1 Samuel 15

In 1 Samuel 15, God commands Saul to utterly destroy the Amalekites as an act of divine justice for their past transgressions against Israel during the Exodus. Saul, however, disobeys God's instructions by sparing King Agag and the best of the livestock. His incomplete obedience leads to severe consequences, as God rejects Saul as king of Israel. This chapter highlights the importance of absolute obedience to God's commands and shows the cost of rebellion against His will.

1 Samuel 15:1 (NKJV)
Samuel also said to Saul, “The Lord sent me to anoint you king over His people, over Israel. Now therefore, heed the voice of the words of the Lord.”

Samuel begins by reminding Saul of his divine appointment as king over Israel. He underscores that Saul's position is by God's choosing and that this authority comes with a responsibility to listen and obey God's voice. This sets the tone for the rest of the chapter, where Saul's obedience will be tested.

1 Samuel 15:2-3 (NKJV)
“Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘I will punish Amalek for what he did to Israel, how he ambushed him on the way when he came up from Egypt.
Now go and attack Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and do not spare them. But kill both man and woman, infant and nursing child, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’”

God declares judgment on the Amalekites for their attack on Israel during the Exodus. The command to completely annihilate the Amalekites, including their animals, emphasizes that this is a divine judgment, not just a military campaign. The comprehensive nature of the destruction reflects the seriousness of Amalek's sin and God's desire for justice.

1 Samuel 15:4-5 (NKJV)
So Saul gathered the people together and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand foot soldiers and ten thousand men of Judah.
And Saul came to a city of Amalek, and lay in wait in the valley.

Saul gathers a large army, demonstrating his initial willingness to follow God’s command. He positions his troops strategically for an ambush, which shows careful military planning. At this point, Saul seems intent on fulfilling his mission against the Amalekites, preparing for what should be a decisive and total victory.

1 Samuel 15:6 (NKJV)
Then Saul said to the Kenites, “Go, depart, get down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them. For you showed kindness to all the children of Israel when they came up out of Egypt.” So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites.

Saul shows mercy to the Kenites, a group that had shown kindness to Israel during their exodus from Egypt. This act of distinguishing between the innocent and the guilty reflects Saul’s understanding of justice. The Kenites' departure ensures that they will not be caught up in the destruction of the Amalekites.

1 Samuel 15:7-9 (NKJV)
And Saul attacked the Amalekites, from Havilah all the way to Shur, which is east of Egypt.
He also took Agag king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword.
But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the fatlings, the lambs, and all that was good, and were unwilling to utterly destroy them. But everything despised and worthless, that they utterly destroyed.

Saul’s victory is marred by his failure to fully obey God's command. While he destroys most of the Amalekites, he spares King Agag and the best of the livestock. This partial obedience demonstrates Saul’s prioritization of personal gain and what seems valuable to him over complete submission to God’s will. The destruction of only what was "worthless" indicates selective obedience, which will have dire consequences.

1 Samuel 15:10-11 (NKJV)
Now the word of the Lord came to Samuel, saying,
“I greatly regret that I have set up Saul as king, for he has turned back from following Me, and has not performed My commandments.” And it grieved Samuel, and he cried out to the Lord all night.

God expresses His regret over Saul's kingship, indicating that Saul’s disobedience has severed his relationship with God. This is not a change of God's nature but a reflection of the grief over Saul’s failure to be the obedient leader Israel needed. Samuel is deeply distressed by this news, showing his personal sorrow over Saul’s rebellion.

1 Samuel 15:12-13 (NKJV)
So when Samuel rose early in the morning to meet Saul, it was told Samuel, saying, “Saul went to Carmel, and indeed, he set up a monument for himself; and he has gone on around, passed by, and gone down to Gilgal.”
Then Samuel went to Saul, and Saul said to him, “Blessed are you of the Lord! I have performed the commandment of the Lord.”

Saul’s action of setting up a monument for himself reveals his pride. Instead of recognizing his failure, he seeks glory for himself. When Samuel confronts him, Saul confidently claims to have obeyed God, showing that he either does not understand the gravity of his disobedience or is trying to cover it up with religious language.

1 Samuel 15:14-15 (NKJV)
But Samuel said, “What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?”
And Saul said, “They have brought them from the Amalekites; for the people spared the best of the sheep and the oxen, to sacrifice to the Lord your God; and the rest we have utterly destroyed.”

Samuel challenges Saul’s claim by pointing out the obvious evidence of his disobedience—the sounds of the spared livestock. Saul quickly shifts the blame to the people, justifying the decision by claiming they intended to offer the best animals as sacrifices to God. This excuse shows Saul’s attempt to cover his partial obedience with religious reasoning.

1 Samuel 15:16-19 (NKJV)
Then Samuel said to Saul, “Be quiet! And I will tell you what the Lord said to me last night.” And he said to him, “Speak on.”
So Samuel said, “When you were little in your own eyes, were you not head of the tribes of Israel? And did not the Lord anoint you king over Israel?
Now the Lord sent you on a mission, and said, ‘Go, and utterly destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are consumed.’
Why then did you not obey the voice of the Lord? Why did you swoop down on the spoil, and do evil in the sight of the Lord?”

Samuel rebukes Saul by reminding him of his humble beginnings and God's gracious anointing of him as king. Saul was given a specific command to destroy the Amalekites completely, yet he failed to do so. Samuel emphasizes that Saul’s actions were not just disobedience but evil in God’s eyes, as they reflected a heart that sought personal gain over obedience to God.

1 Samuel 15:20-21 (NKJV)
And Saul said to Samuel, “But I have obeyed the voice of the Lord, and gone on the mission on which the Lord sent me, and brought back Agag king of Amalek; I have utterly destroyed the Amalekites.
But the people took of the plunder, sheep and oxen, the best of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice to the Lord your God in Gilgal.”

Saul continues to defend his actions, claiming he did obey the Lord by defeating the Amalekites and capturing their king. He shifts the blame once again to the people, stating that they took the best of the livestock for sacrifices. This defense reveals Saul’s inability to acknowledge his own responsibility and his misunderstanding of what God truly values—obedience over sacrifice.

1 Samuel 15:22-23 (NKJV)
So Samuel said: “Has 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 heed than the fat of rams.
For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He also has rejected you from being king.”

Samuel delivers a profound truth: God desires obedience more than any form of sacrifice. Obedience reflects a heart aligned with God's will, while rebellion is likened to witchcraft and idolatry because it places self-will above God's authority. Saul's rejection of God's command leads to his own rejection as king. This marks the turning point in Saul’s reign, where his disobedience has cost him the kingdom.

1 Samuel 15:24-25 (NKJV)
Then Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned, for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord and your words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice.
Now therefore, please pardon my sin, and return with me, that I may worship the Lord.”

Saul finally admits his sin, but his confession seems motivated by fear of losing his position rather than genuine repentance. He acknowledges that he acted out of fear of the people instead of obeying God. Saul asks for forgiveness and for Samuel to accompany him in worship, hoping to restore some semblance of his leadership.

1 Samuel 15:26-27 (NKJV)
But 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.”
And as Samuel turned around to go away, Saul seized the edge of his robe, and it tore.

Samuel refuses to accompany Saul, affirming that Saul’s rejection of God’s word has led to God's rejection of him as king. The tearing of Samuel’s robe becomes symbolic, representing the kingdom being torn away from Saul. This physical act highlights the irreversible consequences of Saul’s disobedience.

1 Samuel 15:28-29 (NKJV)
So Samuel said to him, “The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today, and has given it to a neighbor of yours, who is better than you.
And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor relent. For He is not a man, that He should relent.”

Samuel announces that God has already chosen another to replace Saul as king, someone more faithful and obedient. God’s decision is final, and His character is unchanging. Unlike humans, God does not go back on His word or alter His plans when He sees rebellion and unfaithfulness.

1 Samuel 15:30-31 (NKJV)
Then he said, “I have sinned; yet honor me now, please, before the elders of my people and before Israel, and return with me, that I may worship the Lord your God.”
So Samuel turned back after Saul, and Saul worshiped the Lord.

Even in his confession, Saul seems more concerned with his public image than genuine repentance. He requests Samuel to honor him in front of the people, showing that his primary concern is still his reputation. Samuel agrees to return with him, and Saul worships the Lord, but this act does not reverse the consequences of his disobedience.

1 Samuel 15:32-33 (NKJV)
Then Samuel said, “Bring Agag king of the Amalekites here to me.” So Agag came to him cautiously. And Agag said, “Surely the bitterness of death is past.”
But Samuel said, “As your sword has made women childless, so shall your mother be childless among women.” And Samuel hacked Agag in pieces before the Lord in Gilgal.

Samuel carries out the execution that Saul failed to perform. Agag, thinking the danger has passed, approaches cautiously, but Samuel delivers God’s final judgment on him. By executing Agag, Samuel ensures that God’s command is fully carried out, emphasizing that God’s justice cannot be avoided.

1 Samuel 15:34-35 (NKJV)
Then Samuel went to Ramah, and Saul went up to his house at Gibeah of Saul.
And Samuel went no more to see Saul until the day of his death. Nevertheless Samuel mourned for Saul, and the Lord regretted that He had made Saul king over Israel.

The chapter concludes with the final separation between Samuel and Saul. Though Samuel never sees Saul again, he mourns for him, showing the deep sorrow over what Saul could have been. God’s regret over making Saul king highlights the tragedy of Saul’s disobedience, as it marks the end of Saul's favor with God.