1 Samuel 15:5

5 And Saul came to the city of Amalek, and laid wait in the valley.

1 Samuel 15:5 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 15:5

And Saul came to a city of Amalek
With his army, perhaps the nearest city of it to the land of Israel; though some think that Amalek was the name of the city, and was the metropolis of the nation, and had its name from thence: and laid wait in the valley; which was near the city, to intercept the inhabitants when they should come out against him: or "he contended" ^F23 as some render it, he fought with them there; the Targum,

``he ordered his army,''

set them in battle array, or pitched his camp there.

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FOOTNOTES:

F23 (bryw) "et certavit Pagninus"; "ut contenderet cum eo", Junius & Tremellius.

1 Samuel 15:5 In-Context

3 Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass.

4 And Saul summoned the people, and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen, and ten thousand men of Judah.

5 And Saul came to the city of Amalek, and laid wait in the valley.

6 And Saul said unto the Kenites, Go, depart, get you down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them; for ye showed kindness to all the children of Israel, when they came up out of Egypt. So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites.

7 And Saul smote the Amalekites, from Havilah as thou goest to Shur, that is before Egypt.