1 Samuel 15:15
New International Version
Saul answered, “The soldiers brought them from the Amalekites; they spared the best of the sheep and cattle to sacrifice to the LORD your God, but we totally destroyed the rest.”

New Living Translation
“It’s true that the army spared the best of the sheep, goats, and cattle,” Saul admitted. “But they are going to sacrifice them to the LORD your God. We have destroyed everything else.”

English Standard Version
Saul said, “They have brought them from the Amalekites, for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen to sacrifice to the LORD your God, and the rest we have devoted to destruction.”

Berean Standard Bible
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.”

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
And Saul said, “They have brought them from the Amalekites; for the people spared the best of the sheep and the oxen, to sacrifice to the LORD your God; and the rest we have utterly destroyed.”

New American Standard Bible
Saul said, “They have brought them from the Amalekites, for the people spared the best of the sheep and oxen to sacrifice to the LORD your God; but the rest we have completely destroyed.”

NASB 1995
Saul said, “They have brought them from the Amalekites, for the people spared the best of the sheep and oxen, to sacrifice to the LORD your God; but the rest we have utterly destroyed.”

NASB 1977
And Saul said, “They have brought them from the Amalekites, for the people spared the best of the sheep and oxen, to sacrifice to the LORD your God; but the rest we have utterly destroyed.”

Legacy Standard Bible
And Saul said, “They have brought them from the Amalekites, for the people spared the best of the sheep and oxen, to sacrifice to Yahweh your God; but the rest we have devoted to destruction.”

Amplified Bible
Saul said, “They have brought them from the Amalekites, for the people spared the best of the sheep and oxen to sacrifice to the LORD your God; but the rest we have destroyed completely.”

Christian Standard Bible
Saul answered, “The troops brought them from the Amalekites and spared the best sheep, goats, and cattle in order to offer a sacrifice to the LORD your God, but the rest we destroyed.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Saul answered, “The troops brought them from the Amalekites and spared the best sheep and cattle in order to offer a sacrifice to the LORD your God, but the rest we destroyed.”

American Standard Version
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 Jehovah thy God; and the rest we have utterly destroyed.

Contemporary English Version
"The army took them from the Amalekites," Saul explained. "They kept the best sheep and cattle, so they could sacrifice them to the LORD your God. But we destroyed everything else."

English Revised Version
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.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Saul answered, "The army brought them from the Amalekites. They spared the best sheep and cows to sacrifice to the LORD your God. But the rest they claimed for God and destroyed."

Good News Translation
Saul answered, "My men took them from the Amalekites. They kept the best sheep and cattle to offer as a sacrifice to the LORD your God, and the rest we have destroyed completely."

International Standard Version
Saul replied, "They brought them from the Amalekites. The people spared the best of the sheep and cattle to offer sacrifices to the LORD your God, and the rest they completely destroyed."

Majority Standard Bible
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.?

NET Bible
Saul 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."

New Heart English Bible
And Saul said, "I have brought them from Amalek; for the people spared the best of the sheep and the cattle to sacrifice to the LORD your God, and I have utterly destroyed the rest."

Webster's Bible Translation
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 to the LORD thy God; and the rest we have utterly destroyed.

World English Bible
Saul said, “They have brought them from the Amalekites; for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the cattle, to sacrifice to Yahweh your God. We have utterly destroyed the rest.”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And Saul says, “They have brought them from Amalek, because the people had pity on the best of the flock, and of the herd, in order to sacrifice to your God YHWH, and we have devoted the remnant.”

Young's Literal Translation
And Saul saith, 'From Amalek they have brought them, because the people had pity on the best of the flock, and of the herd, in order to sacrifice to Jehovah thy God, and the remnant we have devoted.'

Smith's Literal Translation
And Saul will say, From the Amalekites they brought them; which the people had pity upon the good of the sheep and of the oxen in order to sacrifice to Jehovah thy God; and the rest we exterminated.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And Saul said: They have brought them from Amalec: for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the herds that they might be sacrificed to the Lord thy God, but the rest we have slain.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And Saul said: “They have brought these from Amalek. For the people spared the best of the sheep and of the herds, so that they might be immolated to the Lord your God. Yet truly, the remainder we have slain.”

New American Bible
Saul replied: “They were brought from Amalek. The people spared the best sheep and oxen to sacrifice to the LORD, your God; but the rest we destroyed, putting them under the ban.”

New Revised Standard Version
Saul said, “They have brought them from the Amalekites; for the people spared the best of the sheep and the cattle, to sacrifice to the LORD your God; but the rest we have utterly destroyed.”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And Saul said, They have brought them from the Amalekites; for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen, and brought them to sacrifice to the LORD your God; and the rest we have utterly destroyed.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And Shaul said, “They brought them from Amaleq, for the people showed pity on the best of the sheep and of the bulls and they brought them to sacrifice to LORD JEHOVAH your God, and the rest they destroyed”
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
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.'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Saul said, I have brought them out of Amalec, that which the people preserved, even the best of the sheep, and of the cattle, that it might be sacrificed to the Lord thy God, and the rest have I utterly destroyed.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Samuel Denounces Saul
14But Samuel replied, “Then what is this bleating of sheep and lowing 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.” 16“Stop!” exclaimed Samuel. “Let me tell you what the LORD said to me last night.” “Tell me,” Saul replied.…

Cross References
1 Samuel 13:13-14
“You have acted foolishly,” Samuel declared. “You have not kept the command that the LORD your God gave you; if you had, the LORD would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time. / But now your kingdom will not endure; the LORD has sought a man after His own heart and appointed him ruler over His people, because you have not kept the command of the LORD.”

1 Samuel 28:18
Because you did not obey the LORD or carry out His burning anger against Amalek, the LORD has done this to you today.

1 Samuel 9:16
“At this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you are to anoint him ruler over My people Israel; he will save them from the hand of the Philistines. For I have looked upon My people, because their cry has come to Me.”

1 Samuel 10:8
And you shall go before me to Gilgal, and surely I will come to you to offer burnt offerings and to sacrifice peace offerings. Wait seven days until I come to you and show you what you are to do.”

1 Samuel 12:14-15
If you fear the LORD and serve Him and obey His voice, and if you do not rebel against the command of the LORD, and if both you and the king who rules over you follow the LORD your God, then all will be well. / But if you disobey the LORD and rebel against His command, then the hand of the LORD will be against you as it was against your fathers.

1 Samuel 14:32-35
So they rushed greedily to the plunder, taking sheep, cattle, and calves. They slaughtered them on the ground and ate meat with the blood still in it. / Then someone reported to Saul: “Look, the troops are sinning against the LORD by eating meat with the blood still in it.” “You have broken faith,” said Saul. “Roll a large stone over here at once.” / Then he said, “Go among the troops and tell them, ‘Each man must bring me his ox or his sheep, slaughter them in this place, and then eat. Do not sin against the LORD by eating meat with the blood still in it.’” So that night everyone brought his ox and slaughtered it there. ...

1 Samuel 16:1
Now the LORD said to Samuel, “How long are you going to mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and go. I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem, for I have selected from his sons a king for Myself.”

1 Samuel 28:17
He has done exactly what He spoke through me: The LORD has torn the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbor David.

2 Samuel 12:9
Why then have you despised the command of the LORD by doing evil in His sight? You put Uriah the Hittite to the sword and took his wife as your own. You have slain him with the sword of the Ammonites.

Hosea 6:6
For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.

Jeremiah 7:22-23
For when I brought your fathers out of the land of Egypt, I did not merely command them about burnt offerings and sacrifices, / but this is what I commanded them: Obey Me, and I will be your God, and you will be My people. You must walk in all the ways I have commanded you, so that it may go well with you.

Amos 5:21-23
“I hate, I despise your feasts! I cannot stand the stench of your solemn assemblies. / Even though you offer Me burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them; for your peace offerings of fattened cattle I will have no regard. / Take away from Me the noise of your songs! I will not listen to the music of your harps.

Matthew 9:13
But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Matthew 12:7
If only you had known the meaning of ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent.

Mark 12:33
and to love Him with all your heart and with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself. This is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”


Treasury of Scripture

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 to the LORD your God; and the rest we have utterly destroyed.

for

1 Samuel 15:9,21
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…

Genesis 3:12,13
And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat…

Exodus 32:22,23
And Aaron said, Let not the anger of my lord wax hot: thou knowest the people, that they are set on mischief…

to

Matthew 2:8
And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.

Luke 10:29
But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?

Jump to Previous
Amalek Amalekites Amal'ekites Best Cattle Destroyed Devoted Herd Kept Offering Order Oxen Pity Remnant Rest Sacrifice Saul Sheep Soldiers Spared Totally Utterly
Jump to Next
Amalek Amalekites Amal'ekites Best Cattle Destroyed Devoted Herd Kept Offering Order Oxen Pity Remnant Rest Sacrifice Saul Sheep Soldiers Spared Totally Utterly
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














Saul answered
This phrase introduces Saul's response to the prophet Samuel. The Hebrew root for "answered" is "עָנָה" (anah), which can mean to respond or testify. Saul's answer is a defense, revealing his attempt to justify his actions. Historically, this reflects a common human tendency to rationalize disobedience, especially when confronted by authority.

The soldiers brought them
Here, Saul shifts responsibility to his soldiers. The Hebrew word for "brought" is "בּוֹא" (bo), meaning to come or bring. This deflection is significant in the narrative, as it highlights Saul's failure to take responsibility as king. In a broader scriptural context, leaders are called to accountability, and Saul's evasion contrasts with the biblical ideal of leadership.

from the Amalekites
The Amalekites were a nomadic tribe, historically enemies of Israel. The Hebrew root "עֲמָלֵק" (Amalek) is associated with hardship and toil. God's command to destroy the Amalekites was a divine judgment against their persistent opposition to Israel. This context underscores the seriousness of Saul's disobedience, as it was not merely a military oversight but a spiritual failure.

they spared the best of the sheep and cattle
The phrase "spared the best" indicates selective obedience. The Hebrew word for "spared" is "חָמַל" (chamal), meaning to have compassion or pity. Saul's decision to keep the best livestock reflects a human inclination to prioritize material gain over divine command. This act of sparing what was deemed valuable reveals a heart not fully aligned with God's will.

to sacrifice to the LORD your God
Saul's justification for sparing the livestock was to offer sacrifices. The Hebrew root for "sacrifice" is "זָבַח" (zabach), which involves offering something valuable to God. However, this reveals a misunderstanding of true worship, which prioritizes obedience over ritual. The phrase "the LORD your God" is telling; it suggests a distance in Saul's relationship with God, as he refers to God as Samuel's rather than his own.

but the rest we destroyed
This statement attempts to highlight partial obedience. The Hebrew word for "destroyed" is "חָרַם" (charam), meaning to devote to destruction. Saul's claim of destroying the rest is an incomplete truth, as God's command was total destruction. This partial obedience is a central theme in the narrative, illustrating that God desires complete faithfulness, not selective adherence.

(15) The people spared the best of the sheep . . .--At once the king understood the drift of his old friend's words; still more, perhaps, the stern, sorrowful look of reproach which accompanied them, "Yes, I understand your meaning. This bleating and lowing certainly does come from the captured flocks and herds of Amalek, but this reservation, which you condemn, was insisted upon by the people; and their object, for which you blame me for acquiescing in, was to do special honour to God in a great sacrifice." There seems something strangely cowardly in this trying to transfer from himself to the people the blame of disobedience to the Divine commands. It is unlike Saul's old character; but covetousness and vanity invariably lead to moral cowardice.

Verse 15. - They have brought them. No doubt this was verbally true, and very probably the excuse of holding a great sacrifice to Jehovah had been put prominently forward. But reasons are never wanting when men have made up their minds, and the people who so readily obeyed Saul before (1 Samuel 14:24, 34, 40) would have obeyed him now, had he really wished it. For a king so wilful and imperious as Saul thus to seek for excuses, and try to throw the blame on others, marks, as has been well observed, a thorough break down of his moral character.

Parallel Commentaries ...


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

answered,
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“The troops
הָעָם֙ (hā·‘ām)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock

brought them
הֱבִיא֗וּם (hĕ·ḇî·’ūm)
Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person common plural | third person masculine plural
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go

from the Amalekites;
מֵעֲמָלֵקִ֣י (mê·‘ă·mā·lê·qî)
Preposition-m | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 6003: Amalekites -- descendants of Amalek

they spared
חָמַ֤ל (ḥā·mal)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 2550: To commiserate, to spare

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

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

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

to
לְמַ֥עַן (lə·ma·‘an)
Conjunction
Strong's 4616: Purpose -- intent

sacrifice
זְבֹ֖חַ (zə·ḇō·aḥ)
Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 2076: To slaughter for sacrifice

to the LORD
לַיהוָ֣ה (Yah·weh)
Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

your God,
אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ (’ĕ·lō·he·ḵā)
Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative

but
וְאֶת־ (wə·’eṯ-)
Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker
Strong's 853: Untranslatable mark of the accusative case

the rest
הַיּוֹתֵ֖ר (hay·yō·w·ṯêr)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3498: To jut over, exceed, to excel, to remain, be left, to leave, cause to abound, preserve

we utterly destroyed.”
הֶחֱרַֽמְנוּ׃ (he·ḥĕ·ram·nū)
Verb - Hifil - Perfect - first person common plural
Strong's 2763: To seclude, to devote to religious uses, to be blunt as to the nose


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OT History: 1 Samuel 15:15 Saul said They have brought them (1Sa iSam 1 Sam i sa)
1 Samuel 15:14
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