1 Samuel 15:27-35

27 Then Samuel turned to leave, but Saul caught hold of his cloak, and it tore. ¹

28 Samuel said to him, "The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel away from you today and given it to someone who is a better man than you.

29 Israel's majestic God does not lie or change his mind. He is not a human being - he does not change his mind."

30 "I have sinned," Saul replied. "But at least show me respect in front of the leaders of my people and all of Israel. Go back with me so that I can worship the Lord your God."

31 So Samuel went back with him, and Saul worshiped the Lord.

32 "Bring King Agag here to me," Samuel ordered. Agag came to him, trembling with fear, thinking to himself, "What a bitter thing it is to die!"

33 Samuel said, "As your sword has made many mothers childless, so now your mother will become childless." And he cut Agag to pieces in front of the altar in Gilgal.

34 Then Samuel went to Ramah, and King Saul went home to Gibeah.

35 As long as Samuel lived, he never again saw the king; but he grieved over him. The Lord was sorry that he had made Saul king of Israel.

1 Samuel 15:27-35 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO FIRST SAMUEL 15

In this chapter are recorded the order Saul had from the Lord to destroy Amalek utterly, 1Sa 15:1-3 the preparation he made to put it in execution, and the success thereof, 1Sa 15:4-9 the offence the Lord took at his not obeying his order thoroughly, with which Samuel was made acquainted, and which grieved him, 1Sa 15:10,11, upon which he went out to meet Saul, and reprove him; and a long discourse upon the subject passed between them, the issue of which was, that by an irrevocable decree he was rejected from being king, 1Sa 15:12-31 and the chapter is concluded with an account of Samuel's hewing in pieces Agag king of Amalek, and of his final departure from Saul, 1Sa 15:32-35.

Cross References

• 1. 15.27, 28 1 Samuel 28.17; 1 Kings 11.30, 31.

Footnotes

• [a]. trembling with fear . . . die; [or] confidently, thinking to himself, "Surely the bitter danger of death is past!"