1 Samuel 15

The Lord Rejects Saul

1And Samuel said to Saul, a“The Lord sent me to anoint you king over his people Israel; now therefore listen to the words of the Lord. 2Thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘I have noted what Amalek did to Israel bin opposing them on the way when they came up out of Egypt. 3Now go and strike Amalek and cdevote to destruction
That is, set apart ( devote) as an offering to the Lord (for destruction); also verses 8, 9, 15, 18, 20, 21
all that they have. Do not spare them, ebut kill both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’”

4So Saul summoned the people and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand men on foot, and ten thousand men of Judah. 5And Saul came to the city of Amalek and lay in wait in the valley. 6Then Saul said to fthe Kenites, “Go, depart; go down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them. gFor 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 hAnd Saul defeated the Amalekites from iHavilah as far as jShur, which is east of Egypt. 8And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive kand devoted to destruction all the people with the edge of the sword. 9 lBut Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep and of the oxen and of the fattened calves
The meaning of the Hebrew term is uncertain
and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them. All that was despised and worthless they devoted to destruction.

10The word of the Lord came to Samuel: 11 n“I regret
See also verses 29, 35
that I have made Saul king, for he has turned back from following me and phas not performed my commandments.” And Samuel was angry, and he cried to the Lord all night.
12And Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning. And it was told Samuel, “Saul came to qCarmel, and behold, he set up a monument for himself and turned and passed on and went down to Gilgal.” 13And Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said to him, rBlessed be you to the Lord. I have performed the commandment of the Lord.” 14And Samuel said, “What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears and the lowing of the oxen that I hear?” 15Saul said, “They have brought them from the Amalekites, sfor 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.” 16Then Samuel said to Saul, “Stop! I will tell you what the Lord said to me this night.” And he said to him, “Speak.”

17And Samuel said, tThough you are little in your own eyes, are you not the head of the tribes of Israel? The Lord anointed you king over Israel. 18And 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.’ 19Why then did you not obey the voice of the Lord? uWhy did you pounce on the spoil and do what was evil in the sight of the Lord?” 20And Saul said to Samuel, v“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 wBut 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.” 22And Samuel said,

x“Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices,
as in obeying the voice of the Lord?
Behold, yto obey is better than sacrifice,
and to listen than the fat of rams.
23For rebellion is as the sin of divination,
and presumption is as iniquity and zidolatry.
Because aayou have rejected the word of the Lord,
abhe has also rejected you from being king.”
24Saul said to Samuel, ac“I have sinned, for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord and your words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice. 25Now therefore, please pardon my sin and adreturn with me that I may bow before the Lord.” 26And Samuel said to Saul, “I will not return with you. aeFor you have rejected the word of the Lord, afand the Lord has rejected you from being king over Israel.” 27 agAs Samuel turned to go away, Saul seized the skirt of his robe, and it tore. 28And Samuel said to him, ah“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. 29And also the Glory of Israel aiwill not lie or have regret, for he is not a man, that he should have regret.” 30Then he said, “I have sinned; yet ajhonor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel, akand return with me, that I may bow before the Lord your God.” 31So Samuel turned back after Saul, and Saul bowed before the Lord.

32Then Samuel said, “Bring here to me Agag the king of the Amalekites.” And Agag came to him cheerfully.
Or haltingly (compare Septuagint); the Hebrew is uncertain
Agag said, “Surely the bitterness of death is past.”
33And Samuel said, amAs your sword has made women childless, so shall your mother be childless among women.” And Samuel hacked Agag to pieces before the Lord anin Gilgal.

34Then Samuel went aoto Ramah, and Saul went up to his house in apGibeah of Saul. 35 aqAnd Samuel did not see Saul again until the day of his death, arbut Samuel grieved over Saul. asAnd the Lord regretted that he had made Saul king over Israel.

1 Samuel 28

Saul and the Medium of En-dor

1In those days atthe Philistines gathered their forces for war, to fight against Israel. And Achish said to David, “Understand that you and your men are to go out with me in the army.” 2David said to Achish, “Very well, you shall know what your servant can do.” And Achish said to David, “Very well, I will make you my bodyguard for life.”

3Now auSamuel had died, and all Israel had mourned for him and buried him avin Ramah, his own city. And Saul had put awthe mediums and the necromancers out of the land. 4The Philistines assembled and came and encamped axat Shunem. And Saul gathered all Israel, and they encamped ayat Gilboa. 5When Saul saw the army of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart trembled greatly. 6And when Saul inquired of the Lord, azthe Lord did not answer him, either baby dreams, or bbby Urim, or by prophets. 7Then Saul said to his servants, bc“Seek out for me a woman who is a medium, that I may go to her and inquire of her.” And his servants said to him, “Behold, there is a medium at bdEn-dor.”

8So Saul bedisguised himself and put on other garments and went, he and two men with him. And they came to the woman by night. And he said, bfDivine for me by a spirit and bring up for me whomever I shall name to you.” 9The woman said to him, “Surely you know what Saul has done, bghow he has cut off the mediums and the necromancers from the land. Why then are you laying a trap for my life to bring about my death?” 10But Saul swore to her by the Lord, bh“As the Lord lives, no punishment shall come upon you for this thing.” 11Then the woman said, “Whom shall I bring up for you?” He said, “Bring up Samuel for me.” 12When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out with a loud voice. And the woman said to Saul, “Why have you deceived me? You are Saul.” 13The king said to her, “Do not be afraid. What do you see?” And the woman said to Saul, “I see a god coming up out of the earth.” 14He said to her, “What is his appearance?” And she said, “An old man is coming up, and he is wrapped biin a robe.” And Saul knew that it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground and paid homage.

15Then Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?” Saul answered, “I am in great distress, for the Philistines are warring against me, and bjGod has turned away from me and bkanswers me no more, either by prophets or by dreams. Therefore I have summoned you to tell me what I shall do.” 16And Samuel said, “Why then do you ask me, since the Lord has turned from you and become your enemy? 17The Lord has done to you as he spoke by me, for blthe Lord has torn the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbor, David. 18 bmBecause 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. 19Moreover, the Lord will give Israel also with you into the hand of the Philistines, and tomorrow you bnand your sons shall be with me. The Lord will give the army of Israel also into the hand of the Philistines.”

20Then Saul fell at once full length on the ground, filled with fear because of the words of Samuel. And there was no strength in him, for he had eaten nothing all day and all night. 21And the woman came to Saul, and when she saw that he was terrified, she said to him, “Behold, your servant has obeyed you. boI have taken my life in my hand and have listened to what you have said to me. 22Now therefore, you also obey your servant. Let me set a morsel of bread before you; and eat, that you may have strength when you go on your way.” 23He refused and said, “I will not eat.” But his servants, together with the woman, urged him, and he listened to their words. So he arose from the earth and sat on the bed. 24Now the woman had a fattened calf in the house, and she quickly killed it, and she took flour and kneaded it and baked unleavened bread of it, 25and she put it before Saul and his servants, and they ate. Then they rose and went away that night.

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