1 Samuel 15:1-23

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Samuel 15:1-9

Here, I. Samuel, in God's name, solemnly requires Saul to be obedient to the command of God, and plainly intimates that he was now about to put him upon a trial, in one particular instance, whether he would be obedient or no, 1 Sam. 15:1. And the making of this so expressly the trial of his obedience did very much aggravate his disobedience. 1. He reminds him of what God had done for him: ?The Lord sent me to anoint thee to be a king. God gave thee thy power, and therefore he expects thou... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Samuel 15:10-23

Saul is here called to account by Samuel concerning the execution of his commission against the Amalekites; and remarkable instances we are here furnished with of the strictness of the justice of God and the treachery and deceitfulness of the heart of man. We are here told, I. What passed between God and Samuel, in secret, upon this occasion, 1 Sam. 15:10, 11. 1. God determines Saul's rejection, and acquaints Samuel with it: It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king. Repentance in God... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 15:1

Samuel also said unto Saul ,.... When and where he said to him what follows, it is not easy to determine, perhaps at Gilgal, where they after met again: the Lord sent me to anoint thee to be king over his people, over Israel ; that is, he gave him orders to anoint him king of Israel, otherwise Saul was in providence sent to Samuel to be anointed, and not Samuel to Saul: now therefore hearken thou unto the voice of the words of the Lord ; for so great a favour, and such high honour he... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 15:2

Thus saith the Lord of hosts ,.... Of the celestial host of angels, and of the army of Israel, yea, of all the armies of the earth: this is premised to engage the attention of Saul: I remember that which Amalek did to Israel ; four hundred years ago: how he laid wait for him in the way when he came up from Egypt ; in the valley of Rephidim, just before they came to Mount Sinai, and fell upon the rear of them, and smote the feeble, and faint, and weary, see Exodus 17:8 read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 15:3

Now go and smite Amalek ,.... This was one of the three things the Israelites were obliged to do when they came into the land of Canaan, as Kimchi observes; one was, to appoint a king over them, another, to build the house of the sanctuary, and the third, to blot out the name and memory of Amalek, see Deuteronomy 25:19 and this work was reserved for Saul, their first king: and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not ; all were to be devoted to destruction, and nothing... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 15:4

And Saul gathered the people together ,.... Or "made them to hear" F18 וישמע "audire fecit", Vatablus, Drusius. , by the sound of a trumpet; or by sending heralds into all parts of the land to proclaim the above order of the Lord, and summon them to come to him, perhaps at Gilgal; so the Septuagint version, and Josephus F19 Antiqu. l. 6. c. 7. sect. 2. : and numbered them in Telaim ; thought to be the same with Telem, a place in the tribe of Judah, Joshua 15:24 , the word... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 15:5

And Saul came to a city of Amalek ,.... With his army, perhaps the nearest city of it to the land of Israel; though some think that Amalek was the name of the city, and was the metropolis of the nation, and had its name from thence: and laid wait in the valley; which was near the city, to intercept the inhabitants when they should come out against him: or "he contended" F23 וירב "et certavit Pagninus"; "ut contenderet cum eo", Junius & Tremellius. as some render it, he fought... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 15:6

And Saul said unto the Kenites ,.... Who were of the posterity of Jethro the father-in-law of Moses, or related to him; why Josephus F24 Ut supra, (Antiqu. l. 6. c. 7.) sect. 3. calls them the nation of the Sicimites, who dwelt in the midst of the land of Midian, I know not: go, depart, get ye down from among the Amalekites ; for though some of these people came with Israel into the land of Canaan, and were first at Jericho, and then came into the wilderness of Judah, Judges 1:16 ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 15:7

And Saul smote the Amalekites ,.... Engaging in battle with them, he overcame them, and beat them, and slew great numbers of them: from Havilah until thou comest to Shur, that is over against Egypt ; having routed them in the valley, or in whatsoever place the battle was fought, he pursued them from one end of their country to the other; from Havilah, which lay to the northeast, to Shur, which lay to the southwest, and destroyed all that came in his way between those two points, see ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 15:8

And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive ,.... This name seems to be a common name of the kings of these people, as Pharaoh was of the Egyptians, see Numbers 24:2 . When this king fell into the hands of Saul, he did not put him to death, as he should have done, but preserved him; for what reasons, see in the following verse: and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword ; that is, all that came in his way, or fell into his hands; all between Havilah and Shur;... read more

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