1 Samuel 15:1

Samuel said to Saul, “I am the one the Lord sent to anoint<cr>1</cr> you king over his people Israel; so listen now to the message from the Lord.

This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘I will punish the Amalekites<cr>1</cr> for what they did to Israel when they waylaid them as they came up from Egypt.

1 Samuel 15:2

Now go, attack the Amalekites and totally<cr>1</cr> destroy<ft>1</ft> all that belongs to them. Do not spare them; put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys.’”

1 Samuel 15:3

So Saul summoned the men and mustered them at Telaim—two hundred thousand foot soldiers and ten thousand from Judah.

1 Samuel 15:4

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

1 Samuel 15:5

Then he said to the Kenites,<cr>1</cr> “Go away, leave the Amalekites so that I do not destroy you along with them; for you showed kindness to all the Israelites when they came up out of Egypt.” So the Kenites moved away from the Amalekites.

1 Samuel 15:6

Then Saul attacked the Amalekites<cr>1</cr> all the way from Havilah to Shur,<cr>2</cr> near the eastern border of Egypt.

1 Samuel 15:7

He took Agag<cr>1</cr> king of the Amalekites alive,<cr>2</cr> and all his people he totally destroyed with the sword.

1 Samuel 15:8

But Saul and the army spared<cr>1</cr> Agag and the best of the sheep and cattle, the fat calves<ft>1</ft> and lambs—everything that was good. These they were unwilling to destroy completely, but everything that was despised and weak they totally destroyed.

1 Samuel 15:9

Then the word of the Lord came to Samuel:

1 Samuel 15:10

“I regret<cr>1</cr> that I have made Saul king, because he has turned<cr>2</cr> away from me and has not carried out my instructions.”<cr>3</cr> Samuel was angry,<cr>4</cr> and he cried out to the Lord all that night.

1 Samuel 15:11

Early in the morning Samuel got up and went to meet Saul, but he was told, “Saul has gone to Carmel.<cr>1</cr> There he has set up a monument<cr>2</cr> in his own honor and has turned and gone on down to Gilgal.”

1 Samuel 15:12

When Samuel reached him, Saul said, “The Lord bless you! I have carried out the Lord’s instructions.”

1 Samuel 15:13

But Samuel said, “What then is this bleating of sheep in my ears? What is this lowing of cattle that I hear?”

1 Samuel 15:14

Saul answered, “The soldiers brought them from the Amalekites; they spared the best of the sheep and cattle to sacrifice to the Lord your God, but we totally destroyed the rest.”

1 Samuel 15:15

“Enough!” Samuel said to Saul. “Let me tell you what the Lord said to me last night.”<pb/>“Tell me,” Saul replied.

1 Samuel 15:16

Samuel said, “Although you were once small<cr>1</cr> in your own eyes, did you not become the head of the tribes of Israel? The Lord anointed you king over Israel.

1 Samuel 15:17

And he sent you on a mission, saying, ‘Go and completely destroy those wicked people, the Amalekites; wage war against them until you have wiped them out.’

1 Samuel 15:18

Why did you not obey the Lord? Why did you pounce on the plunder<cr>1</cr> and do evil in the eyes of the Lord?”

1 Samuel 15:19

“But I did obey<cr>1</cr> the Lord,” Saul said. “I went on the mission the Lord assigned me. I completely destroyed the Amalekites and brought back Agag their king.

1 Samuel 15:20

The soldiers took sheep and cattle from the plunder, the best of what was devoted to God, in order to sacrifice them to the Lord your God at Gilgal.”

1 Samuel 15:21

But Samuel replied:<pb/><poetry>“Does the <smallCap>Lord</smallCap> delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices <indent>as much as in obeying the <smallCap>Lord</smallCap>?</indent> To obey is better than sacrifice,<cr>1</cr> <indent>and to heed is better than the fat of rams.</indent>

1 Samuel 15:22

For rebellion is like the sin of divination,<cr>1</cr> <indent>and arrogance like the evil of idolatry.</indent> Because you have rejected<cr>2</cr> the word of the <smallCap>Lord</smallCap>, <indent>he has rejected you as king.”</indent>

1 Samuel 15:23

Then Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned.<cr>1</cr> I violated<cr>2</cr> the Lord’s command and your instructions. I was afraid<cr>3</cr> of the men and so I gave in to them.

1 Samuel 15:24

Now I beg you, forgive<cr>1</cr> my sin and come back with me, so that I may worship the Lord.”

1 Samuel 15:25

But Samuel said to him, “I will not go back with you. You have rejected<cr>1</cr> the word of the Lord, and the Lord has rejected you as king over Israel!”

1 Samuel 15:26

As Samuel turned to leave, Saul caught hold of the hem of his robe,<cr>1</cr> and it tore.<cr>2</cr>

1 Samuel 15:27

Samuel said to him, “The Lord has torn<cr>1</cr> the kingdom<cr>2</cr> of Israel from you today and has given it to one of your neighbors—to one better than you.<cr>3</cr>

1 Samuel 15:28

He who is the Glory of Israel does not lie<cr>1</cr> or change<cr>2</cr> his mind; for he is not a human being, that he should change his mind.”

1 Samuel 15:29

Saul replied, “I have sinned.<cr>1</cr> But please honor<cr>2</cr> me before the elders of my people and before Israel; come back with me, so that I may worship the Lord your God.”

1 Samuel 15:30

So Samuel went back with Saul, and Saul worshiped the Lord.

1 Samuel 15:31

Then Samuel said, “Bring me Agag king of the Amalekites.”<pb/>Agag came to him in chains.<ft>1</ft> And he thought, “Surely the bitterness of death is past.”

1 Samuel 15:32

But Samuel said,<pb/><poetry>“As your sword has made women childless, <indent>so will your mother be childless among women.”<cr>1</cr> </indent></poetry><pb/>And Samuel put Agag to death before the Lord at Gilgal.

1 Samuel 15:33

Then Samuel left for Ramah,<cr>1</cr> but Saul went up to his home in Gibeah<cr>2</cr> of Saul.

1 Samuel 15:34

Until the day Samuel<cr>1</cr> died, he did not go to see Saul again, though Samuel mourned<cr>2</cr> for him. And the Lord regretted<cr>3</cr> that he had made Saul king over Israel.

1 Samuel 15:35

1 Samuel 16:1

The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn<cr>1</cr> for Saul, since I have rejected<cr>2</cr> him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil<cr>3</cr> and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse<cr>4</cr> of Bethlehem. I have chosen<cr>5</cr> one of his sons to be king.”

But Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears about it, he will kill me.”<pb/>The Lord said, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’

1 Samuel 16:2

Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show<cr>1</cr> you what to do. You are to anoint<cr>2</cr> for me the one I indicate.”

1 Samuel 16:3

Samuel did what the Lord said. When he arrived at Bethlehem,<cr>1</cr> the elders of the town trembled<cr>2</cr> when they met him. They asked, “Do you come in peace?<cr>3</cr> ”

1 Samuel 16:4

Samuel replied, “Yes, in peace; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Consecrate<cr>1</cr> yourselves and come to the sacrifice with me.” Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.

1 Samuel 16:5

When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab<cr>1</cr> and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed stands here before the Lord.”

1 Samuel 16:6

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance,<cr>1</cr> but the Lord looks at the heart.”<cr>2</cr>

1 Samuel 16:7

Then Jesse called Abinadab<cr>1</cr> and had him pass in front of Samuel. But Samuel said, “The Lord has not chosen this one either.”

1 Samuel 16:8

Jesse then had Shammah<cr>1</cr> pass by, but Samuel said, “Nor has the Lord chosen this one.”

1 Samuel 16:9

Jesse had seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel said to him, “The Lord has not chosen these.”

1 Samuel 16:10

So he asked Jesse, “Are these all<cr>1</cr> the sons you have?”<pb/>“There is still the youngest,” Jesse answered. “He is tending the sheep.”<cr>2</cr> <pb/>Samuel said, “Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives.”

1 Samuel 16:11

So he<cr>1</cr> sent for him and had him brought in. He was glowing with health and had a fine appearance and handsome<cr>2</cr> features.<pb/>Then the Lord said, “Rise and anoint him; this is the one.”

1 Samuel 16:12

So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed<cr>1</cr> him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord<cr>2</cr> came powerfully upon David.<cr>3</cr> Samuel then went to Ramah.

1 Samuel 16:13

1 Samuel 16:14

Now the Spirit of the Lord had departed<cr>1</cr> from Saul, and an evil<ft>1</ft> spirit<cr>2</cr> from the Lord tormented him.<cr>3</cr>

Saul’s attendants said to him, “See, an evil spirit from God is tormenting you.

1 Samuel 16:15

Let our lord command his servants here to search for someone who can play the lyre.<cr>1</cr> He will play when the evil spirit from God comes on you, and you will feel better.”

1 Samuel 16:16

So Saul said to his attendants, “Find someone who plays well and bring him to me.”

1 Samuel 16:17

One of the servants answered, “I have seen a son of Jesse<cr>1</cr> of Bethlehem who knows how to play the lyre. He is a brave man and a warrior.<cr>2</cr> He speaks well and is a fine-looking man. And the Lord is with<cr>3</cr> him.”

1 Samuel 16:18

Then Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, “Send me your son David, who is with the sheep.<cr>1</cr> ”

1 Samuel 16:19

So Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread,<cr>1</cr> a skin of wine and a young goat and sent them with his son David to Saul.

1 Samuel 16:20

David came to Saul and entered his service.<cr>1</cr> Saul liked him very much, and David became one of his armor-bearers.

1 Samuel 16:21

Then Saul sent word to Jesse, saying, “Allow David to remain in my service, for I am pleased with him.”

1 Samuel 16:22

Whenever the spirit from God came on Saul, David would take up his lyre and play. Then relief would come to Saul; he would feel better, and the evil spirit<cr>1</cr> would leave him.

1 Samuel 16:23

1 Samuel 17:1

Now the Philistines gathered their forces for war and assembled<cr>1</cr> at Sokoh in Judah. They pitched camp at Ephes Dammim, between Sokoh<cr>2</cr> and Azekah.<cr>3</cr>

Saul and the Israelites assembled and camped in the Valley of Elah<cr>1</cr> and drew up their battle line to meet the Philistines.

1 Samuel 17:2

The Philistines occupied one hill and the Israelites another, with the valley between them.

1 Samuel 17:3

A champion named Goliath,<cr>1</cr> who was from Gath, came out of the Philistine camp. His height was six cubits and a span.<ft>1</ft>

1 Samuel 17:4

He had a bronze helmet on his head and wore a coat of scale armor of bronze weighing five thousand shekels<ft>1</ft>;

1 Samuel 17:5

on his legs he wore bronze greaves, and a bronze javelin<cr>1</cr> was slung on his back.

1 Samuel 17:6

His spear shaft was like a weaver’s rod,<cr>1</cr> and its iron point weighed six hundred shekels.<ft>1</ft> His shield bearer<cr>2</cr> went ahead of him.

1 Samuel 17:7

Goliath stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, “Why do you come out and line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not the servants of Saul? Choose<cr>1</cr> a man and have him come down to me.

1 Samuel 17:8

If he is able to fight and kill me, we will become your subjects; but if I overcome him and kill him, you will become our subjects and serve us.”

1 Samuel 17:9

Then the Philistine said, “This day I defy<cr>1</cr> the armies of Israel! Give me a man and let us fight each other.<cr>2</cr> ”

1 Samuel 17:10

On hearing the Philistine’s words, Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and terrified.

1 Samuel 17:11

Now David was the son of an Ephrathite<cr>1</cr> named Jesse,<cr>2</cr> who was from Bethlehem<cr>3</cr> in Judah. Jesse had eight<cr>4</cr> sons, and in Saul’s time he was very old.

1 Samuel 17:12

Jesse’s three oldest sons had followed Saul to the war: The firstborn was Eliab;<cr>1</cr> the second, Abinadab;<cr>2</cr> and the third, Shammah.<cr>3</cr>

1 Samuel 17:13

David was the youngest. The three oldest followed Saul,

1 Samuel 17:14

but David went back and forth from Saul to tend<cr>1</cr> his father’s sheep<cr>2</cr> at Bethlehem.

1 Samuel 17:15

For forty days the Philistine came forward every morning and evening and took his stand.

1 Samuel 17:16

Now Jesse said to his son David, “Take this ephah<ft>1</ft><cr>1</cr> of roasted grain<cr>2</cr> and these ten loaves of bread for your brothers and hurry to their camp.

1 Samuel 17:17

Take along these ten cheeses to the commander of their unit. See how your brothers<cr>1</cr> are and bring back some assurance<ft>1</ft> from them.

1 Samuel 17:18

They are with Saul and all the men of Israel in the Valley of Elah, fighting against the Philistines.”

1 Samuel 17:19

Early in the morning David left the flock in the care of a shepherd, loaded up and set out, as Jesse had directed. He reached the camp as the army was going out to its battle positions, shouting the war cry.

1 Samuel 17:20

Israel and the Philistines were drawing up their lines facing each other.

1 Samuel 17:21

David left his things with the keeper of supplies,<cr>1</cr> ran to the battle lines and asked his brothers how they were.

1 Samuel 17:22

As he was talking with them, Goliath, the Philistine champion from Gath, stepped out from his lines and shouted his usual<cr>1</cr> defiance, and David heard it.

1 Samuel 17:23

Whenever the Israelites saw the man, they all fled from him in great fear.

1 Samuel 17:24

Now the Israelites had been saying, “Do you see how this man keeps coming out? He comes out to defy Israel. The king will give great wealth to the man who kills him. He will also give him his daughter<cr>1</cr> in marriage and will exempt his family from taxes<cr>2</cr> in Israel.”

1 Samuel 17:25

David asked the men standing near him, “What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes this disgrace<cr>1</cr> from Israel? Who is this uncircumcised<cr>2</cr> Philistine that he should defy<cr>3</cr> the armies of the living<cr>4</cr> God?”

1 Samuel 17:26

They repeated to him what they had been saying and told him, “This is what will be done for the man who kills him.”

1 Samuel 17:27

When Eliab, David’s oldest brother, heard him speaking with the men, he burned with anger<cr>1</cr> at him and asked, “Why have you come down here? And with whom did you leave those few sheep in the wilderness? I know how conceited you are and how wicked your heart is; you came down only to watch the battle.”

1 Samuel 17:28

“Now what have I done?” said David. “Can’t I even speak?”

1 Samuel 17:29

He then turned away to someone else and brought up the same matter, and the men answered him as before.

1 Samuel 17:30

What David said was overheard and reported to Saul, and Saul sent for him.

1 Samuel 17:31

David said to Saul, “Let no one lose heart<cr>1</cr> on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him.”

1 Samuel 17:32

Saul replied,<cr>1</cr> “You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a young man, and he has been a warrior from his youth.”

1 Samuel 17:33

But David said to Saul, “Your servant has been keeping his father’s sheep. When a lion<cr>1</cr> or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock,

1 Samuel 17:34

I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized<cr>1</cr> it by its hair, struck it and killed it.

1 Samuel 17:35

Your servant has killed both the lion<cr>1</cr> and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God.

1 Samuel 17:36

The Lord who rescued<cr>1</cr> me from the paw of the lion<cr>2</cr> and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.”<pb/>Saul said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with<cr>3</cr> you.”

1 Samuel 17:37

Then Saul dressed David in his own<cr>1</cr> tunic. He put a coat of armor on him and a bronze helmet on his head.

1 Samuel 17:38

From Wikipedia: 

The New International Version (NIV) is an English translation of the Bible first published in 1978 by Biblica (formerly the International Bible Society). The NIV was published to meet the need for a modern translation done by Bible scholars using the earliest, highest quality manuscripts available. Of equal importance was that the Bible be expressed in broadly understood modern English.

The NIV is published by Zondervan in the United States and Hodder & Stoughton in the UK. The NIV was updated in 1984 and 2011 and has become one of the most popular and best-selling modern translations.

OT: Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia; additional sources;
NT: UBS Greek New Testament; Novum Testamentum Graece; additional sources;

1 Sam. 15-22 - NIV

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