1 Samuel 15:15

Guilt and conscience Sin Words and speech Praise and worship

¹³ When Samuel reached him, Saul said to him, “May the LORD bless you. I have carried out the LORD’s instructions.”

¹⁴ But Samuel replied, “Then what is this bleating of sheep and lowing of cattle that I hear?”

Saul answered, “The troops brought them from the Amalekites; they spared the best sheep and cattle to sacrifice to the LORD your God, but the rest we devoted to destruction.”

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

¹⁷ And Samuel said, “Although you were once small in your own eyes, have you not become the head of the tribes of Israel? The LORD anointed you king over Israel

Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: Saul answered, “The troops brought them from the Amalekites; they spared the best sheep and cattle to sacrifice to the LORD your God, but the rest we devoted to destruction.”
KJV: 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.
WEB: Saul said, “They have brought them from the Amalekites; for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the cattle, to sacrifice to the LORD your God. We have utterly destroyed the rest.”
ASV: 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 Jehovah thy God; and the rest we have utterly destroyed.
DARBY: And Saul said, They have brought them from the Amalekites, because the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen, to sacrifice to Jehovah thy God; and the rest we have utterly destroyed.
BLB: And Saul said, “From the Amalekite they have brought them, for the people spared the best of the flock and of the herd to sacrifice to YHWH your God, and the rest we devoted to destruction.”

ÅB: Saul svarte: De har ført dem med fra amalekittene; for folket sparte det beste av småfeet og av storfeet for å ofre det til Herren din Gud; men resten har vi slått med bann.
OTB: Saul svarte: «De ble brakt fra amalekittene, for folket sparte det beste av sauene og oksene for å ofre til Herren din Gud; men resten har vi ødelagt fullstendig.»
B1930: Saul svarte: De har ført dem med fra amalekittene; for folket sparte det beste av småfeet og av storfeet for å ofre det til Herren din Gud; men resten har vi slått med bann.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

1 Samuel 15:9
Saul and his troops spared Agag, along with the best of the sheep and cattle, the fat calves and lambs, and the best of everything else. They were unwilling to destroy them, but they devoted to destruction all that was despised and worthless.
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1 Samuel 15:21
The troops took sheep and cattle from the plunder, the best of the things devoted to destruction, in order to sacrifice them to the LORD your God at Gilgal.”
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Exodus 32:22–23
“Do not be enraged, my lord,” Aaron replied. “You yourself know that the people are intent on evil.
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Genesis 3:12–13
And the man answered, “The woman whom You gave me, she gave me fruit from the tree, and I ate it.”
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Proverbs 28:13
He who conceals his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them will find mercy.
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Luke 10:29
But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
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Job 31:33
if I have covered my transgressions like Adam by hiding my guilt in my heart,
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Matthew 2:8
And sending them to Bethlehem, he said: “Go and search carefully for the Child, and when you find Him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship Him.”
Read in context