1 Samuel 15:5 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And Saul came to the city of Amalek and lay in wait in the valley.

NIV: Saul went to the city of Amalek and set an ambush in the ravine.

NASB: And Saul came to the city of Amalek and set an ambush in the wadi.

CSB: Saul came to the city of Amalek and set up an ambush in the wadi.

NLT: Then Saul and his army went to a town of the Amalekites and lay in wait in the valley.

KJV: And Saul came to a city of Amalek, and laid wait in the valley.

NKJV: And Saul came to a city of Amalek, and lay in wait in the valley.

King Saul mustered a large army of Israelites to carry out the command of the Lord. This order involves the Hebrew word ḥāram, which means to "devote to destruction." This implies an absolute, unbending approach. Every living person and animal among the Amalekites is to be slain (1 Samuel 15:3). The army has traveled south toward the Amalekites' home region of the Negev. They set up camp near the "city" of the Amalekites, an apparent gathering place that is more than a temporary camp, but perhaps not a full-fledged town since the Amalekites were nomadic people.

Using some degree of stealth, Saul's army takes up position in a nearby valley to lay in wait for the opportune moment to strike. Some commentators speculate that this valley may have been, or been near, the Brook of Egypt, often seen as Israel's southern border (Numbers 34:5; Ezekiel 47:19).

First Samuel 15:1–9 describes Saul's partial obedience to God regarding the Amalekites. Half-obedience is the same as disobedience; Saul spares the enemy king and many of the valuable animals. This is contrary to the Lord's command. As a result, God will inform the prophet Samuel that God intends to replace Saul as king over Israel.

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.

Accessed 11/23/2024 4:32:56 AM