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1 SAM UEL 15
page 257
among the troops and tell them, ‘Bring the
cattle, sheep, and goats here to me. Kill them
here, and drain the blood before you eat them.
Do not sin against the Lord by eating meat with
the blood still in it.’”
So that night all the troops brought their animals and slaughtered them there. 35 Then Saul
built an altar to the Lord; it was the first of the
altars he built to the Lord.
36 Then Saul said, “Let’s chase the Philistines
all night and plunder them until sunrise. Let’s
destroy every last one of them.”
His men replied, “We’ll do whatever you
think is best.”
But the priest said, “Let’s ask God first.”
37 So Saul asked God, “Should we go after the
Philistines? Will you help us defeat them?” But
God made no reply that day.
38 Then Saul said to the leaders, “Something’s
wrong! I want all my army commanders to come
here. We must find out what sin was committed
today. 39 I vow by the name of the Lord who rescued Israel that the sinner will surely die, even
if it is my own son Jonathan!” But no one would
tell him what the trouble was.
40 Then Saul said, “Jonathan and I will stand
over here, and all of you stand over there.”
And the people responded to Saul, “Whatever you think is best.”
41 Then Saul prayed, “O Lord, God of Israel,
please show us who is guilty and who is innocent.*” Then they cast sacred lots, and Jonathan
and Saul were chosen as the guilty ones, and
the people were declared innocent.
42 Then Saul said, “Now cast lots again and
choose between me and Jonathan.” And Jonathan was shown to be the guilty one.
43 “Tell me what you have done,” Saul demanded of Jonathan.
“I tasted a little honey,” Jonathan admitted.
“It was only a little bit on the end of my stick.
Does that deserve death?”
44 “Yes, Jonathan,” Saul said, “you must die!
May God strike me and even kill me if you do
not die for this.”
45 But the people broke in and said to Saul,
“Jonathan has won this great victory for Israel.
Should he die? Far from it! As surely as the Lord
lives, not one hair on his head will be touched,
for God helped him do a great deed today.” So
the people rescued Jonathan, and he was not
put to death.
46 Then Saul called back the army from chasing the Philistines, and the Philistines returned
home.
14:41 Greek version adds If the fault is with me or my son
Jonathan, respond with Urim; but if the men of Israel are at fault,
respond with Thummim. 14:47 As in Greek version; Hebrew
reads he acted wickedly. 14:49 Hebrew Ishvi, a variant name
for Ishbosheth; also known as Esh-baal. 15:3 The Hebrew
term used here refers to the complete consecration of things or
people to the Lord, either by destroying them or by giving them
as an offering; also in 15:8, 9, 15, 18, 20, 21.
Saul’s Military Successes
47 Now when Saul had secured his grasp on Israel’s throne, he fought against his enemies in
every direction—against Moab, Ammon, Edom,
the kings of Zobah, and the Philistines. And
wherever he turned, he was victorious.* 48 He
performed great deeds and conquered the Amalekites, saving Israel from all those who had
plundered them.
49 Saul’s sons included Jon a than, Ish bosheth,* and Malkishua. He also had two daughters: Merab, who was older, and Michal. 50 Saul’s
wife was Ahinoam, the daughter of Ahimaaz.
The commander of Saul’s army was Abner, the
son of Saul’s uncle Ner. 51 Saul’s father, Kish,
and Abner’s father, Ner, were both sons of Abiel.
52 The Israelites fought constantly with the
Philistines throughout Saul’s lifetime. So whenever Saul observed a young man who was brave
and strong, he drafted him into his army.
Saul Defeats the Amalekites
One day Samuel said to Saul, “It was the
Lord who told me to anoint you as king
of his people, Israel. Now listen to this message from the Lord! 2 This is what the Lord of
Heaven’s Armies has declared: I have decided
to settle accounts with the nation of Amalek for
opposing Israel when they came from Egypt.
3 Now go and completely destroy* the entire Amalekite nation—men, women, children, babies,
cattle, sheep, goats, camels, and donkeys.”
4 So Saul mobilized his army at Telaim. There
were 200,000 soldiers from Israel and 10,000
men from Judah. 5 Then Saul and his army went
to a town of the Amalekites and lay in wait in
the valley. 6 Saul sent this warning to the Kenites:
“Move away from where the Amalekites live, or
you will die with them. For you showed kindness
to all the people of Israel when they came up
from Egypt.” So the Kenites packed up and left.
7 Then Saul slaughtered the Amalekites from
Havilah all the way to Shur, east of Egypt. 8 He
captured Agag, the Amalekite king, but completely destroyed everyone else. 9 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.
15
The LORD Rejects Saul
10 Then the Lord said to Samuel, 11 “I am sorry
that I ever made Saul king, for he has not been
loyal to me and has refused to obey my command.” Samuel was so deeply moved when he
heard this that he cried out to the Lord all night.
12 Early the next morning Samuel went to find
Saul. Someone told him, “Saul went to the town
of Carmel to set up a monument to himself; then
he went on to Gilgal.”