Read the Bible

The Lord had me choose you to be king of his people, Israel. Now listen to this message from the Lord:

¹ Sh'mu'el said to Sha'ul, "Adonai sent me to anoint you king over his people, over Isra'el. Now listen to what Adonai has to say.

¹ And Samuel said to Saul, Jehovah sent *me* to anoint thee king over his people, over Israel: now therefore hearken to the voice of the words of Jehovah.

Saul Destroys the Amalekites

¹ One day Samuel said to Saul, "The Lord sent me to anoint you king over his people Israel. Now listen to his message.

¹ SAMUEL said to Saul, The LORD sent me to anoint you to be king over his people Israel. Now therefore hearken to the voice of the words of the LORD.

War against the Amalekites

^1 (a)Samuel said to Saul, "I am the one whom the Lord sent to anoint you king of his people Israel. Now listen to what the Lord Almighty says.

¹ And Samuel said to Saul, Jehovah sent me to anoint you king over His people, over Israel. And now listen to the voice of the words of Jehovah.

¹ Samuel sayde vnto Saul: The LORDE sent me to anoynte the for to be kynge ouer his people of Israel: heare now therfore the voyce of the wordes of the LORDE.

¹ And Samuel said unto Saul, Jehovah sent me to anoint thee to be king over his people, over Israel: now therefore hearken thou unto the voice of the words of Jehovah.

¹ And Samuel said to Saul, The Lord sent me to put the holy oil on you and to make you king over his people, over Israel: so give ear now to the words of the Lord.

¹ Samuel also saide vnto Saul: The Lord sent me to anoynt thee, to be king ouer his people, ouer Israel: Now therfore hearken thou vnto the voyce of the wordes of the Lorde.

¹ And Samuel 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 also saide vnto Saul, The Lord sent me to annoint thee to bee king ouer his people, ouer Israel: nowe therefore hearken thou vnto the voyce of the words of the Lord.

¹ And Samuel said to Saul, The Lord sent me to anoint thee king over Israel: and now hear the voice of the Lord.

¹ And Samuel 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 the words of the LORD.

Saul’s Disobedience

(Leviticus 20:1-9; Leviticus 26:14-39; Deuteronomy 28:15-68)

¹ Then Samuel said to Saul, “The LORD sent me to anoint you king over His people Israel. Now therefore, listen to the words of the LORD.

¹ And Samuel seide to Saul, The Lord sente me, that Y schulde anoynte thee in to `kyng on his puple Israel; now therfor here thou the vois `of the Lord.

¹ And Samuel saith unto Saul, `Me did Jehovah send to anoint thee for king over His people, over Israel; and now, hearken to the voice of the words of Jehovah:

¹ And Samuel said to Saul, Yahweh sent me to anoint you to be king over his people, over Israel: now therefore listen to the voice of the words of Yahweh.

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

¹ Samuel said to Saul, Yahweh sent me to anoint you to be king over his people, over Israel: now therefore listen you to the voice of the words of Yahweh.

¹ Samuel also said to Saul, "The LORD sent me to anoint you king over His people, over Israel. Now therefore, heed the voice of the words of the LORD.

Saul Defeats the Amalekites

¹ One day Samuel said to Saul, "It was the Lord who told me to anoint you as king of his people, Israel. Now listen to this message from the Lord!

War with the Amalekites

¹ Samuel said to Saul, "The Lord sent me to choose you to be king over His people Israel. Now listen to the Words of the Lord.

Saul Defeats the Amalekites but Spares Their King

¹ Samuel said to Saul, "The Lord sent me to anoint you king over his people Israel; now therefore listen to the words of the Lord.

¹ And Samuel said unto Saul, It was, me, Yahweh sent to anoint thee to be king over his people, over Israel, - now, therefore, hearken thou to the voice of Yahweh's words.

¹ And Samuel said to Saul: The Lord sent me to anoint thee king over his people Israel: now therefore hearken thou unto the voice of the Lord:

¹ And Samuel said to Saul, "The LORD sent me to anoint you king over his people Israel; now therefore hearken to the words of the LORD.

¹ And Samuel says to Saul, "YHWH sent me to anoint you for king over His people, over Israel; and now, listen to the voice of the words of YHWH.^1-2 Samuel said to Saul, "God sent me to anoint you king over his people, Israel. Now, listen again to what God says. This is the God-of-the-Angel-Armies speaking:

^2-3 "‘I'm about to get even with Amalek for ambushing Israel when Israel came up out of Egypt. 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.'"

^4-5 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. 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.

^7-9 Then Saul went after Amalek, from the canyon all the way to Shur near the Egyptian border. He captured Agag, king of Amalek, alive. Everyone else was killed under the terms of the holy ban. 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.

^10-11 Then God spoke to Samuel: "I'm sorry I ever made Saul king. He's turned his back on me. He refuses to do what I tell him."

^11-12 Samuel was angry when he heard this. He prayed his anger and disappointment all through the night. 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."

^17-19 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. 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.' 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?"

^20-21 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. 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?"

^22-23 Then Samuel said,

^24-25 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. 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."

^27-29 As Samuel turned to leave, Saul grabbed at his priestly robe and a piece tore off. Samuel said, "God has just now torn the kingdom from you, and handed it over to your neighbor, a better man than you are. Israel's God-of-Glory doesn't deceive and he doesn't dither. He says what he means and means what he says."

Saul's Disobedience

¹ Then Samuel said to Saul, "^(C1)The LORD sent me to anoint you as king over His people, over Israel; now therefore, listen to the ^(F1)words of the LORD.² This is what the Lord of Armies says: ‘I witnessed^(F1) what the Amalekites did to the Israelites when they opposed them along the way as they were coming out of Egypt.^{(C1) 2} Thus says the LORD of Hosts, I have marked that which `Amalek did to Yisra'el, how he set himself against him in the way, when he came up out of Mitzrayim.

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 Thus says Yahweh of hosts: ‘I have observed what Amalek did to Israel, how he opposed him^[b] when he went up from Egypt. ² Thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘I have noted what Amalek did to Israel ^(b)in opposing them on the way when they came up out of Egypt. ² This is what the Lord All-Powerful says: ‘When the Israelites came out of Egypt, the Amalekites tried to stop them from going to Canaan. So I will punish them. ² Here is what the Lord of hosts says: ‘I carefully observed how the Amalekites opposed Israel along the way when Israel came up from Egypt. ² "Thus says the LORD of hosts (armies), 'I will punish ^(C1)Amalek for what he did to Israel, how he set himself against him on the way when Israel came up from Egypt.² "This is what the LORD of armies says: 'I will ^(F1)punish Amalek ^(C1)for what he did to Israel, in that he obstructed him on the way while he was coming up from Egypt.² Thus saith the Lorde of hostes, I remember what Amalek did to Israel, howe they laide waite for the in ye way, as they came vp fro Egypt.² "Thus says Yahweh of hosts, 'I will ^(F1)punish Amalek ^(C1)for what he did to Israel, how he set himself against him on the way while he was coming up from Egypt. ² "When the Israelites were on their way out of Egypt, the nation of Amalek attacked them. I am the Lord All-Powerful, and now I am going to make Amalek pay! ² Here is what Adonai-Tzva'ot says: ‘I remember what ‘Amalek did to Isra'el, how they fought against Isra'el when they were coming up from Egypt.

² Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: I have considered what Amalek did to Israel, how he set himself against him in the way, when he came up from Egypt. ² The Lord All-Powerful says: ‘When the Israelites came out of Egypt, the Amalekites tried to stop them from going to Canaan. I saw what the Amalekites did.² Thus says the LORD Of hosts, I remember what Amalek did to Israel on their journey when they were coming up out of Egypt. ^2 (b)He is going to punish the people of Amalek because their ancestors opposed the Israelites when they were coming from Egypt. ² So says Jehovah of Hosts, I will visit Amalek with what he did to Israel, how he set himself against him in the way, when he came up from Egypt.² Thus sayeth ye LORDE Zebaoth: I haue remembred what Amaleck dyd vnto Israel, & how he layed wayte for him in ye waye, whan he wente out of Egipte: ² Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, I ^[a]have marked that which Amalek did to Israel, how he set himself against him in the way, when he came up out of Egypt. ² The Lord of armies says, I will give punishment to Amalek for what he did to Israel, fighting against him on the way when Israel came out of Egypt.² Thus saith the Lorde of hoastes: I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how they layed waite for them in the waye as they came vp from Egypt.² Thus saith the LORD of hosts: I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he set himself against him in the way, when he came up out of Egypt.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 vp from Egypt. ² Thus said the Lord of hosts, Now will I take vengeance for what Amalec did to Israel, when he met him in the way as he came up out of Egypt. ² Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I have marked that which Amalek did to Israel, how he set himself against him in the way, when he came up out of Egypt. ² This is what the LORD of Hosts says: ‘I witnessed what the Amalekites did to the Israelites when they hindered them on their way up from Egypt.² The Lord of oostis seith thes thingis, Y haue rikenyd what euer thingis Amalech dide to Israel; hou Amalech ayenstood Israel in the weie, whanne he stiede from Egipt.² `Thus said Jehovah of Hosts, I have looked after that which Amalek did to Israel, that which he laid for him in the way in his going up out of Egypt.² Thus says Yahweh of hosts, I have remembered that which Amalek did to Israel, how he set himself against him in the way, when he came up out of Egypt.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 Thus says Yahweh of Hosts, I have marked that which Amalek did to Israel, how he set himself against him in the way, when he came up out of Egypt. ² Thus says the LORD of hosts: "I will punish Amalek for what he did to Israel, how he ambushed him on the way when he came up from Egypt. ² This is what the Lord of Heaven's Armies has declared: I have decided to settle accounts with the nation of Amalek for opposing Israel when they came from Egypt. ² This is what the Lord of All says. ‘I will punish Amalek for what he did to Israel in standing against them on the way, when they came up from Egypt. ² Thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘I will punish the Amalekites for what they did in opposing the Israelites when they came up out of Egypt. ² Thus, saith Yahweh of hosts, I have well considered what Amalek did unto Israel - how he lay in wait for him in the way, when he came up out of Egypt.² Thus saith the Lord of hosts: I have reckoned up all that Amalec hath done to Israel: how he opposed them in the way when they came up out of Egypt.² Thus says the LORD of hosts, 'I will punish what Am'alek did to Israel in opposing them on the way, when they came up out of Egypt.² Thus said YHWH of Hosts: I have looked after that which Amalek did to Israel, that which he laid for him in the way in his going up out of Egypt.² "Thus says the LORD of hosts, 'I will ^(F1)punish Amalek ^(C1)for what he did to Israel, how he set himself against him on the way while he was coming up from Egypt.³ Now go and attack the Amalekites and completely destroy everything they have.^(C1) Do not spare them. Kill men and women, infants and nursing babies, oxen and sheep, camels and donkeys.’”^(C2)

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 So then, go and attack Amalek and utterly destroy all that is his! You must not spare him, but kill both man and woman, both child and nursing infant, both ox and sheep, both camel and donkey.'" ³ Now go and strike Amalek and ^(c)devote to destruction^[a] all that they have. Do not spare them, ^(d)but kill both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.'" ³ Now go, attack the Amalekites and destroy everything they own as an offering to the Lord. Don't let anything live. Put to death men and women, children and small babies, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys.'" ³ So go now and strike down the Amalekites. Destroy everything that they have. Don't spare them. Put them to death—man, woman, child, infant, ox, sheep, camel, and donkey alike.'"³ 'Now go and strike Amalek and ^(C1)completely destroy everything that they have; do not spare them, but ^(C2)kill both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.'"

³ "Go and attack the Amalekites! Destroy them and all their possessions. Don't have any pity. Kill their men, women, children, and even their babies. Slaughter their cattle, sheep, camels, and donkeys." ³ Now go and attack ‘Amalek, and completely destroy everything they have. Don't spare them, but kill men and women, children and babies, cows and sheep, camels and donkeys.'"

³ Now go and smite Amalek, and destroy utterly 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 go fight against the Amalekites. You must completely destroy the Amalekites and everything that belongs to them. Don't let anything live; you must kill all the men and women and all of their children and little babies. You must kill all of their cattle and sheep and all of their camels and donkeys.'"³ Now go and smite the Amalekites, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both men and women, young people and infants, oxen and sheep, camels and asses. ³ Go and attack the Amalekites and completely destroy everything they have. Don't leave a thing; kill all the men, women, children, and babies; the cattle, sheep, camels, and donkeys."³ Now go, and you shall strike Amalek and destroy all that he has. And you shall have no pity on him, and you shall put to death all from man to woman, from little one to suckling, from ox to sheep, from camel to ass.³ Go yi waye now therfore, and smyte the Amalechites, & damne them with all that they haue, & spare him not: but slaye both man and woman, children & sucklynges, oxen & shepe, Camels and asses. ³ Now go and smite Amalek, and ^[b]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 Go now and put Amalek to the sword, putting to the curse all they have, without mercy: put to death every man and woman, every child and baby at the breast, every ox and sheep, camel and ass.³ Nowe therfore go, and smyte Amalek, and destroye ye all that pertaineth vnto them, and haue no compassion on them, slay both man & woman, infant and suckling, oxe and sheepe, camel and asse.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 goe, and smite Amalek, and vtterly destroy all that they haue, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, oxe and sheepe, camell and asse. ³ And now go, and thou shalt smite Amalec and Hierim and all that belongs to him, and thou shalt not save anything of him alive, but thou shalt utterly destroy him: and thou shalt devote him and all his to destruction, and thou shalt spare nothing belonging to him; and thou shalt slay both man and woman, and infant and suckling, and calf and sheep, and camel and ass. 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 go and attack the Amalekites and devote to destruction all that belongs to them. Do not spare them, but put to death men and women, children and infants, oxen and sheep, camels and donkeys.’”³ Now therfor go thou, and sle Amalech, and distruye thou alle `thingis of hym; spare thou not hym, and coueyte thou not ony thing of hise thingis; but sle thou fro man `til to womman, and a litil child, and soukynge, an oxe, and scheep, and camel, and asse.³ Now, go, and thou hast smitten Amalek, and devoted all that it hath, and thou hast no pity on it, and hast put to death from man unto woman, from infant unto suckling, from ox unto sheep, from camel unto ass.'³ Now go and smite Amalek, and completely destroy all that they have, and don't spare them; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.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 go and strike Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and don't spare them; but kill both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and donkey. ³ Now go and attack Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and do not spare them. But kill both man and woman, infant and nursing child, ox and sheep, camel and donkey."' ³ Now go and completely destroy^[a] the entire Amalekite nation—men, women, children, babies, cattle, sheep, goats, camels, and donkeys." ³ Now go and destroy Amalek. Destroy all they have, and do not let them live. Kill both man and woman, child and baby, cattle and sheep, camel and donkey.'" ³ Now go and attack Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have; do not spare them, but kill both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.'"³ Now, go and smite Amalek, and devote ye to destruction all that he hath, and spare him not, - but thou shalt slay both man and woman, both child and suckling, both ox and sheep, both camel and ass.³ Now therefore go, and smite Amalec, and utterly destroy all that he hath: spare him not, nor covet anything that is his: but slay both man and woman, child and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass.³ Now go and smite Am'alek, and utterly destroy all that they have; do not spare them, but kill both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass.'"³ Now go, and you have struck Amalek, and devoted all that he has, and you have no pity on him, and have put to death from man to woman, from infant to suckling, from ox to sheep, from camel to donkey."

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.

^34-35 Samuel left immediately for Ramah and Saul went home to Gibeah. Samuel had nothing to do with Saul from then on, though he grieved long and deeply over him. But God was sorry he had ever made Saul king in the first place.

⁴ Then Saul summoned the troops and counted them at Telaim: two hundred thousand foot soldiers and ten thousand men from Judah. ⁴ Sha'ul summoned the people, and numbered them in Tela'im, two hundred thousand footmen, and ten thousand men of Yehudah.

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

⁴ Saul summoned the army and mustered them at Telaim; two hundred thousand foot soldiers and ten thousand men of Judah.

⁴ So Saul summoned the people and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand men on foot, and ten thousand men of Judah.

⁴ So Saul called the army together at Telaim. There were two hundred thousand foot soldiers and ten thousand men from Judah.

⁴ So Saul assembled the army and mustered them at Telaim. There were 200,000 foot soldiers and 10,000 men of Judah.

⁴ So Saul summoned the people and numbered them at ^(C1)Telaim—200,000 foot soldiers and 10,000 men of Judah.

⁴ Then Saul summoned the people and ^(F1)counted them in ^(C1)Telaim: two hundred thousand foot soldiers and ten thousand men of Judah.⁴ And Saul assembled ye people, and nombred them in Telaim, two hundreth thousande footemen, and ten thousand men of Iudah.

⁴ Then Saul summoned the people and ^(F1)numbered them in ^(C1)Telaim, 200,000 foot soldiers and 10,000 men of Judah.