22 And Samuel H8050 said, H559 Hath the LORD H3068 as great delight H2656 in burnt offerings H5930 and sacrifices, H2077 as in obeying H8085 the voice H6963 of the LORD? H3068 Behold, to obey H8085 is better H2896 than sacrifice, H2077 and to hearken H7181 than the fat H2459 of rams. H352
For thou desirest H2654 not sacrifice; H2077 else would I give H5414 it: thou delightest H7521 not in burnt offering. H5930 The sacrifices H2077 of God H430 are a broken H7665 spirit: H7307 a broken H7665 and a contrite H1794 heart, H3820 O God, H430 thou wilt not despise. H959
I hate, H8130 I despise H3988 your feast days, H2282 and I will not smell H7306 in your solemn assemblies. H6116 Though ye offer H5927 me burnt offerings H5930 and your meat offerings, H4503 I will not accept H7521 them: neither will I regard H5027 the peace offerings H8002 of your fat beasts. H4806 Take thou away H5493 from me the noise H1995 of thy songs; H7892 for I will not hear H8085 the melody H2172 of thy viols. H5035 But let judgment H4941 run down H1556 as waters, H4325 and righteousness H6666 as a mighty H386 stream. H5158
Wherewith shall I come before H6923 the LORD, H3068 and bow H3721 myself before the high H4791 God? H430 shall I come before H6923 him with burnt offerings, H5930 with calves H5695 of a year H8141 old? H1121 Will the LORD H3068 be pleased H7521 with thousands H505 of rams, H352 or with ten thousands H7233 of rivers H5158 of oil? H8081 shall I give H5414 my firstborn H1060 for my transgression, H6588 the fruit H6529 of my body H990 for the sin H2403 of my soul? H5315 He hath shewed H5046 thee, O man, H120 what is good; H2896 and what doth the LORD H3068 require H1875 of thee, but to do H6213 justly, H4941 and to love H160 mercy, H2617 and to walk H3212 humbly H6800 with thy God? H430
For I spake H1696 not unto your fathers, H1 nor commanded H6680 them in the day H3117 that I brought them out H3318 of the land H776 of Egypt, H4714 concerning H1697 burnt offerings H5930 or sacrifices: H2077 But this thing H1697 commanded H6680 I them, saying, H559 Obey H8085 my voice, H6963 and I will be your God, H430 and ye shall be my people: H5971 and walk H1980 ye in all the ways H1870 that I have commanded H6680 you, that it may be well H3190 unto you.
Sacrifice H2077 and offering H4503 thou didst not desire; H2654 mine ears H241 hast thou opened: H3738 burnt offering H5930 and sin offering H2401 hast thou not required. H7592 Then said H559 I, Lo, I come: H935 in the volume H4039 of the book H5612 it is written H3789 of me, I delight H2654 to do H6213 thy will, H7522 O my God: H430 yea, thy law H8451 is within H8432 my heart. H4578
For G1063 it is not possible G102 that the blood G129 of bulls G5022 and G2532 of goats G5131 should take away G851 sins. G266 Wherefore G1352 when he cometh G1525 into G1519 the world, G2889 he saith, G3004 Sacrifice G2378 and G2532 offering G4376 thou wouldest G2309 not, G3756 but G1161 a body G4983 hast thou prepared G2675 me: G3427 In burnt offerings G3646 and G2532 sacrifices for G4012 sin G266 thou hast had G2106 no G3756 pleasure. G2106 Then G5119 said I, G2036 Lo, G2400 I come G2240 (in G1722 the volume G2777 of the book G975 it is written G1125 of G4012 me,) G1700 to do G4160 thy G4675 will, G2307 O God. G2316 Above G511 when he said, G3004 G3754 Sacrifice G2378 and G2532 offering G4376 and G2532 burnt offerings G3646 and G2532 offering for G4012 sin G266 thou wouldest G2309 not, G3756 neither G3761 hadst pleasure G2106 therein; which G3748 are offered G4374 by G2596 the law; G3551 Then G5119 said he, G2046 Lo, G2400 I come G2240 to do G4160 thy G4675 will, G2307 O God. G2316 He taketh away G337 the first, G4413 that G2443 he may establish G2476 the second. G1208 By G1722 the which G3739 will G2307 we are G2070 sanctified G37 through G1223 the offering G4376 of the body G4983 of Jesus G2424 Christ G5547 once G2178 for all.
To what H4100 purpose is the multitude H7230 of your sacrifices H2077 unto me? saith H559 the LORD: H3068 I am full H7646 of the burnt offerings H5930 of rams, H352 and the fat H2459 of fed beasts; H4806 and I delight H2654 not in the blood H1818 of bullocks, H6499 or of lambs, H3532 or of he goats. H6260 When ye come H935 to appear H7200 before H6440 me, who hath required H1245 this at your hand, H3027 to tread H7429 my courts? H2691 Bring H935 no more H3254 vain H7723 oblations; H4503 incense H7004 is an abomination H8441 unto me; the new moons H2320 and sabbaths, H7676 the calling H7121 of assemblies, H4744 I cannot away with; H3201 it is iniquity, H205 even the solemn meeting. H6116 Your new moons H2320 and your appointed feasts H4150 my soul H5315 hateth: H8130 they are a trouble H2960 unto me; I am weary H3811 to bear H5375 them. And when ye spread forth H6566 your hands, H3709 I will hide H5956 mine eyes H5869 from you: yea, when ye make many H7235 prayers, H8605 I will not hear: H8085 your hands H3027 are full H4390 of blood. H1818 Wash H7364 you, make you clean; H2135 put away H5493 the evil H7455 of your doings H4611 from before H5048 mine eyes; H5869 cease H2308 to do evil; H7489 Learn H3925 to do well; H3190 seek H1875 judgment, H4941 relieve H833 the oppressed, H2541 judge H8199 the fatherless, H3490 plead H7378 for the widow. H490
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on 1 Samuel 15
Commentary on 1 Samuel 15 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 15
1Sa 15:1-6. Saul Sent to Destroy Amalek.
1. Samuel also said unto Saul, The Lord sent me to anoint thee …: now therefore hearken thou unto … the Lord—Several years had been passed in successful military operations against troublesome neighbors. During these Saul had been left to act in a great measure at his own discretion as an independent prince. Now a second test is proposed of his possessing the character of a theocratic monarch in Israel; and in announcing the duty required of him, Samuel brought before him his official station as the Lord's vicegerent, and the peculiar obligation under which he was laid to act in that capacity. He had formerly done wrong, for which a severe rebuke and threatening were administered to him (1Sa 13:13, 14). Now an opportunity was afforded him of retrieving that error by an exact obedience to the divine command.
2, 3. Amalek—the powerful tribe which inhabited the country immediately to the eastward of the northern Cushites. Their territory extended over the whole of the eastern portion of the desert of Sinai to Rephidim—the earliest opponent (De 25:18; Ex 17:8-16)—the hereditary and restless enemy of Israel (Nu 14:45; Jud 3:13; 6:3), and who had not repented (1Sa 14:48) of their bitter and sleepless hatred during the five hundred years that had elapsed since their doom was pronounced. Being a people of nomadic habits, they were as plundering and dangerous as the Bedouin Arabs, particularly to the southern tribes. The national interest required, and God, as King of Israel, decreed that this public enemy should be removed. Their destruction was to be without reservation or exception.
I remember—I am reminded of what Amalek did—perhaps by the still remaining trophy or memorial erected by Moses (Ex 17:15, 16).
4. Saul gathered the people together—The alacrity with which he entered on the necessary preparations for the expedition gave a fair, but delusive promise of faithfulness in its execution.
Telaim—or Telem, among the uttermost cities of the tribe of Judah towards the coast of Edom (Jos 15:21, 24).
5. Saul came to a city of Amalek—probably their capital.
laid wait in the valley—following the strategic policy of Joshua at Ai (Jos 8:4).
6. Kenites—(See on Jud 1:16). In consequence, probably, of the unsettled state of Judah, they seem to have returned to their old desert tracts. Though now intermingled with the Amalekites, they were not implicated in the offenses of that wicked race; but for the sake of their ancestors, between whom and those of Israel there had been a league of amity, a timely warning was afforded them to remove from the scene of danger.
1Sa 15:7-9. He Spares Agag and the Best of the Spoil.
7-9. Saul smote the Amalekites—His own view of the proper and expedient course to follow was his rule, not the command of God.
8, 9. he took Agag … alive—This was the common title of the Amalekite kings. He had no scruple about the apparent cruelty of it, for he made fierce and indiscriminate havoc of the people. But he spared Agag, probably to enjoy the glory of displaying so distinguished a captive, and, in like manner, the most valuable portions of the booty, as the cattle. By this wilful and partial obedience to a positive command [1Sa 15:3], complying with it in some parts and violating it in others, as suited his own taste and humor, Saul showed his selfish, arbitrary temper, and his love of despotic power, and his utter unfitness to perform the duties of a delegated king in Israel.
1Sa 15:10, 11. God Rejects His for Disobedience.
10, 11. Then came the word of the Lord unto Samuel, saying, It repenteth me that I have set up Saul—Repentance is attributed in Scripture to Him when bad men give Him cause to alter His course and method of procedure, and to treat them as if He did "repent" of kindness shown. To the heart of a man like Samuel, who was above all envious considerations, and really attached to the king, so painful an announcement moved all his pity and led him to pass a sleepless night of earnest intercession.
12. Saul came to Carmel—in the south of Judah (Jos 15:55; 1Sa 25:2).
he set him up a place—that is, a pillar (2Sa 18:18); literally, a hand, indicating that whatever was the form of the monument, it was surmounted, according to the ancient fashion, by the figure of a hand, the symbol of power and energy. The erection of this vainglorious trophy was an additional act of disobedience. His pride had overborne his sense of duty in first raising this monument to his own honor, and then going to Gilgal to offer sacrifice to God.
13-23. Saul said unto him, Blessed be thou of the Lord: I have performed the commandment of the Lord—Saul was either blinded by a partial and delusive self-love, or he was, in his declaration to Samuel, acting the part of a bold and artful hypocrite. He professed to have fulfilled the divine command, and that the blame of any defects in the execution lay with the people. Samuel saw the real state of the case, and in discharge of the commission he had received before setting out, proceeded to denounce his conduct as characterized by pride, rebellion, and obstinate disobedience. When Saul persisted in declaring that he had obeyed, alleging that the animals, whose bleating was heard, had been reserved for a liberal sacrifice of thanksgiving to God, his shuffling, prevaricating answer called forth a stern rebuke from the prophet. It well deserved it—for the destination of the spoil to the altar was a flimsy pretext—a gross deception, an attempt to conceal the selfishness of the original motive under the cloak of religious zeal and gratitude.
24-26. I have sinned … turn again with me, that I may worship the Lord—The erring, but proud and obstinate monarch was now humbled. He was conscience-smitten for the moment, but his confession proceeded not from sincere repentance, but from a sense of danger and desire of averting the sentence denounced against him. For the sake of public appearance, he besought Samuel not to allow their serious differences to transpire, but to join with him in a public act of worship. Under the influence of his painfully agitated feelings, he designed to offer sacrifice, partly to express his gratitude for the recent victory, and partly to implore mercy and a reversal of his doom. It was, from another angle, a politic scheme, that Samuel might be betrayed into a countenancing of his design in reserving the cattle for sacrificing. Samuel declined to accompany him.
I feared the people, and obeyed their voice—This was a different reason from the former he had assigned. It was the language of a man driven to extremities, and even had it been true, the principles expounded by Samuel showed that it could have been no extenuation of the offense. The prophet then pronounced the irreversible sentence of the rejection of Saul and his family. He was judicially cut off for his disobedience.
27, 28. he laid hold upon the skirt of his mantle—the moil, upper tunic, official robe. In an agony of mental excitement, he took hold of the prophet's dress to detain him; the rending of the mantle [1Sa 15:27] was adroitly pointed to as a significant and mystical representation of his severance from the throne.
29. the Strength of Israel will not lie—Hebrew, "He that gives a victory to Israel," a further rebuke of his pride in rearing the Carmel trophy, and an intimation that no loss would be sustained in Israel by his rejection.
31. Samuel turned again after Saul—not to worship along with him; but first, that the people might have no ground, on pretense of Saul's rejection, to withdraw their allegiance from him; and secondly, to compensate for Saul's error, by executing God's judgment upon Agag.
32. Agag came unto him delicately—or cheerfully, since he had gained the favor and protection of the king.
33. Samuel hewed Agag—This cruel tyrant met the retribution of a righteous Providence. Never has it been unusual for great or official personages in the East to perform executions with their own hands. Samuel did it "before the Lord" in Gilgal, appointing that same mode of punishment (hitherto unknown in Israel) to be used towards him, which he had formerly used towards others.