1 Samuel 15:9
New International Version
But Saul and the army spared Agag and the best of the sheep and cattle, the fat calves and lambs—everything that was good. These they were unwilling to destroy completely, but everything that was despised and weak they totally destroyed.

New Living Translation
Saul and his men spared Agag’s life and kept the best of the sheep and goats, the cattle, the fat calves, and the lambs—everything, in fact, that appealed to them. They destroyed only what was worthless or of poor quality.

English Standard Version
But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep and of the oxen and of the fattened calves and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them. All that was despised and worthless they devoted to destruction.

Berean Standard Bible
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.

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the fatlings, the lambs, and all that was good, and were unwilling to utterly destroy them. But everything despised and worthless, that they utterly destroyed.

New American Standard Bible
But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the more valuable animals, the lambs, and everything that was good, and were unwilling to destroy them completely; but everything despicable and weak, that they completely destroyed.

NASB 1995
But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the fatlings, the lambs, and all that was good, and were not willing to destroy them utterly; but everything despised and worthless, that they utterly destroyed.

NASB 1977
But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the fatlings, the lambs, and all that was good, and were not willing to destroy them utterly; but everything despised and worthless, that they utterly destroyed.

Legacy Standard Bible
But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the fatlings, the lambs, and all that was good, and they were not willing to devote them to destruction; but everything despised and worthless, that they utterly destroyed.

Amplified Bible
Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the fatlings, the lambs, and everything that was good, and they were not willing to destroy them entirely; but everything that was undesirable or worthless they destroyed completely.

Christian Standard Bible
Saul and the troops spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, goats, cattle, and choice animals, as well as the young rams and the best of everything else. They were not willing to destroy them, but they did destroy all the worthless and unwanted things.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Saul and the troops spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, cattle, and choice animals, as well as the young rams and the best of everything else. They were not willing to destroy them, but they did destroy all the worthless and unwanted things.

American Standard Version
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.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And Shaul and the people had pity on Agag the King and upon the best of the sheep and of the bulls and that which is fat and of fatlings and upon all the good, and they did not choose to destroy them, and everything that was despised and rejected in their eyes, they destroyed it

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Saul and all the people saved Agag alive, and the best of the flocks, and of the herds, and of the fruits, of the vineyards, and of all the good things; and they would not destroy them: but every worthless and refuse thing they destroyed.

Contemporary English Version
Saul and his army let Agag live, and they also spared the best sheep and cattle. They didn't want to destroy anything of value, so they only killed the animals that were worthless or weak.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the flocks of sheep and of the herds, and the garments and the rams, and all that was beautiful, and would not destroy them: but every thing that was vile and good for nothing, that they destroyed.

English Revised Version
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.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Saul and the army spared Agag and the best sheep and cows, the fattened animals, the lambs, and all the best [property]. The army refused to claim them for God by destroying them. But everything that was worthless and weak the army did claim for God and destroy.

Good News Translation
But Saul and his men spared Agag's life and did not kill the best sheep and cattle, the best calves and lambs, or anything else that was good; they destroyed only what was useless or worthless.

International Standard Version
Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep and cattle—the fattened animals and lambs—along with all that was good. They were not willing to completely destroy them, but they did completely destroy everything that was worthless and inferior.

JPS Tanakh 1917
But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, even the young of the second birth, and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them; but every thing that was of no account and feeble, that they destroyed utterly.

Literal Standard Version
and Saul has pity—also the people—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 [is] good, and have not been willing to devote them; and all the work, despised and wasted—it they devoted.

Majority Standard Bible
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.

New American Bible
He and his troops spared Agag and the best of the fat sheep and oxen, and the lambs. They refused to put under the ban anything that was worthwhile, destroying only what was worthless and of no account.

NET Bible
However, Saul and the army spared Agag, along with the best of the flock, the cattle, the fatlings, and the lambs, as well as everything else that was of value. They were not willing to slaughter them. But they did slaughter everything that was despised and worthless.

New Revised Standard Version
Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep and of the cattle and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all that was valuable, and would not utterly destroy them; all that was despised and worthless they utterly destroyed.

New Heart English Bible
But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and the cattle, and the fat ones and the lambs, and all that was good, and wouldn't utterly destroy them; but everything that was despised and rejected, that they utterly destroyed.

Webster's Bible Translation
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.

World English Bible
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.

Young's Literal Translation
and Saul hath pity -- also the people -- 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 is good, and have not been willing to devote them; and all the work, despised and wasted -- it they devoted.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Saul's Disobedience
8He captured Agag king of Amalek alive, but devoted all the others to destruction with the sword. 9Saul 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.

Cross References
1 Samuel 15:3
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.'"

1 Samuel 15:10
Then the word of the LORD came to Samuel, saying,

1 Samuel 15:15
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."


Treasury of Scripture

But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fatted calves, 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.

the best

1 Samuel 15:3,15,19
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…

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.

the fatlings.

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.

Jump to Previous
Account Agag Best Birth Calves Cattle Completely Curse Death Desiring Despised Destroy Destroyed Kept Lambs Oxen Refuse Saul Second Sheep Spared Unwilling Utterly Vile Weak Wouldn't Young
Jump to Next
Account Agag Best Birth Calves Cattle Completely Curse Death Desiring Despised Destroy Destroyed Kept Lambs Oxen Refuse Saul Second Sheep Spared Unwilling Utterly Vile Weak Wouldn't Young
1 Samuel 15
1. Samuel sends Saul to destroy Amalek
6. Saul favors the Kenites
7. He spares Agag and the best of the spoil
10. Samuel denounces unto Saul God's rejection of him for his disobedience
24. Saul's humiliation
32. Samuel kills Agag
34. Samuel and Saul part














(9) And he took Agag . . . alive.--Agag seems to have been for the sovereigns of Amalek the official title, like Pharaoh in the case of the kings of Egypt, and Abimelech among certain of the Philistine peoples. The meaning of the term Agag is unknown.

Utterly destroyed all the people.--That is to say, Ir-Amalek was sacked, and the nation generally broken up; but many, no doubt, escaped into the desert, for we hear of the people again on several occasions in this book. In 1Chronicles 4:43 their complete, and probably final, annihilation is recorded.

(9) Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen.--It would seem that Saul carried out the awful curse to the letter (with the exception that he spared the king) in the case of the human beings and the less valuable of their beasts. But covetousness seems to have suggested the preservation of the choicest cattle, and pride probably induced the Hebrew king to save Agag alive, that he might show the people his royal captive.

Verse 9. - The fatlings. So the Syriac and Chaldee render the word, but the Hebrew literally means "the second best." Kimchi and Tanchum give perhaps a preferable rendering, "the second born," such animals being considered superior to the first born, as the dams had by that time arrived at their full strength. REJECTION OF SAUL AND HIS DYNASTY (vers. 10-23).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Saul
שָׁא֨וּל (šā·’ūl)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 7586: Saul -- first king of Israel, also an Edomite and two Israelites

and his troops
וְהָעָ֜ם (wə·hā·‘ām)
Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock

spared
וַיַּחְמֹל֩ (way·yaḥ·mōl)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 2550: To commiserate, to spare

Agag,
אֲגָ֗ג (’ă·ḡāḡ)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 90: Agag -- king of Amalek

along with
וְעַל־ (wə·‘al-)
Conjunctive waw | Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

the best
מֵיטַ֣ב (mê·ṭaḇ)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4315: The best part

of the sheep
הַצֹּאן֩ (haṣ·ṣōn)
Article | Noun - common singular
Strong's 6629: Small cattle, sheep and goats, flock

and cattle,
וְהַבָּקָ֨ר (wə·hab·bā·qār)
Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1241: Beef cattle, ox, a herd

the fat calves
וְהַמִּשְׁנִ֤ים (wə·ham·miš·nîm)
Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 4932: A repetition, a duplicate, a double, a second

and
וְעַל־ (wə·‘al-)
Conjunctive waw | Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

lambs,
הַכָּרִים֙ (hak·kā·rîm)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 3733: A ram, a, battering-ram, a meadow, a pad, camel's saddle

and
וְעַל־ (wə·‘al-)
Conjunctive waw | Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

the best
הַטּ֔וֹב (haṭ·ṭō·wḇ)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2896: Pleasant, agreeable, good

of everything else.
כָּל־ (kāl-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

They were unwilling
אָב֖וּ (’ā·ḇū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 14: To breathe after, to be acquiescent

to destroy them,
הַחֲרִימָ֑ם (ha·ḥă·rî·mām)
Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 2763: To seclude, to devote to religious uses, to be blunt as to the nose

but they utterly destroyed
הֶחֱרִֽימוּ׃ (he·ḥĕ·rî·mū)
Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 2763: To seclude, to devote to religious uses, to be blunt as to the nose

all
וְכָל־ (wə·ḵāl)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

that was despised
נְמִבְזָ֥ה (nə·miḇ·zāh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 959: To disesteem

and worthless.
וְנָמֵ֖ס (wə·nā·mês)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 4549: To liquefy, to waste, to faint


Links
1 Samuel 15:9 NIV
1 Samuel 15:9 NLT
1 Samuel 15:9 ESV
1 Samuel 15:9 NASB
1 Samuel 15:9 KJV

1 Samuel 15:9 BibleApps.com
1 Samuel 15:9 Biblia Paralela
1 Samuel 15:9 Chinese Bible
1 Samuel 15:9 French Bible
1 Samuel 15:9 Catholic Bible

OT History: 1 Samuel 15:9 But Saul and the people spared Agag (1Sa iSam 1 Sam i sa)
1 Samuel 15:8
Top of Page
Top of Page