1 Samuel, 15

1. Samuel also said unto Saul, The LORD sent me to anoint thee [to be] king over his people, over Israel: now therefore hearken thou unto the voice of the words of the LORD.

1. Samuel told Saul, "Yahweh sent me to anoint you king over his people Israel. So now listen to what he has to say to you:

2. Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I remember [that] which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid [wait] for him in the way, when he came up from Egypt.

2. I will punish Amalek for having stood in the way of the Israelites when they were leaving Egypt.

3. Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass.

3. Now attack Amalek and destroy completely all that he has. Do not spare them - man, woman, infant or suckling, ox or sheep, camel or ass."

4. And Saul gathered the people together, and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen, and ten thousand men of Judah.

4. Saul called his men to Telaim and reviewed two hundred thousand foot soldiers and ten thousand men from Judah.

5. And Saul came to a city of Amalek, and laid wait in the valley.

5. He went to the city of Amalek, set an ambush in the valley and

6. And Saul said unto the Kenites, Go, depart, get you down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them: for ye shewed kindness to all the children of Israel, when they came up out of Egypt. So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites.

6. proceeded to warn the Kenites, "Leave the Amalekites! I do not want to punish you with them since you showed kindness to the people of Israel when they left Egypt." After the Kenites had left,

7. And Saul smote the Amalekites from Havilah [until] thou comest to Shur, that [is] over against Egypt.

7. Saul defeated the Amalekites, from Havilah to Shur, east of Egypt.

8. And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword.

8. He took Agag, king of the Amalekites alive, but put the rest of the people to the sword.

9. But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all [that was] good, and would not utterly destroy them: but every thing [that was] vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly.

9. Saul and his men spared Agag and the best of the sheep, oxen, fatlings and lambs and everything that was good, but destroyed all that was worthless.

10. Then came the word of the LORD unto Samuel, saying,

10. Then Yahweh spoke to Samuel:

11. It repenteth me that I have set up Saul [to be] king: for he is turned back from following me, and hath not performed my commandments. And it grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the LORD all night.

11. "I feel sorry that I made Saul king because he has turned his back on me and has not kept my command." Samuel was troubled and cried to Yahweh all night.

12. And when Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning, it was told Samuel, saying, Saul came to Carmel, and, behold, he set him up a place, and is gone about, and passed on, and gone down to Gilgal.

12. Early next morning, he went looking for Saul, but was told that Saul had set off for Carmel to erect a monument to himself and then had gone on his way to Gilgal.

13. And Samuel came to Saul: and Saul said unto him, Blessed [be] thou of the LORD: I have performed the commandment of the LORD.

13. When finally they met, Saul greeted Samuel, "May Yahweh bless you," and added, "I have done what Yahweh told me to do."

14. And Samuel said, What [meaneth] then this bleating of the sheep in mine ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?

14. Samuel then asked him, "Why do I still hear the bleating of sheep and the lowing of oxen?"

15. And Saul said, They have brought them from the Amalekites: for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen, to sacrifice unto the LORD thy God; and the rest we have utterly destroyed.

15. Saul replied, "We have brought them from the Amalekites, because the people spared the best sheep and oxen to sacrifice to Yahweh, your God. But the rest have been destroyed."

16. Then Samuel said unto Saul, Stay, and I will tell thee what the LORD hath said to me this night. And he said unto him, Say on.

16. Samuel then told Saul, "Enough! Let me tell you what Yahweh said to me last night." Saul replied, "Please tell me."

17. And Samuel said, When thou [wast] little in thine own sight, [wast] thou not [made] the head of the tribes of Israel, and the LORD anointed thee king over Israel?

17. So Samuel went on and said, "Though you had no confidence in yourself, you became chief of the tribes of Israel, for Yahweh wanted to anoint you king over Israel.

18. And the LORD sent thee on a journey, and said, Go and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them until they be consumed.

18. Then he sent you with this command, 'Go. Completely crush the Amalekite offenders, engaging them in battle until they are destroyed.'

19. Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of the LORD, but didst fly upon the spoil, and didst evil in the sight of the LORD?

19. Why then did you not obey the voice of Yahweh but instead swooped down on the spoil, doing what was evil in his sight?"

20. And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the LORD, and have gone the way which the LORD sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites.

20. To this, Saul replied, "I have obeyed the voice of Yahweh and have carried out the mission for which he sent me. I have captured Agag, king of Amalek and completely destroyed the Amalekites.

21. But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice unto the LORD thy God in Gilgal.

21. If my men spared the best sheep and oxen from among those to be destroyed, it was in order to sacrifice them to Yahweh, your God, in Gilgal."

22. And Samuel said, Hath the LORD [as great] delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey [is] better than sacrifice, [and] to hearken than the fat of rams.

22. Samuel then said, "Does Yahweh take as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obedience to his command? Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission better than the fat of rams.

23. For rebellion [is as] the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness [is as] iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from [being] king.

23. Rebellion is like the sin of divination, and stubbornness like holding onto idols. Since you have rejected the word of Yahweh, he too has rejected you as king."

24. And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned: for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD, and thy words: because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice.

24. Saul then told Samuel, "I have sinned in disobeying Yahweh's command and your instructions. I feared my own men and obeyed them instead.

25. Now therefore, I pray thee, pardon my sin, and turn again with me, that I may worship the LORD.

25. Please forgive my sin and return with me so I may worship Yahweh."

26. And Samuel said unto Saul, I will not return with thee: for thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, and the LORD hath rejected thee from being king over Israel.

26. Samuel refused and said, "I will not return with you because you have rejected the word of Yahweh and he has rejected you as king of Israel."

27. And as Samuel turned about to go away, he laid hold upon the skirt of his mantle, and it rent.

27. As Samuel turned to leave, Saul held onto the end of his robe, which tore.

28. And Samuel said unto him, The LORD hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbour of thine, [that is] better than thou.

28. Then Samuel said to Saul, "Yahweh has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this day and has given it to someone better than you.

29. And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent: for he [is] not a man, that he should repent.

29. The Glory of Israel does not change or repent as man does."

30. Then he said, I have sinned: [yet] honour me now, I pray thee, before the elders of my people, and before Israel, and turn again with me, that I may worship the LORD thy God.

30. Saul then said, "I have sinned. But please honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel. Return with me so that I may worship Yahweh, your God."

31. So Samuel turned again after Saul; and Saul worshipped the LORD.

31. And Samuel returned with Saul who went to worship Yahweh.

32. Then said Samuel, Bring ye hither to me Agag the king of the Amalekites. And Agag came unto him delicately. And Agag said, Surely the bitterness of death is past.

32. Samuel said, "Bring me Agag, king of the Amalekites." Agag stood before him with a cheerful face, thinking that he was now out of danger.

33. And Samuel said, As thy sword hath made women childless, so shall thy mother be childless among women. And Samuel hewed Agag in pieces before the LORD in Gilgal.

33. But Samuel told him, "As your sword has made women childless, so shall your mother be childless among women." Then Samuel dealt a mortal blow to Agag before Yahweh in Gilgal.

34. Then Samuel went to Ramah; and Saul went up to his house to Gibeah of Saul.

34. Samuel left for Ramah while Saul went home to Gibeah of Saul.

35. And Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death: nevertheless Samuel mourned for Saul: and the LORD repented that he had made Saul king over Israel.

35. From that day Samuel did not see Saul again until he died, but he was grieving over Saul because Yahweh regretted having made him king over Israel.