Thematic Bible




1 Samuel 15:1 (show verse)

Samuel said to Saul, “The Lord sent me to anoint you king over His people Israel. Now listen and pay close attention to the words of the Lord.

1 Samuel 15:2 (show verse)

Thus says the Lord of hosts (armies), ‘I will punish Amalek for what he did to Israel, how he set himself against him on the way when Israel came up from Egypt.

1 Samuel 15:3 (show verse)

Now go and strike Amalek and completely destroy everything that they have; do not spare them, but kill both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’”

1 Samuel 15:4 (show verse)

So Saul summoned the people and numbered them at 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, leave, go down from the Amalekites, so that I do not destroy you along with them; for you showed kindness to all the Israelites when they went up from Egypt.” So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites.

1 Samuel 15:7 (show verse)

Saul defeated the Amalekites, from Havilah as far as Shur, which is east of Egypt.

1 Samuel 15:8 (show verse)

He captured Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, though he totally destroyed all [the rest of] the people with the sword.

1 Samuel 15:9 (show verse)

Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the fatlings, the lambs, and everything that was good, and they were not willing to destroy them entirely; but everything that was undesirable or worthless they destroyed completely.

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 made Saul king, for he has turned away from following Me and has not carried out My commands.” Samuel was angry [over Saul’s failure] and he cried out to the Lord all night.

1 Samuel 15:12 (show verse)

When Samuel got up early in the morning to meet Saul, he was told, “Saul came to Carmel, and behold, he set up for himself a monument [commemorating his victory], then he turned and went on and went down to Gilgal.”

1 Samuel 15:13 (show verse)

So 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 destroyed completely.”

1 Samuel 15:16 (show verse)

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

1 Samuel 15:17 (show verse)

Samuel said, “Is it not true that even though you were small (insignificant) 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, totally destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are eliminated.’

1 Samuel 15:19 (show verse)

Why did you not obey the voice of the Lord, but [instead] swooped down on the plunder [with shouts of victory] and did evil in the sight of the Lord?”

1 Samuel 15:20 (show verse)

Saul said to Samuel, “I have obeyed the voice of the Lord, and have gone on the mission on which the Lord sent me, and have brought back Agag the king of Amalek, and have completely destroyed the Amalekites.

1 Samuel 15:21 (show verse)

But the people took some of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the best of the things [that were] to be totally destroyed, to sacrifice to the Lord your God at Gilgal.”

1 Samuel 15:22 (show verse)

Samuel said,“Has the Lord as great a delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices
As in obedience to the voice of the Lord?
Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,
And to heed [is better] 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 [serious as] the sin of divination (fortune-telling),
And disobedience is as [serious as] false religion and idolatry.
Because you have rejected the word of the Lord,
He also has rejected you as 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; for I have transgressed the command of the Lord and your words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice.

1 Samuel 15:25 (show verse)

Now, please, pardon my sin and return with me, so 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 [away], Saul grabbed the hem of his robe [to stop him], 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 Splendor and Glory and Eminence 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)

Saul said, “I have sinned; but please honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel, and go back with me, so 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 has come to an end.”

1 Samuel 15:33 (show verse)

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

1 Samuel 15:34 (show verse)

Then Samuel went to Ramah, but Saul went up to his house in 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.