1 Samuel 15:5

5 Saul marched to Amalek City and hid in the canyon.

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.


FOOTNOTES:

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

1 Samuel 15:5 In-Context

3 Here's what you are to do: Go to war against Amalek. Put everything connected with Amalek under a holy ban. And no exceptions! This is to be total destruction - men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys - the works.'"
4 Saul called the army together at Telaim and prepared them to go to war - two hundred companies of infantry from Israel and another ten companies from Judah.
5 Saul marched to Amalek City and hid in the canyon.
6 Then Saul got word to the Kenites: "Get out of here while you can. Evacuate the city right now or you'll get lumped in with the Amalekites. I'm warning you because you showed real kindness to the Israelites when they came up out of Egypt." And they did. The Kenites evacuated the place.
7 Then Saul went after Amalek, from the canyon all the way to Shur near the Egyptian border.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.