| Berean Study Bible | NET Bible |
| 1Then Samuel said to Saul, “The LORD sent me to anoint you king over His people Israel. Now therefore, listen to the words of the LORD. | 1Then Samuel said to Saul, "I was the one the LORD sent to anoint you as king over his people Israel. Now listen to what the LORD says. |
| 2This is what the LORD of Hosts says: ‘I witnessed what the Amalekites did to the Israelites when they ambushed them on their way up from Egypt. | 2Here is what the LORD of hosts says: 'I carefully observed how the Amalekites opposed Israel along the way when Israel came up from Egypt. |
| 3Now 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.’ ” | 3So go now and strike down the Amalekites. Destroy everything that they have. Don't spare them. Put them to death--man, woman, child, infant, ox, sheep, camel, and donkey alike.'" |
| 4So Saul summoned the troops and numbered them at Telaim—200,000 foot soldiers and 10,000 men of Judah. | 4So Saul assembled the army and mustered them at Telaim. There were 200,000 foot soldiers and 10,000 men of Judah. |
| 5Saul came to the city of Amalek and lay in wait in the valley. | 5Saul proceeded to the city of Amalek, where he set an ambush in the wadi. |
| 6And he warned the Kenites, “Since you showed kindness to all the Israelites when they came up out of Egypt, go on and get away from the Amalekites. Otherwise I will sweep you away with them.” So the Kenites moved away from the Amalekites. | 6Saul said to the Kenites, "Go on and leave! Go down from among the Amalekites! Otherwise I will sweep you away with them! After all, you were kind to all the Israelites when they came up from Egypt." So the Kenites withdrew from among the Amalekites. |
| 7Then Saul struck down the Amalekites all the way from Havilah to Shur, which is east of Egypt. | 7Then Saul struck down the Amalekites all the way from Havilah to Shur, which is next to Egypt. |
| 8He captured Agag king of Amalek alive, but devoted all the others to destruction with the sword. | 8He captured King Agag of the Amalekites alive, but he executed all Agag's people 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. | 9However, 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. |
| 10Then the word of the LORD came to Samuel, saying, | 10Then the word of the LORD came to Samuel: |
| 11“I regret that I have made Saul king, for he has turned away from following Me and has not carried out My instructions.” And Samuel was distressed and cried out to the LORD all that night. | 11"I regret that I have made Saul king, for he has turned away from me and has not done what I told him to do." Samuel became angry and he cried out to the LORD all that night. |
| 12Early in the morning Samuel got up to confront Saul, but he was told, “Saul has gone to Carmel, and behold, he has set up a monument for himself and has turned and gone down to Gilgal.” | 12Then Samuel got up early to meet Saul the next morning. But Samuel was informed, "Saul has gone to Carmel where he is setting up a monument for himself. Then Samuel left and went down to Gilgal." |
| 13When Samuel reached him, Saul said to him, “May the LORD bless you. I have carried out the LORD’s instructions.” | 13When Samuel came to him, Saul said to him, "May the LORD bless you! I have done what the LORD said." |
| 14But Samuel replied, “Then what is this bleating of sheep and lowing of cattle that I hear?” | 14Samuel replied, "If that is the case, then what is this sound of sheep in my ears and the sound of cattle that I hear?" |
| 15Saul 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.” | 15Saul said, "They were brought from the Amalekites; the army spared the best of the flocks and cattle to sacrifice to the LORD our God. But everything else we slaughtered." |
| 16“Stop!” exclaimed Samuel. “Let me tell you what the LORD said to me last night.” “Tell me,” Saul replied. | 16Then Samuel said to Saul, "Wait a minute! Let me tell you what the LORD said to me last night." Saul said to him, "Tell me." |
| 17And 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 | 17Samuel said, "Is it not true that when you were insignificant in your own eyes, you became head of the tribes of Israel? The LORD chose you as king over Israel. |
| 18and sent you on a mission, saying, ‘Go and devote to destruction the sinful Amalekites. Fight against them until you have wiped them out.’ | 18The LORD sent you on a campaign saying, 'Go and exterminate those sinful Amalekites! Fight against them until you have destroyed them.' |
| 19So why did you not obey the LORD? Why did you rush upon the plunder and do evil in the sight of the LORD?” | 19Why haven't you obeyed the LORD? Instead you have greedily rushed upon the plunder! You have done what is wrong in the LORD's estimation." |
| 20“But I did obey the LORD,” Saul replied. “I went on the mission that the LORD gave me. I brought back Agag king of Amalek and devoted the Amalekites to destruction. | 20Then Saul said to Samuel, "But I have obeyed the LORD! I went on the campaign the LORD sent me on. I brought back King Agag of the Amalekites after exterminating the Amalekites. |
| 21The 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.” | 21But the army took from the plunder some of the sheep and cattle--the best of what was to be slaughtered--to sacrifice to the LORD your God in Gilgal." |
| 22But Samuel declared: “Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obedience to His voice? Behold, obedience is better than sacrifice, and attentiveness is better than the fat of rams. | 22Then Samuel said, "Does the LORD take pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as he does in obedience? Certainly, obedience is better than sacrifice; paying attention is better than the fat of rams. |
| 23For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance is like the wickedness of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He has rejected you as king.” | 23For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and presumption is like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has rejected you as king." |
| 24Then Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned; I have transgressed the LORD’s commandment and your instructions, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice. | 24Then Saul said to Samuel, "I have sinned, for I have disobeyed what the LORD commanded and what you said as well. For I was afraid of the army, and I followed their wishes. |
| 25Now therefore, please forgive my sin and return with me so I can worship the LORD.” | 25Now please forgive my sin! Go back with me so I can worship the LORD." |
| 26“I will not return with you,” Samuel replied. “For you have rejected the word of the LORD, and He has rejected you as king over Israel.” | 26Samuel said to Saul, "I will not go back with you, for you have rejected the word of the LORD, and the LORD has rejected you from being king over Israel!" |
| 27As Samuel turned to go, Saul grabbed the hem of his robe, and it tore. | 27When Samuel turned to leave, Saul grabbed the edge of his robe and it tore. |
| 28So Samuel said to him, “The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to your neighbor who is better than you. | 28Samuel said to him, "The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this day and has given it to one of your colleagues who is better than you! |
| 29Moreover, the Glory of Israel does not lie or change His mind, for He is not a man, that He should change His mind.” | 29The Preeminent One of Israel does not go back on his word or change his mind, for he is not a human being who changes his mind." |
| 30“I have sinned,” Saul replied. “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.” | 30Saul again replied, "I have sinned. But please honor me before the elders of my people and before Israel. Go back with me so I may worship the LORD your God." |
| 31So Samuel went back with Saul, and Saul worshiped the LORD. | 31So Samuel followed Saul back, and Saul worshiped the LORD. |
| 32Then Samuel said, “Bring me Agag king of the Amalekites.” Agag came to him cheerfully, for he thought, “Surely the bitterness of death is past.” | 32Then Samuel said, "Bring me King Agag of the Amalekites." So Agag came to him trembling, thinking to himself, "Surely death is bitter!" |
| 33But Samuel declared: “As your sword has made women childless, so your mother will be childless among women.” And Samuel hacked Agag to pieces before the LORD at Gilgal. | 33Samuel said, "Just as your sword left women childless, so your mother will be the most bereaved among women!" Then Samuel hacked Agag to pieces there in Gilgal before the LORD. |
| 34Then Samuel went to Ramah, but Saul went up to his home in Gibeah of Saul. | 34Then Samuel went to Ramah, while Saul went up to his home in Gibeah of Saul. |
| 35And to the day of his death, Samuel never again visited Saul. Samuel mourned for Saul, and the LORD regretted that He had made Saul king over Israel. | 35Until the day he died Samuel did not see Saul again. Samuel did, however, mourn for Saul, but the LORD regretted that he had made Saul king over Israel. |
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