Shmuel Alef 15:8

8 And he took Agag Melech Amalek alive, and destroyed with utter cherem destruction kol haAm with the edge of the cherev.

Shmuel Alef 15:8 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 15:8

And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive
This name seems to be a common name of the kings of these people, as Pharaoh was of the Egyptians, see ( Numbers 24:2 ) . When this king fell into the hands of Saul, he did not put him to death, as he should have done, but preserved him; for what reasons, see in the following verse:

and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword;
that is, all that came in his way, or fell into his hands; all between Havilah and Shur; all excepting those that made their escape, for we after read of Amalekites, and that in large bodies, ( 1 Samuel 27:8 ) ( 30:1 ) .

Shmuel Alef 15:8 In-Context

6 And Sha’ul said unto the Keni, Go, depart, get you away from among the Amaleki, lest I destroy you with them; for ye showed chesed to kol Bnei Yisroel, when they came up out of Mitzrayim. So the Keni moved away from among Amalek.

7 And Sha’ul attacked Amalek from Chavilah until where thou comest to Shur, that is alongside Mitzrayim.

8 And he took Agag Melech Amalek alive, and destroyed with utter cherem destruction kol haAm with the edge of the cherev.

9 But Sha’ul and HaAm spared Agag, and the best of the tzon, and of the bakar, and of the fat bulls, and the fat sheep, and all that was tov, and would not utterly destroy them; but everything that was despised and worthless, that they destroyed with utter cherem destruction.

10 Then came the Devar Hashem unto Shmuel, saying,