1 Samuel 15:2. I remember— Literally, I visit, or have my eyes upon; God hereby signifying, that he observed with attentive eyes what Israel had suffered by means of the Amalekites. Houb. See Exodus 17:14. Deu 25:19 and the Reflections at the end of the 20th chapter of Deuteronomy. read more
1. Samuel also said unto Saul, The Lord sent me to anoint thee . . .: now therefore hearken thou unto . . . the Lord—Several years had been passed in successful military operations against troublesome neighbors. During these Saul had been left to act in a great measure at his own discretion as an independent prince. Now a second test is proposed of his possessing the character of a theocratic monarch in Israel; and in announcing the duty required of him, Samuel brought before him his official... read more
2, 3. Amalek—the powerful tribe which inhabited the country immediately to the eastward of the northern Cushites. Their territory extended over the whole of the eastern portion of the desert of Sinai to Rephidim—the earliest opponent (Deuteronomy 25:18; Exodus 17:8-16) —the hereditary and restless enemy of Israel (Numbers 14:45; Judges 3:13; Judges 6:3), and who had not repented (Judges 6:3- :) of their bitter and sleepless hatred during the five hundred years that had elapsed since their doom... read more
5. Yahweh’s final rejection of Saul ch. 15"In the short pericope 1 Samuel 13:7-15 a obedience was the stone on which Saul stumbled; here it is the rock that crushes him." [Note: Ibid., p. 142.] Chapter 15 records one of the battles Saul fought with the Amalekites, Israel’s enemy to the south (cf. 1 Samuel 14:48). The Amalekites were descendants of Esau (Genesis 36:12; 1 Chronicles 1:36) and, therefore, linked with the Edomites. They were nomads who lived principally in southern Canaan and the... read more
III. SAMUEL AND SAUL 7:2-15:35This third major part of 1 Samuel contains three subsections: Samuel’s ministry as Israel’s judge (1 Samuel 7:2-17), the kingship given to Saul (chs. 8-12), and the kingship removed from Saul (chs. 13-15). The main point seems to be Israel’s unjustified dissatisfaction with her sovereign God and its awful consequences. In spite of His people’s rejection, the Lord continued to show them mercy and faithfulness. read more
Saul’s Victory over Amalek. His Disobedience and RejectionAmalek had attacked Israel at Rephidim (Exodus 17:8) and opposed their entrance into Canaan (Numbers 14:45: cp. Deuteronomy 25:7; They are mentioned as allies of the Midianites in Judges 7:12. The Amalekite nomads probably occupied a large tract of the wilderness S. of Judah. This chapter evidently comes from a different source from the preceding, which concludes the history of Saul. It forms the connexion between the history of Saul and... read more
(1 Samuel 15:1-3) Samuel also said unto Saul . . .—The compiler of the history, selecting, no doubt, from ancient state records, chose to illustrate the story of the reign and rejection of Saul by certain memorable incidents as good examples of the king’s general life and conduct. The incidents were also selected to show the rapid development of the power and resources of Israel at this period.The sacred war with Amalek is thus introduced without any “note of time.”The Lord sent me to anoint... read more
(2) That which Amalek did to Israel.—The Amalekites were a fierce, untameable race of wanderers, who roamed at large through those deserts which lie between Southern Judea and the Egyptian frontier. They were descended from Esau’s grandson, Amalek. Not long after the exodus from Egypt, they attacked and cruelly harassed the almost defenceless rear-guard of Israel in the desert of Rephidim. They were then, at the prayer of Moses, defeated by Joshua; but, for this cowardly unprovoked attack,... read more
(3) Smite Amalek, and utterly destroy . . .—For “utterly destroy” the Hebrew has the far stronger expression, “put under the ban” (cherem). Whatever was “put under the ban” in Israel was devoted to God, and whatever was so devoted could not be redeemed, but must be slain. Amalek was to be looked upon as accursed; human beings and cattle must be killed; whatever was capable of being destroyed by fire must be burnt. The cup of iniquity in this people was filled up. Its national existence, if... read more
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Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - 1 Samuel 15:1
SAUL FAILS HIS FINAL TESTThis episode is not a variable account of Saul's rejection in 13:8ff. Yes, it is true that God warned Saul at that time of the loss of his dynasty; but the Bible abundantly bears out the opinion of R. P. Smith that, "God never finally rejects a man until, after repeated opportunities for repentance, he finally proves himself obdurate."[1] The passage which proves that God thus deals with men is Jeremiah 18:7-10. In this light, therefore, we reject as totally inaccurate... read more