Parallel Bible results for "1 samuel 15"

1 Samuel 15

Common English Bible CEB

1 Samuel said to Saul, "The LORD sent me to anoint you king over his people Israel. Listen now to the LORD's words!

2 This is what the LORD of heavenly forces says: I am going to punish the Amalekites for what they did to Israel: how they attacked the Israelites as they came up from Egypt.

3 So go! Attack the Amalekites; put everything that belongs to them under the ban. Spare no one. Kill men and women, children and infants, oxen and sheep, camels and donkeys."

4 Saul called out the troops and counted them at Telaim: two hundred thousand foot soldiers and ten thousand more troops from Judah.

5 Then Saul advanced on the Amalekite city and laid an ambush in the valley.

6 Saul told the Kenites, "Get going! Leave the Amalekites immediately because you showed kindness to the Israelites when they came out of Egypt. Otherwise, I'll destroy you right along with them." So the Kenites left the Amalekites.

7 Then Saul attacked the Amalekites from Havilah all the way to Shur, which is near Egypt.

8 He captured Agag the Amalekite king alive, but Saul placed all the people under the ban, killing them with the sword.

9 Saul and the troops spared Agag along with the best sheep, cattle, fattened calves, lambs, and everything of value. They weren't willing to put them under the ban; but anything that was despised or of no value they placed under the ban.

10 Then the LORD's word came to Samuel:

11 "I regret making Saul king because he has turned away from following me and hasn't done what I said." Samuel was upset at this, and he prayed to the LORD all night long.

12 Samuel got up early in the morning to meet Saul, and was told, "Saul went to Carmel, where he is setting up a monument for himself. Then he left and went down to Gilgal."

13 When Samuel reached Saul, Saul greeted him, "The LORD bless you! I have done what the LORD said."

14 "Then what," Samuel asked, "is this bleating of sheep in my ears and mooing of cattle I hear?"

15 "They were taken from the Amalekites," Saul said, "because the troops spared the best sheep and cattle in order to sacrifice them to the LORD your God. The rest was placed under the ban."

16 Samuel then said to Saul, "Enough! Let me tell you what the LORD said to me last night." "Tell me," Saul replied.

17 Samuel said, "Even if you think you are insignificant, aren't you the leader of Israel's tribes? The LORD anointed you king over Israel.

18 The LORD sent you on a mission, instructing you, ‘Go, and put the sinful Amalekites under the ban. Fight against them until you've wiped them out.'

19 Why didn't you obey the LORD? You did evil in the LORD's eyes when you tore into the plunder!"

20 "But I did obey the LORD!" Saul protested to Samuel. "I went on the mission the LORD sent me on. I captured Agag the Amalekite king, and I put the Amalekites under the ban.

21 Yes, the troops took sheep and cattle from the plunder—the very best items placed under the ban—but in order to sacrifice them to the LORD your God at Gilgal."

22 Then Samuel replied, "Does the LORD want entirely burned offerings and sacrifices as much as obedience to the LORD? Listen to this: obeying is better than sacrificing, paying attention is better than fat from rams,

23 because rebellion is as bad as the sin of divination; arrogance is like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected what the LORD said, he has rejected you as king."

24 Saul said to Samuel, "I have sinned because I disobeyed the LORD's command and your instructions. I was afraid of the troops and obeyed them.

25 But now please forgive my sin! Come back with me, so I can worship the LORD."

26 But Samuel said to Saul, "I can't return with you because you have rejected what the LORD said, and the LORD has rejected you from being king over Israel."

27 Samuel turned to leave, but Saul grabbed at the edge of his robe, and it ripped.

28 Then Samuel told him, "The LORD has ripped the kingdom of Israel from you today. He will give it to a friend of yours, someone who is more worthy than you.

29 What's more, the enduring one of Israel doesn't take back what he says and doesn't change his mind. He is not a human being who would change his mind."

30 "I have sinned," Saul said, "but please honor me in front of my people's elders and before Israel, and come back with me so I can worship the LORD your God."

31 So Samuel went back with Saul, and Saul worshipped the LORD.

32 "Bring me Agag the Amalekite king," Samuel said. Agag came to him in chains, asking, "Would death have been as bitter as this is?"

33 Samuel said, "Just as your sword left women without their children, now your mother will be childless among women." Then Samuel cut Agag to pieces in the LORD's presence at Gilgal.

34 Then Samuel went to Ramah, but Saul went up to his home in Gibeah.

35 Samuel never saw Saul again before he died, but he grieved over Saul. However, the LORD regretted making Saul king over Israel.

The Message Bible MSG

1 Samuel said to Saul, "God sent me to anoint you king over his people, Israel. Now, listen again to what God says.

2 This is the God-of-the-Angel-Armies speaking:

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.

8 He captured Agag, king of Amalek, alive. Everyone else was killed under the terms of the holy ban.

9 Saul and the army made an exception for Agag, and for the choice sheep and cattle. They didn't include them under the terms of the holy ban. But all the rest, which nobody wanted anyway, they destroyed as decreed by the holy ban.

10 Then God spoke to Samuel:

11 "I'm sorry I ever made Saul king. He's turned his back on me. He refuses to do what I tell him."

12 He got up early in the morning to confront Saul but was told, "Saul's gone. He went to Carmel to set up a victory monument in his own honor, and then was headed for Gilgal." By the time Samuel caught up with him, Saul had just finished an act of worship, having used Amalekite plunder for the burnt offerings sacrificed to God.

13 As Samuel came close, Saul called out, "God's blessings on you! I accomplished God's plan to the letter!"

14 Samuel said, "So what's this I'm hearing - this bleating of sheep, this mooing of cattle?"

15 "Only some Amalekite loot," said Saul. "The soldiers saved back a few of the choice cattle and sheep to offer up in sacrifice to God. But everything else we destroyed under the holy ban."

16 "Enough!" interrupted Samuel. "Let me tell you what God told me last night." Saul said, "Go ahead. Tell me."

17 And Samuel told him. "When you started out in this, you were nothing - and you knew it. Then God put you at the head of Israel - made you king over Israel.

18 Then God sent you off to do a job for him, ordering you, 'Go and put those sinners, the Amalekites, under a holy ban. Go to war against them until you have totally wiped them out.'

19 So why did you not obey God? Why did you grab all this loot? Why, with God's eyes on you all the time, did you brazenly carry out this evil?"

20 Saul defended himself. "What are you talking about? I did obey God. I did the job God set for me. I brought in King Agag and destroyed the Amalekites under the terms of the holy ban.

21 So the soldiers saved back a few choice sheep and cattle from the holy ban for sacrifice to God at Gilgal - what's wrong with that?"

22 Then Samuel said, Do you think all God wants are sacrifices - empty rituals just for show? He wants you to listen to him! Plain listening is the thing, not staging a lavish religious production.

23 Not doing what God tells you is far worse than fooling around in the occult. Getting self-important around God is far worse than making deals with your dead ancestors. Because you said No to God's command, he says No to your kingship.

24 Saul gave in and confessed, "I've sinned. I've trampled roughshod over God's Word and your instructions. I cared more about pleasing the people. I let them tell me what to do.

25 Oh, absolve me of my sin! Take my hand and lead me to the altar so I can worship God!"

26 But Samuel refused: "No, I can't come alongside you in this. You rejected God's command. Now God has rejected you as king over Israel."

27 As Samuel turned to leave, Saul grabbed at his priestly robe and a piece tore off.

28 Samuel said, "God has just now torn the kingdom from you, and handed it over to your neighbor, a better man than you are.

29 Israel's God-of-Glory doesn't deceive and he doesn't dither. He says what he means and means what he says."

30 Saul tried again, "I have sinned. But don't abandon me! Support me with your presence before the leaders and the people. Come alongside me as I go back to worship God."

31 Samuel did. He went back with him. And Saul went to his knees before God and worshiped.

32 Then Samuel said, "Present King Agag of Amalek to me." Agag came, dragging his feet, muttering that he'd be better off dead.

33 Samuel said, "Just as your sword made many a woman childless, so your mother will be childless among those women!" And Samuel cut Agag down in the presence of God right there in Gilgal.

34 Samuel left immediately for Ramah and Saul went home to Gibeah.

35 Samuel never laid eyes on Saul again in this life, although he grieved long and deeply over him. But God was sorry he had ever made Saul king in the first place.