1 Samuel 15:3

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.

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.

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.

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

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

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
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.’”
KJV
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.
WEB
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 nursing baby, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’”
ASV
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.
DARBY
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.
BLB
Now go and strike the Amalekite, and utterly destroy all that [is] unto him, and do not spare him, and kill from man to woman, and from infant to nursing child, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’”
ÅB
Gå nå avsted og slå Amalek, og slå med bann alt hva hans er; spar ham ikke, men drep både mann og kvinne, både barn og diebarn, både okse og sau, både kamel og esel.
OTB
Gå nå og slå Amalek og ødelegg alt de har fullstendig. Skån dem ikke, men drep både mann og kvinne, barn og spedbarn, okse og sau, kamel og esel.’»
B1930
Gå nu avsted og slå Amalek, og slå med bann alt hvad hans er; spar ham ikke, men drep både mann og kvinne, både barn og diebarn, både okse og får, både kamel og asen.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Deuteronomy 20:16–18

    But of the cities of these people, which the LORD thy God doth give thee for an inheritance, thou shalt save alive nothing that breatheth:

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  • Numbers 24:20

    And when he looked on Amalek, he took up his parable, and said, Amalek was the first of the nations; but his latter end shall be that he perish for ever.

    Read in context
  • Isaiah 14:21–22

    Prepare slaughter for his children for the iniquity of their fathers; that they do not rise, nor possess the land, nor fill the face of the world with cities.

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  • 1 Samuel 22:19

    And Nob, the city of the priests, smote he with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and sucklings, and oxen, and asses, and sheep, with the edge of the sword.

    Read in context
  • Numbers 31:17

    Now therefore kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman that hath known man by lying with him.

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  • Joshua 6:17–21

    And the city shall be accursed, even it, and all that are therein, to the LORD: only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all that are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent.

    Read in context
  • Leviticus 27:28–29

    Notwithstanding no devoted thing, that a man shall devote unto the LORD of all that he hath, both of man and beast, and of the field of his possession, shall be sold or redeemed: every devoted thing is most holy unto the LORD.

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  • Genesis 3:17–18

    And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;

    Read in context