1 Samuel 15:8

8 And Saul took Agag alive, the king of Amalek; and he killed by sharpness of sword all the common people. (And Saul took Agag, the king of Amalek, alive; but they killed all the common people with the sharpness of their swords.)

1 Samuel 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 ) .

1 Samuel 15:8 In-Context

6 And Saul said to (the) Kenites, Go ye, depart ye, and go ye away from Amalek, lest peradventure I wrap thee in with them; for thou didest mercy with all the sons of Israel, when they went up from Egypt. And Kenites departed from the midst of Amalek (And so the Kenites departed from the midst of the Amalekites).

7 And Saul smote Amalek, from Havilah, till thou come to Shur, which is even against Egypt. (And Saul struck down the Amalekites, from Havilah until thou come to Shur, which is on the border with Egypt.)

8 And Saul took Agag alive, the king of Amalek; and he killed by sharpness of sword all the common people. (And Saul took Agag, the king of Amalek, alive; but they killed all the common people with the sharpness of their swords.)

9 And Saul and the people spared Agag (But Saul and his people spared Agag), and the best (of the) flocks of (the) sheep, and of (the) great beasts, and (they kept the) clothes, and (the) rams, and all things that were fair; and they would not destroy those; but whatever thing was vile, and reprovable, they destroyed that thing.

10 Forsooth the word of the Lord was made to Samuel, and said,