Thematic Bible




1 Samuel 15:1 (show verse)

Then Samuel said to Saul, “The Lord sent me to anoint you as king over His people, over Israel; now therefore, listen to the words of the Lord.

1 Samuel 15:2 (show verse)

Thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘I will punish Amalek for what he did to Israel, how he set himself against him on the way while he was coming up from Egypt.

1 Samuel 15:3 (show verse)

Now go and strike Amalek and utterly destroy all that he has, and do not spare him; but put to death both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’”

1 Samuel 15:4 (show verse)

Then Saul summoned the people and numbered them in Telaim, 200,000 foot soldiers and 10,000 men of Judah.

1 Samuel 15:5 (show verse)

Saul came to the city of Amalek and set an ambush in the valley.

1 Samuel 15:6 (show verse)

Saul said to the Kenites, “Go, depart, go down from among the Amalekites, so that I do not destroy you with them; for you showed kindness to all the sons of Israel when they came up from Egypt.” So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites.

1 Samuel 15:7 (show verse)

So Saul defeated the Amalekites, from Havilah as you go to Shur, which is east of Egypt.

1 Samuel 15:8 (show verse)

He captured Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword.

1 Samuel 15:9 (show verse)

But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the fatlings, the lambs, and all that was good, and were not willing to destroy them utterly; but everything despised and worthless, that they utterly destroyed.

1 Samuel 15:10 (show verse)

Then the word of the Lord came to Samuel, saying,

1 Samuel 15:11 (show verse)

I regret that I have made Saul king, for he has turned back from following Me and has not carried out My commands.” And Samuel was distressed and cried out to the Lord all night.

1 Samuel 15:12 (show verse)

Samuel rose early in the morning to meet Saul; and it was told Samuel, saying, “Saul came to Carmel, and behold, he set up a monument for himself, then turned and proceeded on down to Gilgal.”

1 Samuel 15:13 (show verse)

Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said to him, “Blessed are you of the Lord! I have carried out the command of the Lord.”

1 Samuel 15:14 (show verse)

But Samuel said, “What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?”

1 Samuel 15:15 (show verse)

Saul said, “They have brought them from the Amalekites, for the people spared the best of the sheep and oxen, to sacrifice to the Lord your God; but the rest we have utterly destroyed.”

1 Samuel 15:16 (show verse)

Then Samuel said to Saul, “Wait, and let me tell you what the Lord said to me last night.” And he said to him, “Speak!”

1 Samuel 15:17 (show verse)

Samuel said, “Is it not true, though you were little in your own eyes, you were made the head of the tribes of Israel? And the Lord anointed you king over Israel,

1 Samuel 15:18 (show verse)

and the Lord sent you on a mission, and said, ‘Go and utterly destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are exterminated.’

1 Samuel 15:19 (show verse)

Why then did you not obey the voice of the Lord, but rushed upon the spoil and did what was evil in the sight of the Lord?”

1 Samuel 15:20 (show verse)

Then Saul said to Samuel, “I did obey the voice of the Lord, and went on the mission on which the Lord sent me, and have brought back Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites.

1 Samuel 15:21 (show verse)

But the people took some of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the choicest of the things devoted to destruction, to sacrifice to the Lord your God at Gilgal.”

1 Samuel 15:22 (show verse)

Samuel said,
Has the Lord as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices
As in obeying the voice of the Lord?
Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,
And to heed than the fat of rams.
Amalekites » Defeated by saul
Amalekites, the » saul » Condemned for not utterly destroying
the Burnt offering » Obedience better than
Christian ministers » Expostulate with rulers » Samuel with saul
Church and state » Ecclesiastical power superior to civil » Reproves rulers
Delight » What the lord delights in
Delight » What the lord does not delight in
Desires » What the lord desires
Desires » What the lord does not desire
Falsehood » Instances of » Saul, in professing to samuel to have obeyed the commandment to destroy all spoils of the amalekites, when in fact he had not obeyed
Formalism » The insufficiency of
Gilgal » Place of the first encampment of the israelites west of the jordan river » An altar built at, and sacrifice offered
Kings » Who reigned over all israel » saul
Obedience » The obeying of the lord
Obedience » To God, the duty of » Better than sacrifice
Obedience to God » Better than sacrifice
Offerings » Useless when not accompanied by genuine piety
Offerings » Withheld see offerings; withheld » Insufficient to secure salvation
Presumption » Instances of » Sparing the amalekites
Religion » Formalism » The insufficiency of
Repentance » Instances of » Saul, at the rebuke of samuel for not destroying the amalekites
Reproof » Faithfulness in » Samuel, of saul
Requirements » What the lord does not require
Rulers' » Wicked » Instances of » Saul, sparing agag and the best of the booty
Sacrifice » What is better than sacrifice
Sacrifices » Insufficient to secure salvation
Sacrifices » Generally the best of their kind
Sacrifices » Without obedience, worthless
samuel » Life summarized » Courageous
saul » King of israel » Dedicates the spoils of war
Saul, king of israel » The man who lost a crown characteristics of » Disobedience
Self-righteousness » Instances of » saul
Self-will » Exemplified » King saul
Self-will and stubbornness » Exemplified » saul
Service » Test » King saul was condemned by it
Sheep » Males of, called rams

1 Samuel 15:23 (show verse)

“For rebellion is as the sin of divination,
And insubordination is as iniquity and idolatry.
Because you have rejected the word of the Lord,
He has also rejected you from being king.”
Amalekites » Defeated by saul
Amalekites, the » saul » Condemned for not utterly destroying
Christian ministers » Expostulate with rulers » Samuel with saul
Church and state » Ecclesiastical power superior to civil » Reproves rulers
Divination » An abominable practice
Falsehood » Instances of » Saul, in professing to samuel to have obeyed the commandment to destroy all spoils of the amalekites, when in fact he had not obeyed
Gilgal » Place of the first encampment of the israelites west of the jordan river » An altar built at, and sacrifice offered
Idolatry » What is idolatry
Iniquity » What is as iniquity
Judgments » Upon individuals--exemplified » saul
Kings » Who reigned over all israel » saul
Presumption » Instances of » Sparing the amalekites
Punishment of the The Wicked » On account of their » Rejection of the law of God
Rebellion » Against God, condemned
Rebellion » What rebellion is
Rebellion against God » Exemplified » saul
Rebellion against God » Exhibited in » Rejecting his government
Rebellion against God » Heinousness of
Rejected » Christ » The wicked, by God
Rejection » The reward for rejecting the lord
Repentance » Instances of » Saul, at the rebuke of samuel for not destroying the amalekites
Reprobacy » Instances of » saul
Reproof » Faithfulness in » Samuel, of saul
Rulers' » Wicked » Instances of » Saul, sparing agag and the best of the booty
samuel » Life summarized » Courageous
saul » King of israel » Dedicates the spoils of war
Saul, king of israel » The man who lost a crown characteristics of » Disobedience
Self-righteousness » Instances of » saul
Self-will » Exemplified » King saul
Self-will » Exhibited in » Heinousness of
Self-will and stubbornness » Exemplified » saul
Self-will and stubbornness » Heinousness of
Sorcery » Wickedness of
Stubbornness » What stubbornness is
The wicked » Causes of failure in » Rejection of, by God

1 Samuel 15:24 (show verse)

Then Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned; I have indeed transgressed the command of the Lord and your words, because I feared the people and listened to their voice.

1 Samuel 15:25 (show verse)

Now therefore, please pardon my sin and return with me, that I may worship the Lord.”

1 Samuel 15:26 (show verse)

But Samuel said to Saul, “I will not return with you; for you have rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord has rejected you from being king over Israel.”

1 Samuel 15:27 (show verse)

As Samuel turned to go, Saul seized the edge of his robe, and it tore.

1 Samuel 15:28 (show verse)

So Samuel said to him, “The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to your neighbor, who is better than you.

1 Samuel 15:29 (show verse)

Also the Glory of Israel will not lie or change His mind; for He is not a man that He should change His mind.”

1 Samuel 15:30 (show verse)

Then he said, “I have sinned; but please honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel, and go back with me, that I may worship the Lord your God.”

1 Samuel 15:31 (show verse)

So Samuel went back following Saul, and Saul worshiped the Lord.

1 Samuel 15:32 (show verse)

Then Samuel said, “Bring me Agag, the king of the Amalekites.” And Agag came to him cheerfully. And Agag said, “Surely the bitterness of death is past.”

1 Samuel 15:33 (show verse)

But Samuel said, “As your sword has made women childless, so shall your mother be childless among women.” And Samuel hewed Agag to pieces before the Lord at Gilgal.

1 Samuel 15:34 (show verse)

Then Samuel went to Ramah, but Saul went up to his house at Gibeah of Saul.

1 Samuel 15:35 (show verse)

Samuel did not see Saul again until the day of his death; for Samuel grieved over Saul. And the Lord regretted that He had made Saul king over Israel.