1 Samuel

Tells about Samuel, the last judge, and the beginning of Israel's monarchy with King Saul and young David.

Chapter 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.

*Samuel told Saul that God sent him to make Saul the king of the people in Israel. Now, Saul should listen to what God is saying.

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.

*So says the Lord, the God with many armies, I remember what Amalek did to Israel - how he waited to attack them on their journey after they left 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.

*Go now and attack Amalek completely, destroying everything they have without sparing anyone or anything. This includes people of all ages, as well as animals like cows, sheep, camels, and donkeys.

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

*Saul brought the people together at Telaim and counted them. There were 200,000 foot soldiers and 10,000 from Judah.

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

*Saul went to an Amalek city and hid in the valley.

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.

*Saul told the Kenites to leave the Amalekites and not be destroyed with them. He said this because the Kenites had been kind to the Israelites after they left Egypt. The Kenites then left the Amalekites.

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

*Saul attacked the Amalekites from Havilah to Shur, which is near Egypt.

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

*He captured Agag, the ruler of the Amalekites, alive, and completely killed everyone using the blade of a 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.

*But Saul and the people saved Agag and the best animals, like sheep, oxen, and young ones, as well as anything good, but completely destroyed all the bad and worthless things.

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

*Then, God spoke to Samuel, saying,

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.

*God feels sorry for choosing Saul as king because he stopped listening and disobeyed commands. This made Samuel sad, so he prayed to God 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.

*When Samuel woke up early to meet Saul in the morning, he was told that Saul had been to Carmel, set up a site, and then left, going 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.

*And Samuel arrived to Saul; and Saul told him, "You are blessed by God! I have followed God's instructions."

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

*And Samuel asked, "What does this sheep noise in my ears and the cow moaning I'm hearing mean?"

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.

*Saul told them that they got the animals from the Amalekites. The people kept the best animals to offer them to God, while they completely destroyed the rest.

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.

*Then Samuel told Saul, "Wait, let me tell you what God said to me tonight." Saul replied, "Please continue."

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?

*And Samuel asked, "Weren't you just a small child in your own eyes when you became the leader of the tribes of Israel, and the Lord chose you to be their king?"

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.

*And God sent you on a mission and said, Go and completely eliminate the wicked people called Amalekites, and keep fighting them until they no longer exist.

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?

*Why didn't you listen to the LORD's voice then, but instead chose to seize the loot and do something wrong while the LORD watched?

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.

*And Saul told Samuel, "Yes, I listened to God's command and followed the path He showed me. I killed King Agag of Amalek and completely wiped out the people of Amalek."

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.

*But the people took some of the captured animals, like sheep and cows, from the things that were supposed to be completely destroyed, and they offered them as sacrifices to honor God in a place called 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.

*And Samuel asked, Does the Lord like burned offerings and sacrifices more than listening to people follow his instructions? Look, it's better to listen and obey than to give him sacrifices, and better to pay attention than to offer fat from many sheep.

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.

*Rebellion is like a very bad sin, like witchcraft. Stubbornness is also very wrong, like breaking rules and worshipping false gods. Since you refused to listen to God's message, He won't let you be a leader anymore.

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.

*Saul told Samuel, "I made a mistake. I broke God's rule and your words because I was scared of the people and followed what they wanted."

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

*Now then, please forgive my mistake, and come back with me so I can worship the Lord.

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.

*And Samuel told Saul, "I won't go with you. You ignored God's message, and God no longer wants you to be the leader of Israel."

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

*As Samuel tried to leave, he grabbed his cloak's hem, and it tore apart.

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.

*And Samuel told him, "God has taken your kingdom away from you today and gave it to a neighbor who is 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.

*The strength of Israel won't change its mind or feel sorry: it's not a person who can change its mind.

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.

*Then he said, "I made a mistake. Please show me respect now in front of my people's leaders and Israel. Come back with me so I can worship your God."

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

*So, Samuel went back to supporting Saul, and Saul started to honor God.

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.

*Then Samuel asked, "Bring me King Agag of the Amalekites." So, Agag arrived cautiously. He said, "I can see that the worst part of death has passed."

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.

*Samuel told them, "Just like your sword has caused many women to have no children, your mother will also have no children," Samuel then cut Agag into pieces in front of God at a place called Gilgal.

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

*Then, Samuel traveled to Ramah, while Saul went to his home in Gibeah, which belonged to him.

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.

*Samuel didn't visit Saul again until Saul died, but Samuel still felt sad for Saul. God also regretted choosing Saul as the leader of Israel.

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