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1 SAMUEL 15

PARAGRAPH DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS

READING CYCLE THREE (see "Bible Interpretation Seminar")

FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR'S INTENT AT THE PARAGRAPH LEVEL

This is a study guide commentary, which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

Read the chapter in one sitting. Identify the subjects. Compare your subject divisions with the five translations above. Paragraphing is not inspired, but it is the key to following the original author's intent, which is the heart of interpretation. Every paragraph has one and only one subject.

1. First paragraph
2. Second paragraph
3. Etc.

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 15:1-3
  ¹Then Samuel said to Saul, "The Lord sent me to anoint you as king over His people, over Israel; now therefore, listen to the words of the Lord. ²Thus says the Lord of hosts, 'I will punish Amalek for what he did to Israel, how he set himself against him on the way while he was coming up from Egypt. ³Now go and strike Amalek and utterly destroy all that he has, and do not spare him; but put to death both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.'"

15:1 "The Lord" This is the covenant name for Israel's Deity from the Hebrew verb "to be."

SPECIAL TOPIC: NAMES FOR DEITY, D.

▣ "to anoint" See SPECIAL TOPIC: "ANOINTING" IN THE BIBLE.

▣ "Israel" See SPECIAL TOPIC: ISRAEL (THE NAME).

▣ "the words of the Lord" This is literally the "sound" (BDB 876) of the words (cf. 1 Sam. 12:14,15; 15:1,19,20,22). This same word is used of the sound of the sheep and cattle in v. 14.

Notice Samuel's words are in reality YHWH's words!

15:2 "the Lord of hosts" See SPECIAL TOPIC: Lord OF HOSTS.

▣ "Amalek for what he did to Israel" This is referring to Exod. 17:8-16; Num. 24:20; Deut. 25:17-19. The name "Amalek" (BDB 766) or "Amalekites" does not appear outside of the OT. It may be the title for their king, like Hadad, Pharaoh, Caesar.

15:3 YHWH gives several directives.

1. go
2. strike
3. utterly destroy (lit. herem, cf. Deut. 7:26; 13:17; Josh. 6:17; 7:1,11,12,15; 22:20; 1 Chr. 2:7; see SPECIAL TOPIC: CURSE)
4. do not spare (cf. 1 Sam. 15:3,9,15; Deut. 13:8)
5. put to death (i.e., holy war; no spoils, all belongs to YHWH; lit. "under the ban," cf. Lev. 27:28-29; Joshua 6; Jer. 51:3)
   1. man
   2. woman
   3. child
   4. infant
   5. ox
   6. sheep
   7. camel
   8. donkey
   (If it breathes, it dies! cf. Joshua 6)

For a good brief discussion of the Herem (i.e., under the ban) see Hard Sayings of the Bible, "Completely Destroy Them!" pp. 206-207.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 15:4-9
  ⁴Then Saul summoned the people and numbered them in Telaim, 200,000 foot soldiers and 10,000 men of Judah. ⁵Saul came to the city of Amalek and set an ambush in the valley. ⁶Saul said to the Kenites, "Go, depart, go down from among the Amalekites, so that I do not destroy you with them; for you showed kindness to all the sons of Israel when they came up from Egypt." So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites. ⁷So Saul defeated the Amalekites, from Havilah as you go to Shur, which is east of Egypt. ⁸He captured Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword. ⁹But 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 not willing to destroy them utterly; but everything despised and worthless, that they utterly destroyed.

15:4 It is surprising in this period that Israel and Judah's soldiers are listed separately. This may be an anachronism from a later editor/compiler.

▣ "Telaim" This name (BDB 378) appears only here. It is probably a variant spelling for "Telem" (BDB 378, cf. Josh. 15:24), both of which are in Judah.

▣ "200,000. . .10,000" Remember that western literalism often forgets the eastern hyperbole and the many connotations of the noun "thousand." A helpful book to me has been G. B. Caird, The Language and Imagery of the Bible.

SPECIAL TOPIC: THOUSAND (eleph)

The MT has the root ריב (BDB 936, KB 1224, Qal IMPERFECT) which means "to contend with" or "to strive with."

The LXX suggests another root, ארב (BDB 70, KB 83, Hiphil IMPERFECT) which means "to lie in wait" (i.e., ambush). The UBS Text Project does not mention this possible emendation.

15:6 "the Kenites" Notice the Qal imperatives Saul gives to them.

1. go
2. depart
3. go down from

The reason given is their kindness (lit. hesed, cf. Gen. 21:23; 2 Sam. 3:8) to Israel (cf. Exod. 18:9,10,19; Num. 10:29-32).

SPECIAL TOPIC: LOVINGKINDNESS (hesed)

Most English translations follow the MT, "destroy" or "remove" (BDB 62, #4, KB 74, Qal IMPERFECT) but the NET Bible follows the Vulgate, "sweep away" (BDB 705, KB 763, Qal IMPERFECT).

The UBS Text Project does not mention this possible variant at all.

15:9 "the fatlings" This NOUN (BDB 1041) literally means "second born" (JPSOA). The firstborn was to be given to YHWH as His portion, like the firstborn son (cf. Exodus 13). The NASB follows Targums and Peshitta.

The NET Bible footnote, p. 493, #15, mentions that the second born may have been considered to be better than the firstlings (i.e, Kimchi). If so the MT should be retained (i.e., "second born").

The LXX adds "and the best of the flocks and of the herds and of the foods and of the vineyard and of the good things."

The MT has two Niphal PARTICIPLES.

1. "despised" ‒ the MT has an unusual form (נמבזה) and is emended to BDB 102, KB 117 (נבזה); both mean "despised," see NIDOTTE, vol. 1, pp. 628-629, 2, a.
2. "worthless" ‒ the meaning to this VERB (BDB 587, KB 606) is found only here. Usually the VERB means "to dissolve" or "to melt." Possibly here it denotes livestock and food stores that are wasting, rotting away.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 15:10-16
  ¹⁰Then the word of the Lord came to Samuel, saying, ¹¹"I regret that I have made Saul king, for he has turned back from following Me and has not carried out My commands." And Samuel was distressed and cried out to the Lord all night. ¹²Samuel rose early in the morning to meet Saul; and it was told Samuel, saying, "Saul came to Carmel, and behold, he set up a monument for himself, then turned and proceeded on down to Gilgal." ¹³Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said to him, "Blessed are you of the Lord! I have carried out the command of the Lord." ¹⁴But Samuel said, "What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?" ¹⁵Saul said, "They have brought them from the Amalekites, for the people spared the best of the sheep and oxen, to sacrifice to the Lord your God; but the rest we have utterly destroyed." ¹⁶Then Samuel said to Saul, "Wait, and let me tell you what the Lord said to me last night." And he said to him, "Speak!"

15:11 "I regret that I made Saul king" This shocking statement is repeated in v. 35. Does YHWH "regret," "repent" (BDB 636, KB 688, Niphal PERFECT)? This seems to directly contradict v. 29 (BDB 636, KB 688, Niphal IMPERFECT). See G. B. Caird, The Language and Imagery of the Bible, pp. 119-120.

Saul did not live up to his calling, anointing, and empowering. He was disobedient to YHWH's expressed will. YHWH was "sorry" for Saul's choices and the consequences they brought on Israel.

For a good brief discussion on this issue see Hard Sayings of the Bible, "Does God Change His Mind," pp. 108-109, and "A God Who Relents?" pp.333-334.

See how I deal with this subject in my notes from Gen. 6:6.

Gen. 6:6 "the Lord was sorry. . .He was grieved in His heart" These are anthropomorphic phrases (see SPECIAL TOPIC: THE PROBLEMS AND LIMITATIONS OF HUMAN LANGUAGE). The first VERB is interpreted "the Lord heaved with a sigh" (BDB 636, KB 688, Niphal IMPERFECT with waw). The second VERB is interpreted "the Lord was grieved into His heart" (BDB 780, KB 864, Hithpael IMPERFECT; with waw, see SPECIAL TOPIC: REPENTANCE). These are intense Hebrew phrases (cf. Gen. 34:7; 45:5; 1 Sam. 2:33; 20:34; 2 Sam. 19:2; Ps. 78:40; Isa. 54:6). God is often spoken of in the Bible as being sorry or repenting (cf. Gen. 6:6-7; Exod. 32:14; 1 Sam. 15:11; 2 Sam. 24:16; Jer. 18:7,8; 26:13,19; Jonah 3:10). However, other passages assert that God never repents or changes His mind (cf. Num. 23:19; 1 Sam. 15:29; Jer. 4:28; Ps. 132:11). This is the tension that always occurs when we use human terms to describe God. God is not a man, but the only words we have to describe Him and His feelings are human terms. It must be asserted that God is not fickle. He is steadfast and longsuffering in His redemptive purpose for humanity, but mankind's response in repentance of sin often determines God's actions in a particular situation (cf. Ps. 106:45; Jonah).

Theologically it is God who changes, not mankind. God chooses to work with sinful humanity. His goal is the same—a righteous people who reflect His character. This will only be accomplished by a new heart, a new covenant (cf. Jer. 31:31-34; Ezek. 36:26-38). God chooses grace over judgment!

See SPECIAL TOPIC: EASTERN LITERATURE (Biblical Paradoxes)).

SPECIAL TOPIC: REPENTANCE (OT)

SPECIAL TOPIC: PREDESTINATION VS. HUMAN FREE WILL

▣ "Samuel was distressed and cried out to the Lord" Apparently Samuel was distressed by YHWH's reversal of His choice of Saul (cf. 1 Sam. 16:1). Samuel brought the subject of Saul up several times in prayer. Finally, YHWH said do not pray any more about him!

15:12 "he set up a monument for himself" The idea of a victory stele is not unusual in the ANE but it should have been to YHWH, not Saul.

15:13 Is Saul just ignorant of what YHWH said? Does he think he was obedient (v. 20)?

He gave two excuses.

1. We kept these things, including Agag, alive for a sacrifice to YHWH (vv. 15,21).
2. I was afraid of the soldiers revolting if they did not receive spoil v. 24).

15:15 "best" This is the NOUN (BDB 406, v. 21) usually translated "the best of a thing" (cf. here and Gen. 47:6,11 are its only uses).

There is a word play between the word "best" (vv. 15,21, BDB 406) and the ADJECTIVE (BDB 373) in v. 28 (i.e., the new King would be better than Saul).

15:16 "And he said to him" The MT has the PLURAL "they" but the Masoretic scholars suggested a change to the SINGULAR, which is followed by most English translations.

The MT has the Piel INFINITIVE CONSTRUCT (BDB 477, KB 476) of a VERB that means "to be complete," "at an end," "finished," "accomplished." Here, it refers to the complete slaughter of the Amalekite tribe of Agag (apparently there were other Amalekite tribes living in this location because they appear again in later Jewish history).

This complete extermination was part of the holy war concept of an enemy being dedicated to YHWH (i.e., under the ban, herem).

1. Canaanites ‒ Deut. 7:22; Josh. 8:24; 10:20
2. Amalekites ‒ 1 Sam. 15:18
3. Syrians ‒ 2 Kgs. 13:17
4. Assyrians ‒ Isa. 10:18

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 15:20-23
  ²⁰Then Saul said to Samuel, "I did obey the voice of the Lord, and went on the mission on which the Lord sent me, and have brought back Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. ²¹But the people took some of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the choicest of the things devoted to destruction, to sacrifice to the Lord your God at Gilgal." ²²Samuel said,
 "Has the Lord as much 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.
 ²³"For rebellion is as the sin of divination,
 And insubordination is as iniquity and idolatry.
 Because you have rejected the word of the Lord,
 He has also rejected you from being king."

15:22 This is one of the most powerful texts on the priority of motive over ritual (cf. Isa. 1:10-15; Amos 5:21-24; Hos. 6:6; Matt. 9:13; 12:7; Mark 12:33). This is not meant to depreciate the sacrificial system. It was God's will on how sinful people can approach a holy God and stay in fellowship with Him. But it was not an automatic ritual, rather a new heart, mind (i.e., Ezek. 36:22-36), and will that showed one to be in fellowship with God (i.e., a good example is circumcision, cf. Deut. 10:16; 30:6; Jer. 4:4; 6:10; Rom. 2:28-29).

Ritual and liturgy are effective only when accompanied by

1. a believing heart
2. a godly life (Micah 6:6-8)
3. obedience to the known will of God (cf. Jer. 6:16-20; 7:21-26)

For a good brief discussion of this issue see Hard Sayings of the Bible, "Does the Lord Delight in Sacrifices?" pp. 207-208, 274-275.

15:23 Seeking guidance and knowledge from any source but YHWH is sin/rebellion. Also to seek His will then violate it is far worse sin!

SPECIAL TOPIC: DIVINER

▣ "idolatry" This is literally "teraphim" (BDB 1076).

For a good brief discussion of divination and idolatry, see Robert Girdlestone, Synonyms of the OT, pp. 296-311.

SPECIAL TOPIC: Teraphim

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 15:24-31
  ²⁴Then Saul said to Samuel, "I have sinned; I have indeed transgressed the command of the Lord and your words, because I feared the people and listened to their voice. ²⁵Now therefore, please pardon my sin and return with me, that I may worship the Lord." ²⁶But 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." ²⁷As Samuel turned to go, Saul seized the edge of his robe, and it tore. ²⁸So Samuel said to him, "The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to your neighbor, who is better than you. ²⁹Also the Glory of Israel will not lie or change His mind; for He is not a man that He should change His mind." ³⁰Then he said, "I have sinned; but please honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel, and go back with me, that I may worship the Lord your God." ³¹So Samuel went back following Saul, and Saul worshiped the Lord.

15:24-25 Verbal repentance did not change Saul's heart or actions. He rejected YHWH's word; YHWH rejected him. There are consequences to disobedience!

15:25 Saul does seemingly repent but it was too late. YHWH had rejected him on this occasion of his second act of disobedience. And there will be more to come! God knows the heart, but hearts change!

15:27-28 This is an example of an Eastern visualized proverb.

The IVP Bible Background Commentary (OT), p. 304, asserts that this gesture of grabbing the robe was a plea for mercy common in Ugaritic myths (i.e., Anat and Mot).

The MASCULINE NOUN (BDB 945 II, KB 1253 II) suggests "your fellow" (cf. 1 Sam. 28:17; 2 Sam. 12:11).

1. Ugaritic ‒ friend, companion
2. Akkadian ‒ companion, comrade, friend
3. Arabic ‒ companion

YHWH will give Saul's kingship to another Israelite. This word is not more specific than that. The UBS Handbook, p. 32, suggests the translation of "a fellow Israelite."

15:29-30 Although YHWH had rejected Saul as king, the new king had not been revealed and anointed. There must be some continuity in Israel's government. This is what Saul is asking Samuel to supply.

The MT has the MASCULINE NOUN (BDB 664 I, KB 716 I) which it defines as "eminence," "enduring," "everlasting." BDB gives the translation option #1 as "the Eminence of Israel" and mentions that this word is used as an attribute of YHWH in 1 Chr. 29:11.

KB adds to the connotation, "successful," however, the UBS Handbook, p. 328, suggests the root denotes the second or third translation option, "Israel's Everlasting One" (Rashi), "the Eternal One of Israel" (NCV).

▣ "Bold" The NJB has verse 29 as a parenthesis. Notice the attributes as descriptions of YHWH.

1. will not lie
2. will not change His mind (clarified as not like a human)

Repentance can affect God's will. If not, what is the purpose of intercessory prayer?

SPECIAL TOPIC: EFFECTIVE PRAYER

SPECIAL TOPIC: CHARACTERISTICS OF ISRAEL'S GOD (OT)

SPECIAL TOPIC: INTERCESSORY PRAYER

15:30 "elders" See SPECIAL TOPIC: ELDERS.

▣ "worship" See SPECIAL TOPIC: WORSHIP.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 15:32-33
  ³²Then Samuel said, "Bring me Agag, the king of the Amalekites." And Agag came to him cheerfully. And Agag said, "Surely the bitterness of death is past." ³³But Samuel said, "As your sword has made women childless, so shall your mother be childless among women." And Samuel hewed Agag to pieces before the Lord at Gilgal.

The MT has a FEMININE PLURAL NOUN. The root may be

1. bind ‒ ענד (BDB 772, cf. Job 38:31; NIDOTTE, vol. 2, p. 612, e; NIDOTTE, vol. 3, p. 446, #2)
2. delight ‒ עדן (BDB 726, cf. Gen. 49:20; Pro. 29:17)
3. shake, tremble ‒ מעד (BDB 588)

Although #1 involves the transposition of the Hebrew letters, the UBS Text Project, p. 182, gives it an "A" rating.

The MT is seen in the NASB, but the JPSOA, NRSV, NJB, LXX, and Peshitta remove the VERB "is past." The MT assumes that Agag thought he would be spared but the context supports his fear of death.

The UBS Text Project, p. 182, gives the MT a "C" rating (considerable doubt). Even various copies of the DSS have both versions.

15:33 Agag's past ruthless attacks on Israel's population deserved the judgment of God. Samuel carried out that judgment publicly before the eyes of the Judge of the universe, the Creator of all things!

The MT has a VERB (BDB 1043, KB 1609, Piel IMPERFECT with waw) that occurs only here, possibly from a root "to divide" (BDB 1042). Whatever the exact meaning, this does not reflect human sacrifice but ritual holy war extermination! For a good brief discussion of human sacrifice in the OT, see Roland deVaux, Ancient Israel, pp. 441-446.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 15:34-35
  ³⁴Then Samuel went to Ramah, but Saul went up to his house at Gibeah of Saul. ³⁵Samuel did not see Saul again until the day of his death; for Samuel grieved over Saul. And the Lord regretted that He had made Saul king over Israel.

15:35 See note at 1 Sam. 15:11.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

This is a study guide commentary which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought-provoking, not definitive.

1. Who were the Amalekites? Why did YHWH want them destroyed?
2. Explain the concept of Herem (i.e., under the ban).
3. Why were the Kenites spared?
4. Does YHWH change His mind? (vv. 11,29)
5. Why was Saul rejected?
6. Put 1 Sam. 15:22-23 in your own words.
7. Does v. 29 contradict vv. 11, 35?
8. Was Agag an example of human sacrifice like Isaac in genesis 22?

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