμουηλ πρὸς Σαουλ ἐμὲ ἀπέστειλεν κύριος χρῗσαί σε εἰς βασιλέα ἐπὶ X X X Ισραηλ καὶ νῦν ἄκουε τῆς φωνῆς X κυρίου

And Samuel said to Saul, The Lord sent me to anoint thee king over X X X Israel: and now hear the voice of the X X Lord.

And Samuel said to Saul: The Lord sent me to anoint thee king over his People XB Israel: now therefore hearken thou unto the voice of X the Lord:

Samuel also said unto Saul, The Lord sent me to anoint thee to be king over his people, over Israel: now therefore hearken thou unto the voice of the words of the Lord.

Now Samuel said to Saul, “I am the one Yahweh commissioned to anoint you to be king over His people – over Israel, so give heed now to the voice of the words of Yahweh.

וַיֹּאמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל, אֶל- שָׁאוּל, אֹתִי שָׁלַח יְהוָה לִמְשָׁחֳךָ לְמֶלֶךְ, עַל-עַמּוֹ עַל-יִשְׂרָאֵל; וְעַתָּה שְׁמַע, לְקוֹל דִּבְרֵיC יְהוָה. {ס}

2

τάδε εἶπεν κύριος σαβαωθ [νῦν] ἐκδικήσωD ἃ ἐποίησεν Αμαληκ τῷ Ισραηλ ὡς ἀπήντησενE αὐτῷ ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ ἀναβαίνοντος αὐτοῦ ἐξ Αἰγύπτου

Thus said the Lord of hosts, [Now] will I take vengeance for what Amalec did to Israel, when he met him in the way as he came up out of Egypt.

Thus saith the Lord of hosts: I have reckoned up [all] that Amalec hath done to Israel: how he op­posed them in the way when they came up out of Egypt.

Thus saith the Lord of hosts, I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait forF him in the way, when he came up from Egypt.


כֹּה אָמַר, יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת, פָּקַדְתִּי, אֵת אֲשֶׁר-עָשָׂה עֲמָלֵק לְיִשְׂרָאֵל--אֲשֶׁר-שָׂם לוֹ בַּדֶּרֶךְ, בַּעֲלֹתוֹ מִמִּצְרָיִם.

3

καὶ νῦν πορεύου καὶ πατάξεις τὸν Αμαληκ καὶ Ιεριμ [καὶ πάντα τὰ αὐ­τοῦ καὶ οὐ περιποι­ήσῃ ἐξ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐξολεθρεύσεις αὐ­τὸν καὶ ἀνα­θεμα­τι­εῗς αὐτὸν] καὶ πάν­τα τὰ αὐτοῦ καὶ οὐ φείσῃ ἀπ᾽ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀποκτεν­εῗς ἀπὸ ἀνδρὸς [καὶG] ἕως γυναικὸς καὶ ἀπὸ νηπίου ἕως θηλάζ­οντος καὶ ἀπὸ μόσ­χου X ἕως προβά­του καὶ ἀπὸ καμ­ήλου X ἕως ὄνου

And now go, and thou shalt smite Am­alec and Hierim [and all that belongs to him, and thou shalt not save any­thing of him alive, but thou shalt utterly destroy him: and thou shalt devote him] and all his to destruction, and thou shalt spare no­thing belonging to him; and thou shalt slay both man and woman, and infant and suckling, and calf and sheep, and camel and ass.

Now therefore go, and smite Amalec, and utterly destroy all that he hath: X spare him not,[nor covet any thing that is his]: but slay both man and woman, child and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass.

Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and sucklingH, ox and sheep, camel and assI.

Go now, and make a strike against the Amalekites, and devote to destruction everything that belongs to them...

עַתָּהJ לֵךְ וְהִכִּיתָה אֶת-עֲמָלֵק, וְהַחֲרַמְתֶּם אֶת-כָּל-אֲשֶׁר-לוֹ, וְלֹא תַחְמֹל, עָלָיו; וְהֵמַתָּה מֵאִישׁ עַד-אִשָּׁה, מֵעֹלֵל וְעַד-יוֹנֵק, מִשּׁוֹר וְעַד-שֶׂה, מִגָּמָל וְעַד-חֲמוֹר. {ס}

4

καὶ παρήγγειλεν Σαουλ τῷ λαῷ καὶ ἐπισκέπτεται αὐτοὺς ἐν Γαλ­γαλοις τετρα­κοσίαςK χιλιάδας ταγμάτωνL καὶ τὸν Ιουδαν τριά­κοντα χιλιάδας ταγμάτων

And Saul sum­moned the people, and he numbered them in Galgala, four hundred thousand regular troops, and Juda thirty thousand regular troops.

So Saul com­manded the people, and numbered them as lambs: two hundred thous­and footmen, and ten thous­and of the men of Juda.

And Saul gathered the people together, and numberedM them in Telaim, two hundred thousand foot­men, and ten thousand men of Judah.


וַיְשַׁמַּע שָׁאוּל, אֶת-הָעָם, וַיִּפְקְדֵם בַּטְּלָאִים, מָאתַיִם אֶלֶף רַגְלִי; וַעֲשֶׂרֶת אֲלָפִים, אֶת-אִישׁ יְהוּדָה.

5

καὶ ἦλθεν Σαουλ ἕως τῶν πόλεων Αμαληκ καὶ ἐνήδρευσεν ἐν τῷ χειμάρρῳN

And Saul came to the citie[s] of Amalec, and laid wait in the valley.

And when Saul was come to the city of Amalec, he laid ambushes in the torrent.

And Saul came to a city of Amalek, and laid wait in the valleyO.


וַיָּבֹא שָׁאוּל, עַד-עִיר עֲמָלֵק; וַיָּרֶבP, בַּנָּחַל.

6

καὶ εἶπεν Σαουλ πρὸς τὸν Κιναῗον X ἄπελθε καὶ ἔκκλινον ἐκ μέσου τοῦ Αμαληκίτου μὴ προσθῶQ σε μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ καὶ σὺ ἐποίησας ἔλεος μετὰ τῶν υἱῶν Ισραηλ ἐν τῷ ἀναβαίνειν αὐτοὺς ἐξ Αἰγύπτου καὶ ἐξέκλινεν ὁ Κιναῗος ἐκ μέσου Αμαληκ

And Saul said to the Kinite, Go, and depart X out of the midst of the Amal­ekites, lest I put thee with them; for thou dealedst mer­cifully with the children of Israel when they went up out of Egypt. So the Kinite departed from the midst of Amalec.

And Saul said to the Cinite: Go, depart and get ye down from Ama­lec: lest I destroy thee with him. For thou hast shewn kindness to all the children of Israel, when they came up out of Egypt. And the Cinite de­parted from the midst of Amalec.

And Saul said unto the Kenites, Go, depart, get you down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them: for ye shewed kindness to all the children of Israel, when they came up out of Egypt. So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites.


וַיֹּאמֶר שָׁאוּל אֶל-הַקֵּינִי לְכוּ סֻּרוּ רְדוּ מִתּוֹךְ עֲמָלֵקִי, פֶּן-אֹסִפְךָR עִמּוֹ, וְאַתָּה עָשִׂיתָה חֶסֶד עִם-כָּל-בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, בַּעֲלוֹתָם מִמִּצְרָיִם; וַיָּסַר קֵינִי, מִתּוֹךְ עֲמָלֵק.

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7

καὶ ἐπάταξεν Σαουλ τὸν Αμαληκ ἀπὸ Ευιλατ ἕως X Σουρ X ἐπὶ προσώπου Αἰγύπτου

And Saul smote Amalec from Evilat to X Sur X fronting Egypt.

And Saul smote Amalec from Hevila, until thou comest to Sur, which is over against Egypt.

And Saul smote the Amalekites from Havilah until thou comest to Shur, that is over against Egypt.


וַיַּךְ שָׁאוּל, אֶת-עֲמָלֵק, מֵחֲוִילָה בּוֹאֲךָ שׁוּר, אֲשֶׁר עַל-פְּנֵי מִצְרָיִם.

8

καὶ συνέλαβεν τὸν Αγαγ βασιλέα Αμαληκ ζῶντα καὶ πάντα τὸν λαὸν [Ιεριμ] ἀπέκτεινενS ἐν στόματι ῥομφαίας

And he took Agag the king of Amalec alive, and he slew all the people and Hierim with the edge of the sword.

And he took Agag the king of Amalec alive: but all the common people he slew with the edge of the sword.

And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly des­troyed all the people with the edge of the sword.


וַיִּתְפֹּשׂ אֶת-אֲגַג מֶלֶךְ-עֲמָלֵק, חָי; וְאֶת-כָּל-הָעָם, הֶחֱרִים לְפִי-חָרֶב.

9

καὶ περιεποιήσατο Σαουλ καὶ πᾶς ὁ λαὸς τὸν Αγαγ [ζῶντα] καὶ τὰ ἀγαθὰ τῶν ποιμνίων καὶ τῶν βουκολίων καὶ τῶν ἐδεσμάτων καὶ τῶν ἀμπελών­ωνT καὶ πάντων τῶν ἀγαθῶν καὶ οὐκ ἐβούλετο αὐτὰ ἐξολεθρεῦσαι καὶ πᾶν ἔργον ἠτιμω­μένονU καὶ ἐξουδεν­ωμένονV X ἐξωλέθρευσαν

And Saul and all the people saved Agag [alive], and the best of the flocks, and of the herds, and of the fruits, of the vineyards, and of all the good things; and they would not destroy them: but every worthless and refuse thing X they destroyed.

And Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the [flocks of] sheep and of the herds, and the garments and the rams, and all that was beautiful, and would not des­troy them: but every thing that was vile and good for nothing, that they destroyed.

But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fatlingsW, and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them: but every thing that was vileX and refuseY, that they destroyed utterly.


וַיַּחְמֹל שָׁאוּל וְהָעָם עַל-אֲגָג, וְעַל-מֵיטַב הַצֹּאן וְהַבָּקָר וְהַמִּשְׁנִיםZ וְעַל- הַכָּרִים וְעַל-כָּל- הַטּוֹב, וְלֹא אָבוּ, הַחֲרִימָם; וְכָל- הַמְּלָאכָה נְמִבְזָה וְנָמֵס, אֹתָהּ הֶחֱרִימוּ. {פ}

10

καὶ ἐγενήθη ῥῆμα κυρίου πρὸς Σαμουηλ λέγων

And the word of the Lord came to Samuel, saying,

And the word of the Lord came to Samuel, saying:

Then came the word of the Lord unto Samuel, saying,


וַיְהִי, דְּבַר-יְהוָה, אֶל-שְׁמוּאֵל, לֵאמֹר.

11

παρακέκλημαι ὅτι ἐβασίλευσα τὸν Σαουλ εἰς βασιλέα ὅτι ἀπέστρεψεν ἀπὸ ὄπισθέν μου καὶ τοὺς λόγους μου οὐκ ἐτήρησεν καὶ ἠθύμησενAA Σαμου­ηλ καὶ ἐβόησεν πρὸς κύριον ὅλην τὴν νύκτα

I have repented that I have made Saul to be king: for he has turned back from follow­ing me, and has not kept my wordX. And Samuel was grieved, and cried to the Lord all night.

It repenteth me that I have made Saul king: for he hath X forsaken me, and hath not executed my commandments. And Samuel was grieved, and he cried unto the Lord all night.

It repentethAB me that I have set up Saul to be king: for he is turned back from following me, and hath not performedAC my com­mand­mentsAD. And it grievedAE Samuel; and he cried unto the Lord all night.


נִחַמְתִּיAF, כִּי-הִמְלַכְתִּי אֶת-שָׁאוּל לְמֶלֶךְ--כִּי-שָׁב מֵאַחֲרַי, וְאֶת-דְּבָרַי לֹא הֵקִים; וַיִּחַר, לִשְׁמוּאֵל, וַיִּזְעַק אֶל-יְהוָה, כָּל-הַלָּיְלָה.

12

καὶ ὤρθρισεν Σαμ­ουηλ καὶ ἐπορεύθη εἰς ἀπάντησιν Ισραηλ πρωί καὶ ἀπηγγέλη τῷ Σαμ­ουηλ λέγοντες ἥκει Σαουλ εἰς Κάρμη­λον καὶ X ἀνέστα­κεν αὐτῷ χεῗρα καὶ ἐπέστρεψεν [τὸ ἅρμα] καὶ κατέβη εἰς Γαλγαλα [πρὸς Σαουλ καὶ ἰδοὺ αὐτὸς ἀνέφερεν ὁλοκαύτωσιν τῷ κυρίῳ τὰ πρῶτα τῶν σκύλων ὧν ἤνεγκεν ἐξ Αμαληκ]

And Samuel rose early and went to meet Israel in the morning, and it was told Saul, saying, Samuel has come to Carmel, and X he has raised up help for himself: and he turned [his chariot], and came down to Galgala[ to Saul; and, behold, he was offer­ing up a whole-burnt-offering to the Lord, the chief of the spoils which he brought out of Amalec.]

And when Samuel rose early, to go to Saul in the morning, it was told Samuel X, that Saul was come to Carmel, and X had erected for himself a triumphant arch, and returning had passed on, and gone down to Galgal. [And Samuel came to Saul, and Saul was offering a holo­caust to the Lord out of the choic­est of the spoils which he had brought from Amalec.]

And when Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morn­ing, X it was told Samuel, saying, Saul came to Car­mel, and, behold, he set him up a placeAG, and is gone about, and passed on, and gone down to Gilgal.


וַיַּשְׁכֵּם שְׁמוּאֵל לִקְרַאת שָׁאוּל, בַּבֹּקֶר; וַיֻּגַּד לִשְׁמוּאֵל לֵאמֹר, בָּא-שָׁאוּל הַכַּרְמֶלָה וְהִנֵּה מַצִּיב לוֹ יָד, AHוַיִּסֹּב וַיַּעֲבֹר, וַיֵּרֶד הַגִּלְגָּל.

13

καὶ παρεγένετο Σαμουηλ πρὸς Σαουλ καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Σαουλ εὐλογητὸς σὺ τῷ κυρίῳ ἔστησα [πάντα] ὅσα ἐλάλησεν κύριος

And Samuel came to Saul: and Saul said to him, Blessed art thou of the Lord: I have performed [all] that the Lord said.

And when Samu­el was come to Saul, Saul said to him: Blessed be thou of the Lord, I have fulfilled the word of the Lord.

And Samuel came to Saul: and Saul said unto him, Blessed be thou of the Lord: I have performed the commandment of the Lord.


וַיָּבֹא שְׁמוּאֵל, אֶל- שָׁאוּל; וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ שָׁאוּל, בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה לַיהוָה--הֲקִימֹתִי, אֶת-דְּבַר יְהוָה.

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καὶ εἶπεν Σαμουηλ καὶ τίς ἡ φωνὴ τοῦ ποιμνίου τούτου ἐν τοῗς ὠσίν μου καὶ φωνὴ τῶν βοῶν ὧν ἐγὼ ἀκούω

And Samuel said, What then is the bleating of this flock in my ears, and the sound of the oxen which I hear?

And Samuel said: What [meaneth] then this bleating of the flock[s], [which soundeth] in my ears, and the lowing of the herds, which I hear?

And Samuel said, What [meaneth] then this bleating of the sheep in mine ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?


וַיֹּאמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל, וּמֶה קוֹל-הַצֹּאן הַזֶּה בְּאָזְנָי, וְקוֹל הַבָּקָר, אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי שֹׁמֵעַ.

15

καὶ εἶπεν Σαουλ ἐξ Αμαληκ ἤνεγκαX αὐτά ἃ περιεποιή­σατο ὁ λαός τὰ κράτιστα τοῦ ποιμνίου καὶ τῶν βοῶν ὅπως τυθῇ τῷ κυρίῳ θεῷ σου καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ ἐξωλέθρευσα

And Saul said, I have brought them out of Amalec, that which the people preserved, even the best of the sheep, and of the cattle, that it might be sacrificed to the Lord thy God, and the rest have I utterly destroyed.

And Saul said: They have brought them from Amalec: for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the herd[s] that they might be sacri­ficed to the Lord thy God, but the rest we have slain.

And Saul said, They have brought them from the Amalekites: for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen, to sacrifice unto the Lord thy God; and the rest we have utterly destroyed.


וַיֹּאמֶר שָׁאוּל מֵעֲמָלֵקִי הֱבִיאוּם, אֲשֶׁר חָמַל הָעָם עַל-מֵיטַב הַצֹּאן וְהַבָּקָר, לְמַעַן זְבֹחַ, לַיהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ; וְאֶת-הַיּוֹתֵר, הֶחֱרַמְנוּ. {פ}

16

καὶ εἶπεν Σαμουηλ πρὸς Σαουλ ἄνεςAI καὶ ἀπαγγελῶ σοι ἃ ἐλάλησεν κύριος πρός με τὴν νύκτα καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ λάλησον

And Samuel said to Saul, Stay, and I will tell thee what the Lord has said to me this night: and he said to him, Say on.

And Samuel said to Saul: Suffer me, and I will tell thee what the Lord hath said to me this night. And he said to him: Speak.

Then Samuel said unto Saul, StayAJ, and I will tell thee what the Lord hath said to me this night. And he said unto him, Say on.


וַיֹּאמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל, אֶל- שָׁאוּל, הֶרֶף וְאַגִּידָה לְּךָ, אֵת אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר יְהוָה אֵלַי הַלָּיְלָה; ויאמרוAK לוֹ, דַּבֵּר.ס

17

καὶ εἶπεν Σαμουηλ [πρὸς Σαουλ] οὐχὶ μικρὸς σὺ εἶ ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ ἡγούμενος X σκήπτρου φυλῆς Ισραηλ καὶ ἔχρισέν σε κύριος εἰς βασιλέα ἐπὶ Ισραηλ

And Samuel said [to Saul], Art thou not little in his eyes, though a leader of one of the tribes of Israel? and yet the Lord anointed thee to be king over Israel.

And Samuel said: When thou wast a little one in thy own eyes, wast thou [not made] the head of the tribes of Israel? And the Lord anointed thee to be king over Israel.

And Samuel said, When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou [not made] the head of the tribes of Israel, and the Lord anointed thee king over Israel?


וַיֹּאמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל--הֲלוֹא אִם-קָטֹןAL אַתָּה בְּעֵינֶיךָ, רֹאשׁ שִׁבְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אָתָּה; וַיִּמְשָׁחֲךָ יְהוָה לְמֶלֶךְ, עַל-יִשְׂרָאֵל.

18

καὶ ἀπέστειλέν σε κύριος ἐν ὁδῷ καὶ εἶπέν σοι πορεύθητι καὶ ἐξολέθρευσον τοὺς ἁμαρτάνοντας [εἰς ἐμέ] τὸν Αμα­ληκ καὶ πολεμήσεις αὐτούς ἕως συντελέσῃς αὐτούς

And the Lord sent thee on a journey, and said to thee, Go, and utterly destroy: thou shalt slay the sinners [against me], even the Amalekites; and thou shalt war against them until thou have consumed them.

And the Lord sent thee on the way, and said: Go, and kill the sinners of Amalec, and thou shalt fight against them until thou hast utterly destroyed them.

And the Lord sent thee on a journeyAM, and said, Go and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them until they be consumedAN.


וַיִּשְׁלָחֲךָ יְהוָה, בְּדָרֶךְ; וַיֹּאמֶר, לֵךְ וְהַחֲרַמְתָּה אֶת-הַחַטָּאִים אֶת-עֲמָלֵק, וְנִלְחַמְתָּ בוֹ, עַד כַּלּוֹתָםAO אֹתָם.

19

καὶ ἵνα τί οὐκ ἤκουσας τῆς φωνῆς κυρίου ἀλλ᾽ ὥρμη­σας [τοῦ θέσθαι] ἐπὶ τὰ σκῦλα καὶ ἐποίη­σας τὸ πονη­ρὸν ἐνώπιον κυρίου

And why didst not thou hearken to the voice of the Lord, but didst haste [to fasten upon] the spoil[s], and didst that which was evil in the sight of the Lord?

Why then didst thou not hearken to the voice of the Lord: but hast turned to the prey, and hast done evil in the eyes of the Lord.

Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of the Lord, but didst flyAP upon the spoil, and didst evil in the sight of the Lord?

Then why didn’t you, Sir, give heed to the voice of Yahweh but instead you swooped toward the booty and did evil in the eyes of Yahweh?”

וְלָמָּה לֹא-שָׁמַעְתָּ, בְּקוֹל יְהוָה; וַתַּעַט, אֶל-הַשָּׁלָל, וַתַּעַשׂ הָרַע, בְּעֵינֵי יְהוָה. {ס}

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καὶ εἶπεν Σαουλ πρὸς Σαμουηλ διὰ τὸ ἀκοῦσαί με τῆς φωνῆς τοῦ λαοῦ καὶ ἐπορεύθην ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ ᾗ ἀπέστειλέν με κύριος καὶ ἤγαγον τὸν Αγαγ βασιλέα Αμαληκ καὶ τὸν Αμαληκ ἐξωλέθρευσα

And Saul said to Samuel, Because I listened to the voice of the people: yet I went the way by which the Lord sent me, and I brought Agag the king of Amalec, and I destroyed Amalec.

And Saul said to Samuel: Yea I have hearkened to the voice of the Lord, and have walked in the way by which the Lord sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalec, and Amalec I have slain.

And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the Lord, and have gone the way which the Lord sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites.


וַיֹּאמֶר שָׁאוּל אֶל- שְׁמוּאֵל, אֲשֶׁרAQ שָׁמַעְתִּי בְּקוֹל יְהוָה, וָאֵלֵךְ, בַּדֶּרֶךְ אֲשֶׁר- שְׁלָחַנִי יְהוָה; וָאָבִיא, אֶת-אֲגַג מֶלֶךְ עֲמָלֵק, וְאֶת-עֲמָלֵק, הֶחֱרַמְתִּי.

V

LXX

Brenton

DRB

KJV

NAW

MT

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καὶ ἔλαβεν ὁ λαὸς τῶν σκύλων ποίμνια καὶ βουκό­λια τὰ πρῶτα τοῦ ἐξολεθρεύματοςAR θῦσαι ἐνώπιον κυρίου θεοῦ μῶν ἐν Γαλγαλοις

But the people took of the spoils the best flocks and herds out of that which was des­troyed, to sacrifice before the Lord Xour God in Galgal.

But the people took of the spoil[s] sheep and oxen, as the firstfruits of those things that were slain, to offer sacrifice to the Lord their God in Galgal.

But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chiefAS of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice unto the Lord thy God in Gilgal.


וַיִּקַּח הָעָם מֵהַשָּׁלָל צֹאן וּבָקָר, רֵאשִׁית הַחֵרֶם, לִזְבֹּחַ לַיהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָAT, בַּגִּלְגָּל.{ס}

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καὶ εἶπεν Σαμουηλ εἰ θελητὸν τῷ κυρίῳ ὁλοκαυτώ­ματα καὶ θυσίαι ὡς τὸ ἀκοῦσαι φωνῆς κυρίου ἰδοὺ ἀκοὴ ὑπὲρ θυσίαν ἀγαθὴ [καὶ]ἐπακρόασις ὑπὲρ στέαρ κριῶν

And Samuel said, Does the Lord take pleasure in whole-burnt-offerings and sacrifices, as in hearing the words of the Lord? behold, obedience is better than [a good] sacrifice, [and] hearkening than the fat of rams.

And Samuel said: Doth the Lord desire holocausts and victims, [and not rather] that the voice of the Lord should be obeyed? For obedience is bett­er than sacri­fice[s]: and to hearken rather than [to offer] the fat of rams.

And Samuel said, Hath the Lord [as great] delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacri­fice, and to heark­enAU than the fat of rams.

Then Samuel said, “Is there pleasure for Yahweh in whole-burnt-offerings and sacrifices, like there is [in] your giving heed to the voice of Yahweh? Look, to give heed is better than sacrifice; to be attentive [is better] than the fat of rams!

וַיֹּאמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל, הַחֵפֶץ לַיהוָה בְּעֹלוֹת וּזְבָחִים, כִּשְׁמֹעַ, בְּקוֹל יְהוָה: הִנֵּה שְׁמֹעַ מִזֶּבַח טוֹב, לְהַקְשִׁיב מֵחֵלֶב אֵילִים.

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ὅτι ἁμαρτία οἰώνισμάAV ἐστιν ὀδύνηνAW καὶ πόνουςAX X θεραφινAY ἐπάγουσινAZ ὅτι ἐξουδένωσας τὸ ῥῆμα κυρίου καὶ ἐξουδενώσει σε [κύριος] μὴ εἶναι βασιλέα [ἐπὶ Ισραηλ]

For sin is as divination; idols X bring on pain and grief. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, the [Lord] also shall reject thee from being king [over Israel].

Because it is like the sin of witch­craft, to rebel: and like the crime of idolatry, to refuse to obey. Forasmuch there­fore as thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, the [Lord] hath also rejected thee from being king.

For rebellion is as the sin of witch­craft, and stub­bornnessBA is as iniquityBB and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being king.

For the sin of witchcraft is rebellion, and iniquity and idols is pressure to compromise. Because you have rejected the word of Yahweh, {Yahweh} has also rejected you from being king.

כִּי חַטַּאת-קֶסֶםBC מֶרִי, וְאָוֶן וּתְרָפִים הַפְצַרBD: יַעַן, מָאַסְתָּ אֶת-דְּבַר יְהוָה, וַיִּמְאָסְךָBE, מִמֶּלֶךְ. {ס}


1 Source: https://www.castlereport.us/geopolitical-disaster/

2This is in fulfillment of the Abrahamic Covenant: "...those who bless you, I will bless, and those who curse you, I will curse..." The Amalekites had been a curse to Israel, so they got wiped out. The Kenites had been a blessing to Israel, so they were protected.

3Hobab was also called a Midianite, but apparently, Kenites included Midianites, as well as Jews in Caleb's line (1 Chr. 2:55), and even the merchants who brought Joseph from his brothers (Gen. 37:28).

4 Num. 31:2, 25:17, Judg. 6-7, 1 Chron. 4:43.

5Numbers 24:20-22 "Amalek was first among the nations, But shall be last until he perishes… Firm is [the Kennites] dwelling place, And your nest is set in the rock; Nevertheless Kain shall be burned. How long until Asshur carries you away captive?" (NKJV)!

6This divine command is not a justification for engaging in retaliatory war today. Tsumura, in the NICOT commentary, pointed relevantly to the New Testament commands for no-holds-barred spiritual warfare, however, in Ephesians 6:12.

7Much has been made by commentators of the fact that “Telaim” means “lamb,” with various conjectures about lambs in the numbering of the troops, but I think it was just the name of a town. In an area known for sheep-herding it is not surprising that a town would have a name like that.

8Willett suggested (based on Num. 24:21) that Kennites lived in the mountains (סלע) and Amalekites down in the valley. The Kennites were also nomadic tent-dwellers, so it was not a great upset for them to move out of the battle zone.

9“It is dangerous being found in the company of God’s enemies… The Jews have a saying, ‘Woe to the wicked man, and woe to his neighbour.’” ~Matthew Henry

10So Goldman in the Soncino Commentary. Keil & Delitzsch’s commentary asserted that it was the “Arabian… desert of Jifar… which borders upon Egypt... (Gen. 16:7). Havilah, the country of the Chaulotoeans, on the border of Arabia Petraea towards Yemen… (Gen. 10:29).”

11“Saul… ‘set up this place for himself’ … seeking his own honour more than the honour of God… and also… marched in great state to Gilgal, for this seems to be intimated in the manner of expression: ‘He has gone about and passed on and gone down,’ with great deal of pomp and parade.” ~Matthew Henry

12“Men’s preferment, instead of releasing them from their obedience to God, obliges them so much the more to it… God’s favours to us lay strong obligations upon us to be obedient to Him.” ~Matthew Henry, 1714 AD

13Gen. 19:3, 9; 33:11; Jdg. 19:7; 2 Ki. 2:17; 5:16

14K. van der Toorn, “The Nature of the Biblical Teraphim in the Light of the Cuneiform Evidence” (1990)
T. J. Lewis, “The Ancestral Estate… in 2 Samuel 14:16” (1991).

15This Hebrew root is translated into Greek with the thelw root, but this is not used of God in the NT.

16McCarter commented insightfully, “Democracy is no more acceptable a replacement for prophetic theocracy than is monarchy!”

17I’m indebted to Tsumura for pointing this out in his NICOT commentary.

AMy original chart includes the NASB and NIV, but their copyright restrictions have forced me to remove them from the publicly-available edition of this chart. I have included the ESV in footnotes when it employs a word not already used by the KJV, NASB, or NIV. (NAW is my translation.) When a translation adds words not in the Hebrew text, but does not indicate it has done so by the use of italics (or greyed-out text), I put the added words in [square brackets]. When one version chooses a wording which is different from all the other translations, I underline it. When a version chooses a translation which, in my opinion, either departs too far from the root meaning of the Hebrew word or departs too far from the grammar form of the original text, I use strikeout. And when a version omits a word which is in the original text, I insert an X. (I also place an X at the end of a word if the original word is plural but the English translation is singular.) I occasionally use colors to help the reader see correlations between the various editions and versions when there are more than two different translations of a given word. The only known Dead Sea Scroll containing any part of 1 Samuel 15 is 4Q51 Samuela, which contains fragments of vs. 20-32 (highlighted in purple), and which has been dated between 50-25 B.C. Where the DSS supports the LXX with omissions or text not in the MT, I have highlighted with yellow the LXX and its translation into English; where I have accepted that into my NAW translation, I have marked it with {pointed brackets}.

BThere are some Hebrew manuscripts which also omit the second “over”

CThere are Hebrew manuscripts which read singular “word”

DHebrew pqd can denote personal reckoning (LXX cf. “NASB & NIV “punish”), or the accountability of overseeing (Aquila = epeskeyamhn cf. ESV = “noted”). Seeing as the same verb is used in v.4 to describe what Saul did to the people of Israel, it's probably more consistent to go with the latter interpretation.

EThe Hebrew sim is translated more literally by Symmachus (Σ.) epeqeto (“put/set upon”) Theodotian (Q.) also sought to improve over the LXX “greeted” with a word showing clear animosity epataxen (“struck”), which goes beyond the MT.

FNASB = “obstructed,” NIV = “waylaid,” ESV = “opposed”

GSyriac and Targum support the extra “and” not in the MT. It doesn't make a difference in meaning, though.

HNASB, NIV, and ESV = “child & infant”

INASB, NIV, ESV = “donkey”

JLXX, Buxtorf Targum, and Vulgate, as well as several Hebrew manuscripts, start this verse with “and.”

KMost of the later Greek translations read “two” instead of “four,” matching the MT, but the Alexandrinus reads “ten.” Josephus supports the LXX with his 40K from Israel and 30K from Judah.

LMost other Greek translations read pezwn (footmen) like the MT.

MNASB = “counted,” NIV = “mustered”

NAquila = φαραγγι (“ravine”)

ONASB = “wadi,” NIV = “ravine”

PMcCarter explained that if it were a misspelled Hiphal, it could be translated “prepared an ambush” (as the DR, NASB, and NIV rendered it) but Tsumura dismissed that possibility.

QAq. sussurw (“drag away together”)

RThere seems to be some controversy over whether the root of this word is שסף (“gather”) or סףה (“take away”), but the meanings are not different enough to change the gist of the message.

S“Hierim” is a transliteration of the Hebrew word “devote to destruction.” Later Greek versions dropped the transliteration and used a Greek word like apekteinen or exwloqreusen (S. cf. LXX v.9) meaning what the Hebrew word means.

TThe Hebrew word כּרם means vineyard, but the plural would be spelled כרמים (differently than the MT כרים).

Ucf. Symmachus (S.) euteleV (“good-for-nothing”?) and Theotodion (Q.) exoudenwmenon (“abominable”)

Vcf. Aquila (Aq.) tethgmenon (“melted down?”)

WNASB = “more valuable animals,” NIV & ESV = “fat[tened] calves”

XNASB/NIV/ESV = “despicable/despised”

YNASB/NIV = “weak,” ESV = “worthless”

ZThe root of this word is labeled by the etymologists as שנ two/double,” but a transposition of the first two letters (which sometimes occurs for euphonic reasons) yields שמן fat/oil” – which most English versions (+NICOT) follow. The LXX “food” might be in line with that. Willet, Kimchi, K&D, AJV, and Goldman, however, stuck with “second-born animals”.

AAGreek translations run the same gamut of meaning as English versions: S. eluphqh (“pained”) Q. orgilon (“angered”)

ABNASB/NIV/ESV = “I regret”

ACNASB/NIV = “carried out” I suggest “enforced” as a closer translation of the Hiphil stem of qum. Same with v.13.

ADLit. “words” cf. NIV “instructions” Same in v.13

AE NASB = “furious,” NIV = “angry”

AFOn the theology of God “repenting/relenting/changing mind” see http://ctrchurch-mhk.org/sermondetail/does-god-change-his-mind-jonah-310/

AG Lit. “a hand,” NASB, NIV = “monument”

AHCairo Geniza manuscripts dating about a century before the MT have slightly different vowel pointing and read Hiphil instead of Qal, but this doesn’t really change the meaning.

AIcf. A. S. afeV. Q. eason (both of which mean “let it go”)

AJNASB = “Stop,” NIV = “Enough”

AKThe original Masoretic text reads “they said” but Masorite scribes corrected it in the Keri to וַיֹּאמֶרand he said,” and the translations generally follow that. However, there is no reason why a king would not have had a court and spokesmen to answer for him, so it doesn’t change the story.

ALThis is reminiscent of Saul’s words about himself in 9:21

AMNASB, NIV, ESV = “mission” Lit. “way/road” Same in v.20, except KJV renders it “way” there.

ANNASB = “eliminated,” NIV = “wiped out”

AOThe 3rd person masculine plural suffix on this infinitive is interpreted by the LXX, Syriac, Targums, and NIV as a second plural subject for the verb. It might, on the other hand, be interpreted as the object, in which case the last word would make the object emphatic “them themselves.”

APNASB = “loudly rushed,” NIV/ESV = “pounce”

AQאשר serving, like כי, to introduce the reply: here it is used in the sense of asseveration, utique, yea.” ~K&D

ARcf. synonymous phrasing in Aq. and others A. kefalaion (tou anaqematoV). Oi loipoi aparchn tou anaqematoV.

ASNASB = “choicest,” NIV/ESV = “best”

ATThe variety of variants makes tcalls this pronoun into question. It’s obliterated in the DSS, but some Greek manuscripts read “Iof Israel” most read “our” and the Vulgate reasds “their”

AUNASB = “pay attention,” NIV = “heed,” ESV = “listen”

AVAq & Sym. used synonym for consulting mediums = manteiaV

AWAq. = parapikrasmoV (“bitter revolt”), S. = proserizein (“present turmoil”)

AXLXX = “toil,” Aq. = anwfeleV (“breach of obligation”), Sym. = anomia (“lawlessness”)

AYLXX “Therafin” is a transliteration of the Hebrew word for “idols.” Aq. translated it morfwmatwn (“shapes”) and S. eidwlwn (“idols”)

AZA. ekbibasmoV (“going astray?”), S. apeiqein (“unbelief”)

BA NASB = “insubordination,” NIV = “arrogance,” ESV = “presumption”

BB NASB = “false [religion],” NIV = “evil”

BCCairo Geniza mss pointed these vowels as a participle rather than as a noun, but it doesn’t make a difference in meaning.

BDThis word is used only half a dozen other times in the Hebrew OT (Gen. 19:3, 9; 33:11; Jdg. 19:7; 2 Ki. 2:17; 5:16), and every time it speaks of putting social pressure on someone to force them to make a compromise.

BESeveral Hebrew manuscripts and even Targums insert the word “LORD” here, like the LXX, but even without the insertion, it is clear that the subject is the LORD, so it makes no difference in meaning.

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