1 Samuel 15

1And 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.

1Samuel said to Saul, 'The LORD sent me to anoint you as king over his people, over Israel. Now listen to the message from the LORD.'

2Thus saith Jehovah 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 Heaven’s Armies says: I have decided to punish the Amalekites for what they did to Israel when they blocked their way as they came out of Egypt.'

3Now 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 Amalek and completely destroy everything they have. Do not spare them. Kill men and women, children and nursing babies, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys.'

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

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

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

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

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

6Saul warned the Kenites, 'Go away, leave the Amalekites so I don't destroy you with them. You showed kindness to all the Israelites when they came up from Egypt.' So the Kenites moved away from the Amalekites.

7And Saul smote the Amalekites, from Havilah as thou goest to Shur, that is before Egypt.

7Then Saul defeated the Amalekites all the way from Havilah to Shur, which is east of Egypt.

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

8He captured Agag king of the Amalekites alive, but he completely destroyed all the people with the sword.

9But 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 everything that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly.

9However, Saul and the army spared Agag and the best of the sheep, cattle, fat calves, and lambs—everything that was good. They were unwilling to destroy those things, but they completely destroyed everything that was worthless or weak.

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

10Then the word of the LORD came to Samuel:

11It 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 Samuel was wroth; and he cried unto Jehovah all night.

11'I regret that I made Saul king, because he has turned away from me and has not carried out my instructions.' Samuel was angry and cried out to the LORD all night.

12And Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning; and it was told Samuel, saying, Saul came to Carmel, and, behold, he set him up a monument, and turned, and passed on, and went down to Gilgal.

12Early the next morning Samuel got up to find Saul, but he was told, 'Saul went to Carmel to set up a monument in his own honor and then turned and went down to Gilgal.'

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

13When Samuel reached him, Saul said, 'The LORD bless you! I have carried out the LORD’S instructions.'

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

14But Samuel asked, 'Then what is this sound of sheep in my ears? Why do I hear cattle lowing?'

15And 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 Jehovah thy God; and the rest we have utterly destroyed.

15Saul answered, 'The soldiers brought them from the Amalekites; they spared the best of the sheep and cattle to sacrifice to the LORD your God, but we completely destroyed the rest.'

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

16'Stop!' Samuel said to Saul. 'Let me tell you what the LORD said to me last night.' 'Tell me,' Saul replied.

17And Samuel said, Though thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel? And Jehovah anointed thee king over Israel;

17Samuel said, 'Even though you were once small in your own eyes, did you not become the head of the tribes of Israel? The LORD anointed you king over Israel.'

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

18'And the LORD sent you on a mission, saying, "Go and completely destroy those wicked people, the Amalekites; fight against them until they are wiped out."'

19Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of Jehovah, but didst fly upon the spoil, and didst that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah?

19'Why did you not obey the LORD? Why did you rush to take the loot and do what was evil in the LORD’S sight?'

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

20'But I did obey the LORD,' Saul said. 'I went on the mission the LORD assigned me. I completely destroyed the Amalekites and brought back Agag their king.'

21But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the devoted things, to sacrifice unto Jehovah thy God in Gilgal.

21'The soldiers took sheep and cattle from the loot, the best of what was set apart for destruction, in order to sacrifice them to the LORD your God at Gilgal.'

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

22But Samuel replied: 'Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen is better than the fat of rams.'

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

23'For rebellion is like the sin of witchcraft, and arrogance is like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has rejected you as king.'

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

24Then Saul said to Samuel, 'I have sinned. I violated the LORD’S command and your instructions. I was afraid of the men and so I gave in to them.'

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

25'Now I beg you, forgive my sin and come back with me, so that I may worship the LORD.'

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

26But Samuel said to him, 'I will not go back with you. You have rejected the word of the LORD, and the LORD has rejected you as king over Israel!'

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

27As Samuel turned to leave, Saul grabbed the edge of his robe, and it tore.

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

28Samuel said to him, 'The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to one of your neighbors—to someone better than you.'

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

29'He who is the Glory of Israel does not lie or change his mind; for he is not a human being, that he should change his mind.'

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

30Saul replied, 'I have sinned. But please honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel; come back with me, so that I may worship the LORD your God.'

31So Samuel turned again after Saul; and Saul worshipped Jehovah.

31So Samuel went back with Saul, and Saul worshiped the LORD.

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

32Then Samuel said, 'Bring Agag king of the Amalekites to me.' Agag came to him confidently, thinking, 'Surely the bitterness of death is past.'

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

33But Samuel said, 'As your sword has made women childless, so will your mother be childless among women.' And Samuel cut Agag into pieces before the LORD at Gilgal.

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

34Then Samuel left for Ramah, and Saul went up to his home in Gibeah of Saul.

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

35Until the day he died, Samuel never saw Saul again, though Samuel mourned for him. And the LORD regretted that he had made Saul king over Israel.