1 Samuel 15:9

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

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

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.

10 Then came the word of the LORD unto 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.

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

Compare

BSB
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.
KJV
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.
WEB
But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep, of the cattle, of the fat calves, of the lambs, and all that was good, and were not willing to utterly destroy them; but everything that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly.
ASV
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 everything that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly.
DARBY
And Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep and oxen, and beasts of the second bearing, and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not devote them to destruction; but everything that was mean and weak, that they destroyed utterly.
BLB
And Saul and the people had pity on Agag, and on the best of the flock and of the herd and of the seconds, and on the lambs, and on all [that was] good, and they were not willing to utterly destroy them, and all the work [that was] despised and worthless they devoted to destruction.
ÅB
Men Saul og folket sparte Agag og det beste og det næstbeste av småfeet og storfeet og lammene - alt som så godt ut - og ville ikke slå dem med bann; men alt det fe som var ringe og usselt, det slo de med bann.
OTB
Men Saul og folket sparte Agag, og det beste av sauene, oksene, de fete dyrene, lammene, og alt som var godt, og ville ikke ødelegge dem fullstendig. Men alt foraktet og verdiløst, det ødela de fullstendig.
B1930
Men Saul og folket sparte Agag og det beste og det næstbeste av småfeet og storfeet og lammene - alt som så godt ut - og vilde ikke slå dem med bann; men alt det fe som var ringe og usselt, det slo de med bann.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • 1 Samuel 15:15

    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.

    Read in context
  • 1 Samuel 15:19

    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?

    Read in context
  • 1 Samuel 15:3

    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.

    Read in context
  • Joshua 7:21

    When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it.

    Read in context
  • 2 Samuel 6:13

    And it was so, that when they that bare the ark of the LORD had gone six paces, he sacrificed oxen and fatlings.

    Read in context