The Amalekites were a nomadic tribe, descendants of Esau, who are frequently mentioned in the Old Testament as adversaries of the Israelites. Their enmity with Israel is first recorded during the Exodus when they attacked the Israelites at Rephidim (Exodus 17:8-16). This hostility continued throughout Israel's history, culminating in a significant confrontation during the reign of King Saul.

Divine Command to Saul

The narrative of Saul's massacre of the Amalekites is found in 1 Samuel 15. The prophet Samuel conveys a direct command from the LORD to King Saul: "This 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. Now go and attack the Amalekites and devote to destruction all that belongs to them. Do not spare them; put to death men and women, children and infants, oxen and sheep, camels and donkeys’” (1 Samuel 15:2-3). This command was a fulfillment of the LORD's earlier promise to "blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven" (Exodus 17:14).

Saul's Partial Obedience

Saul mobilized his forces and attacked the Amalekites, achieving a significant victory. However, he failed to fully obey the divine command. Instead of utterly destroying all that belonged to the Amalekites, Saul and the people spared Agag, the king of the Amalekites, and the best of the livestock. The text records, "But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep and cattle, the fat calves and lambs—everything that was good. They were unwilling to destroy them completely, but everything that was despised and weak they totally destroyed" (1 Samuel 15:9).

Samuel's Rebuke and Agag's Execution

The LORD expressed His regret over Saul's disobedience, and Samuel was sent to confront the king. Samuel's rebuke is stern: "Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, obedience is better than sacrifice, and attentiveness is better than the fat of rams" (1 Samuel 15:22). Saul's failure to fully execute the LORD's command led to his rejection as king.

In a dramatic conclusion to the episode, Samuel himself executed Agag. The text recounts, "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" (1 Samuel 15:33). This act was a final fulfillment of the divine judgment pronounced upon the Amalekites.

Theological Implications

The account of Saul's incomplete obedience and the subsequent massacre of the Amalekites underscores the importance of total obedience to God's commands. It serves as a sobering reminder of the consequences of partial obedience and the seriousness with which God views His covenant and promises. The narrative also highlights the role of prophetic authority in guiding and correcting the leaders of Israel, as seen in Samuel's decisive actions and words.1 Samuel 15:4-8
And Saul gathered the people together, and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen, and ten thousand men of Judah.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

The Nations of the South-East
... the invading Ammonites, and they themselves massacred or absorbed ... down to the time
when Saul was elected ... from Havilah unto Shur," like the Amalekites or Bedawin ...
/.../sayce/early israel and the surrounding nations/chapter iii the nations of.htm

The Israelites
... of the Old Testament are the Amalekites, and between ... therefore, David escaped from
the court, Saul accused the ... listen, and the priests were massacred in cold ...
/.../sayce/early israel and the surrounding nations/chapter i the israelites.htm

The Hebrews and the Philistines --Damascus
... of Canaan: the judges"The Philistines and the Hebrew kingdom"Saul, David, Solomon ...
clans of Benjamin, occupied the fords of the Jordan, massacred the bands ...
/.../chapter iiithe hebrews and the.htm

What does it mean that the Lord is my banner? | GotQuestions.org

Who were the Kenites? | GotQuestions.org

Why is obedience better than sacrifice? | GotQuestions.org

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