1 Samuel 15:17-35

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

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Samuel 15:24-31

Saul is at length brought to put himself into the dress of the penitent; but it is too evident that he only acts the part of a penitent, and is not one indeed. Observe, I. How poorly he expressed his repentance. It was with much ado that he was made sensible of his fault, and not till he was threatened with being deposed. This touched him in a tender part. Then he began to relent, and not till then. When Samuel told him he was rejected from being king, then he said, I have sinned, 1 Sam.... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Samuel 15:32-35

Samuel, as a prophet, is here set over kings, Jer. 1:10. I. He destroys king Agag, doubtless by such special direction from heaven as none now can pretend to. He hewed Agag in pieces. Some think he only ordered it to be done; or perhaps he did it with his own hands, as a sacrifice to God's injured justice (1 Sam. 15:33), and sacrifices used to be cut in pieces. Now observe in this, 1. How Agag's present vain hopes were frustrated: He came delicately, in a stately manner, to show that he was a... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 15:17

And Samuel said, when thou wast little in thine own sight ,.... Humble and lowly, and had a mean opinion of himself, his family and tribe, and judged himself unworthy of the kingdom; see 1 Samuel 9:21 suggesting, that now he was proud and haughty, and would have his own will and way: wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel ; not of his own tribe only, which was the least, but of all the tribes, and so they were all subject to him, and at his command: and the Lord... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 15:18

And the Lord sent thee on a journey ,.... And therefore he ought to have attended to the errand sent upon, and executed the orders given; in vain, therefore, was it to lay the blame on the people: and said, go, and utterly destroy the sinners, the Amalekites ; those notorious sinners, who deserve no mercy at the hands of God or men; who had so highly offended the Lord, and had been so injurious to his people at their first coming out of Egypt. The orders were plain, not to be mistaken,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 15:19

Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of the Lord ,.... Who had made him king, and sent him on this errand, and gave him such plain directions, and such strong orders to make an entire consumption of Amalek: but didst fly upon the spoil ; like a bird of prey, such as an eagle or vulture, not to devote it to the Lord, by an entire destruction of it, but to seize it for his own use, as being greedily desirous and covetous of it: and didst evil in the sight of the Lord ? by... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 15:20

And Saul said to Samuel, yea, I have obeyed the voice of the Lord ,.... Here Saul breaks in upon Samuel before he had declared all that the Lord had said unto him; for having expostulated with him for not obeying the voice of the Lord, he could not forbear interrupting him, but with the utmost assurance affirms he had obeyed the voice of the Lord; but then it was very imperfectly, and poor proof does he give of it: and have gone the way which the Lord sent me ; it is very true he went... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 15:21

But the people took the spoil, the sheep and oxen ,.... Still he continues to lay the blame on the people, when he, as king, ought to have restrained them: the chief of the things, which should have been utterly destroyed ; this betrays him, and is an evidence against him; he could not plead ignorance, he knew and he owns, that according to the command of God they were all devoted to destruction; and therefore he ought not to have suffered the people to have spared any on whatsoever... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 15:22

And Samuel said ,.... In reply to Saul: hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord ? no, certainly, the one being merely ceremonial, the other moral; the one supposes sin committed, for which sacrifice is offered; the other moral, and is a compliance with the will of God, and is neither sinful, nor supposes anything sinful, and therefore must be the more acceptable: behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 15:23

For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft ,.... Or divination F5 חטאת קסם "peccatum divinationis", Pagninus, Montanus, Vatablus; "ariolandi", V. L. "magiae", Munster, Tigurine version. , in whatsoever way it was exercised; for there were various sorts of it among the Heathens, and all condemned by the law of God, Deuteronomy 18:10 . Now rebellion against God, or disobeying his commands, though in things otherwise, were they not forbidden by him, lawful to be done, is as heinous a... read more

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