1 Samuel 15:19 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Why then did you not obey the voice of the Lord? Why did you pounce on the spoil and do what was evil in the sight of the Lord?"

NIV: Why did you not obey the Lord? Why did you pounce on the plunder and do evil in the eyes of the Lord?"

NASB: Why then did you not obey the voice of the Lord? Instead, you loudly rushed upon the spoils and did what was evil in the sight of the Lord!'

CSB: So why didn’t you obey the Lord? Why did you rush on the plunder and do what was evil in the Lord’s sight?"

NLT: Why haven’t you obeyed the Lord? Why did you rush for the plunder and do what was evil in the Lord’s sight?'

KJV: Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of the Lord, but didst fly upon the spoil, and didst evil in the sight of the Lord?

NKJV: Why then did you not obey the voice of the Lord? Why did you swoop down on the spoil, and do evil in the sight of the Lord?”

Samuel has affirmed that God anointed Saul over Israel and gave him a specific mission to fully eliminate the depraved nation of the Amalekites (1 Samuel 15:17–18). Saul's authority from the Lord and the assigned task were clear. Now, Samuel asks why Saul felt he could reject something the Lord commanded him?

Samuel's second question puts a fine point in Saul's disobedience: you kept the most valuable and interesting spoils of war. It was the typical right of armies to take the belongings of the enemies they conquered in battle. Saul and his men had fought many battles with Israel's enemies (1 Samuel 14:47). Gathering the valuables of beaten foes was one of the benefits of taking on the risks of combat. But this campaign was supposed to be different. In this battle, the Israelites were acting as God's instrument of judgment on the Amalekites (Exodus 17:14–16; Deuteronomy 25:17–19). Everything was to be "devoted to destruction" (1 Samuel 15:2–3); no spoils were to remain and nothing was to be taken. Nothing connected to the wicked Amalekite culture was to be preserved.

Saul's refusal to obey the direct command of the Lord, instead treating this as any other battle and taking plunder, was evil in God's sight. Saul's motive for disobedience is unclear. It might have been out of greed for the riches of the livestock or out of fear of his own soldiers who wanted to keep the animals for themselves. Whatever the reason, Samuel is clear: Saul did evil in God's sight by not fully obeying God's command.

First Samuel 15:10–23 records God's response to Saul's partial obedience regarding the Amalekites (1 Samuel 15:3, 9). The Lord tells Samuel that Saul's acts—which amount to rejecting God's commands—will result in the end of Saul's rule. When Samuel confronts Saul, the king makes excuses and claims he intended to sacrifice the condemned animals to the Lord. Samuel responds with a poetic statement about how God wants obedience, not arrogant attempts to improve on His commands.

Samuel gives Saul a mission from the Lord: fulfill God's judgment on the Amalekites by killing all the people and all the animals. Saul and his army defeat Amalek, but they spare the king and the best animals. Samuel confronts Saul and reveals that because of his disobedience, the Lord has rejected Saul as king over Israel. Samuel worships the Lord with Saul one last time and then executes the Amalekite king Saul failed to kill.

First Samuel 14 ended with a summary of Saul's reign; chapter 15 describes God's rejection of Saul as king. First Samuel 13 had already indicated that Saul's household would not retain the kingdom due to Saul's disobedience (1 Samuel 13:8–14); here Saul himself is rejected. The Lord commands Saul to fulfill His longstanding judgment against the Amalekites. Saul and his army defeat Amalek, but Saul disobeys God by sparing the king and the best animals. Saul eventually admits that he has sinned, but Samuel says God will not change His mind about rejecting Saul as king. From a heavenly perspective, Saul is rejected; but from an earthly perspective, he would continue his rule for another fifteen to twenty years.

First Samuel introduces the key figures who led Israel after the era of the judges. The books of 1 and 2 Samuel were originally part of a single text, split in certain translations shortly before the birth of Christ. Some of the Bible’s most famous characters are depicted in this book. These including the prophet Samuel, Israel’s first king, Saul, her greatest king, David, and other famous names such as Goliath and Jonathan. By the end of this book, Saul has fallen; the book of 2 Samuel begins with David’s ascension to the throne.