1Samuel řekl Saulovi: „Mne poslal Jahve, abych tě pomazal za krále nad jeho lidem Izraelem. Slyš tedy Jahvova slova. 2Takto mluví Jahve Sabaot: Rozhodl jsem se potrestat to, co Amalek udělal Izraeli, když se mu při odchodu z Egypta postavil do cesty. 3Nyní jdi, udeř na Amaleka, uvrhni klatbu na něho i na vše, co má, neměj s ním slitování, pobij muže i ženy, děti i kojence, skot i ovce, velbloudy i osly.“ 4Saul svolal lid a provedl v Telamu jeho přehlídku: dvě stě tisíc pěšáků (a deset tisíc mužů z Judy). 5Saul postoupil až k Amalekovu městu a položil se do zálohy v rokli. 6Saul řekl Kenitům: „Odejděte, odlučte se od Amalečanů, abych vás nesmetl spolu s nimi, vy jste totiž byli ke všem Izraelitům, když odcházeli z Egypta, laskaví.“ A Kenité se od Amalečanů odloučili. 7Saul pobíjel Amalečany od Chavily směrem na Šur, který leží na východ od Egypta. 8Krále Amalečanů Agaga zajal živého a vykonávaje klatbu pobil všechen lid ostřím meče. 9Ale Saul a vojsko ušetřili Agaga a nejlepší kusy z bravu a skotu, tučná zvířata a beránky, zkrátka vše, co bylo dobré; nechtěli je postihnout klatbou. Ale veškeré podřadné a bezcenné stádo klatbou postihli. 10Samuelovi se takto ozvalo Jahvovo slovo: 11„Lituji, že jsem Saulovi dal královskou moc, on se totiž ode mne odvrátil a nevykonal mé příkazy.“ Samuel se rozohnil a volal k Jahvovi po celou noc. 12Ráno Samuel vyšel vstříc Saulovi. Dali mu tuto zprávu: „Saul odešel na Karmel, aby tam vztyčil vítězný památník, pak zase šel dále a sešel do Gilgalu.“ 13Samuel přišel k Saulovi a Saul mu řekl: „Ať ti Jahve žehná! Vyplnil jsem Jahvův příkaz.“ 14Ale Samuel se zeptal: „Co je to za bečení, které mi stoupá do uší, a to bučení, jež slyším?“ - 15„Přivedli je od Amaleka,“ odpověděl Saul, „lid totiž ušetřil nejlepší kusy z bravu a skotu, aby je přinesl v oběť Jahvovi, tvému Bohu. Zbytek jsme postihli klatbou.“ 16Ale Samuel Saulovi řekl: „Přestaň už a nech mě, abych ti ohlásil, co mi Jahve zjevil této noci.“ On mu řekl: „Mluv.“ 17Samuel tedy řekl: „Což nejsi, jakkoli jsi ve vlastních očích malý, vévodou kmenů Izraele? Jahve tě pomazal za krále nad Izraelem. 18Vyslal tě na výpravu a řekl ti: ‘Jdi, postihni klatbou ty hříšníky, Amalečany, veď s nimi válku až do vyhlazení.’ 19Proč jsi neuposlechl Jahva? Proč ses vrhl na kořist a udělal, co se Jahvovi nelíbí?“ 20Saul Samuelovi odpověděl: „Uposlechl jsem Jahva! Vydal jsem se na výpravu, na niž mě on poslal, přivedl jsem krále Amalečanů Agaga a Amaleka jsem postihl klatbou. 21Z kořisti lid vzal z bravu a skotu to nejlepší z toho, co propadlo klatbě, aby to obětoval Jahvovi, tvému Bohu, v Gilgalu.“ 22Ale Samuel řekl: „Líbí se Jahvovi celopaly a oběti tak jako poslušnost vůči Jahvovu slovu? Ano, poslušnost je lepší než oběť, učenlivost lepší než tuk beranů.- 23Vzpoura je jako hřích čarodějství, jako zločin s terafim je vypínavost! Protože jsi odvrhl Jahvovo slovo, odvrhl tě on, už nebudeš králem!“ 24Saul řekl Samuelovi: „Zhřešil jsem, že jsem překročil Jahvův příkaz a tvá přikázání, protože jsem měl strach z lidu a poslechl jsem jej. 25Nyní, prosím tě, odpusť mou vinu, vrať se se mnou, abych se klaněl Jahvovi.“ 26Ale Samuel Saulovi odpověděl: „Nevrátím se s tebou: jelikož jsi odvrhl Jahvovo slovo, Jahve odvrhl tebe, už nebudeš králem nad Izraelem.“ 27Když se Samuel obracel k odchodu, chytil se Saul cípu jeho pláště, ten se odtrhl 28a Samuel mu řekl: „Dnes od tebe Jahve odtrhl královskou moc nad Izraelem a dal ji tvému bližnímu, který je lepší než ty.“ 29(Sláva Izraele přece nelže a nelituje, neboť to není člověk, aby litoval.) 30Saul řekl: „Zhřešil jsem, ale přece tě prosím, prokaž mi čest před staršími mého lidu a před Izraelem a vrať se se mnou, ať se pokloním Jahvovi, tvému Bohu.“ 31Samuel se vrátil spolu se Saulem a Saul se klaněl Jahvovi. 32Potom Samuel řekl: „Přiveďte mi krále Amalečanů Agaga,“ a Agag k němu vrávoravě přišel a řekl: „Opravdu, smrt je hořká!“ 33Samuel řekl: „Za to, že tvůj meč zbavoval ženy dětí, bude tvá matka mezi ženami zbavena svého dítěte!“ A Samuel podřezal Agaga před Jahvem v Gilgalu. 34Samuel odešel do Ramy a Saul šel vzhůru domů, do Saulovy Gibey. 35Samuel už Saula až do smrti nespatřil. Samuel totiž nad Saulem plakal, ale Jahve litoval, že ho udělal králem nad Izraelem.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 SAUL SENT TO DESTROY AMALEK. (
1Sam 15:1-6)
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 station as the Lord's vicegerent, and the peculiar obligation under which he was laid to act in that capacity. He had formerly done wrong, for which a severe rebuke and threatening were administered to him (
1Sam 13:13-14). Now an opportunity was afforded him of retrieving that error by an exact obedience to the divine command.
2 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 (
Deut 25:18;
Exod 17:8-
Exod 17:16) --the hereditary and restless enemy of Israel (
Num 14:45;
Judg 3:13;
Judg 6:3), and who had not repented (
1Sam 14:48) of their bitter and sleepless hatred during the five hundred years that had elapsed since their doom was pronounced. Being a people of nomadic habits, they were as plundering and dangerous as the Bedouin Arabs, particularly to the southern tribes. The national interest required, and God, as KING OF ISRAEL, decreed that this public enemy should be removed. Their destruction was to be without reservation or exception.
I remember--I am reminded of what Amalek did--perhaps by the still remaining trophy or memorial erected by Moses (
Exod 17:15-
Exod 17:16).
4 Saul gathered the people together--The alacrity with which he entered on the necessary preparations for the expedition gave a fair, but delusive promise of faithfulness in its execution.
Telaim--or Telem, among the uttermost cities of the tribe of Judah towards the coast of Edom (
Josh 15:21,
Josh 15:24).
5 Saul came to a city of Amalek--probably their capital.
laid wait in the valley--following the strategic policy of Joshua at Ai (
Josh 8:4).
6 Kenites--(See on
Judg 1:16). In consequence, probably, of the unsettled state of Judah, they seem to have returned to their old desert tracts. Though now intermingled with the Amalekites, they were not implicated in the offenses of that wicked race; but for the sake of their ancestors, between whom and those of Israel there had been a league of amity, a timely warning was afforded them to remove from the scene of danger.
7 HE SPARES AGAG AND THE BEST OF THE SPOIL. (
1Sam 15:7-9)
Saul smote the Amalekites--His own view of the proper and expedient course to follow was his rule, not the command of God.
8 he took Agag . . . alive--This was the common title of the Amalekite kings. He had no scruple about the apparent cruelty of it, for he made fierce and indiscriminate havoc of the people. But he spared Agag, probably to enjoy the glory of displaying so distinguished a captive, and, in like manner, the most valuable portions of the booty, as the cattle. By this wilful and partial obedience to a positive command [
1Sam 15:3], complying with it in some parts and violating it in others, as suited his own taste and humor, Saul showed his selfish, arbitrary temper, and his love of despotic power, and his utter unfitness to perform the duties of a delegated king in Israel.
10 GOD REJECTS HIS FOR DISOBEDIENCE. (
1Sam 15:10-11)
Then came the word of the Lord unto Samuel, saying, It repenteth me that I have set up Saul--Repentance is attributed in Scripture to Him when bad men give Him cause to alter His course and method of procedure, and to treat them as if He did "repent" of kindness shown. To the heart of a man like Samuel, who was above all envious considerations, and really attached to the king, so painful an announcement moved all his pity and led him to pass a sleepless night of earnest intercession.
12 Saul came to Carmel--in the south of Judah (
Josh 15:55;
1Sam 25:2).
he set him up a place--that is, a pillar (
2Sam 18:18); literally, a hand, indicating that whatever was the form of the monument, it was surmounted, according to the ancient fashion, by the figure of a hand, the symbol of power and energy. The erection of this vainglorious trophy was an additional act of disobedience. His pride had overborne his sense of duty in first raising this monument to his own honor, and then going to Gilgal to offer sacrifice to God.
13 Saul said unto him, Blessed be thou of the Lord: I have performed the commandment of the Lord--Saul was either blinded by a partial and delusive self-love, or he was, in his declaration to Samuel, acting the part of a bold and artful hypocrite. He professed to have fulfilled the divine command, and that the blame of any defects in the execution lay with the people. Samuel saw the real state of the case, and in discharge of the commission he had received before setting out, proceeded to denounce his conduct as characterized by pride, rebellion, and obstinate disobedience. When Saul persisted in declaring that he had obeyed, alleging that the animals, whose bleating was heard, had been reserved for a liberal sacrifice of thanksgiving to God, his shuffling, prevaricating answer called forth a stern rebuke from the prophet. It well deserved it--for the destination of the spoil to the altar was a flimsy pretext--a gross deception, an attempt to conceal the selfishness of the original motive under the cloak of religious zeal and gratitude.
24 I have sinned . . . turn again with me, that I may worship the Lord--The erring, but proud and obstinate monarch was now humbled. He was conscience-smitten for the moment, but his confession proceeded not from sincere repentance, but from a sense of danger and desire of averting the sentence denounced against him. For the sake of public appearance, he besought Samuel not to allow their serious differences to transpire, but to join with him in a public act of worship. Under the influence of his painfully agitated feelings, he designed to offer sacrifice, partly to express his gratitude for the recent victory, and partly to implore mercy and a reversal of his doom. It was, from another angle, a politic scheme, that Samuel might be betrayed into a countenancing of his design in reserving the cattle for sacrificing. Samuel declined to accompany him.
I feared the people, and obeyed their voice--This was a different reason from the former he had assigned. It was the language of a man driven to extremities, and even had it been true, the principles expounded by Samuel showed that it could have been no extenuation of the offense. The prophet then pronounced the irreversible sentence of the rejection of Saul and his family. He was judicially cut off for his disobedience.
27 he laid hold upon the skirt of his mantle--the moil, upper tunic, official robe. In an agony of mental excitement, he took hold of the prophet's dress to detain him; the rending of the mantle [
1Sam 15:27] was adroitly pointed to as a significant and mystical representation of his severance from the throne.
29 the Strength of Israel will not lie--Hebrew, "He that gives a victory to Israel," a further rebuke of his pride in rearing the Carmel trophy, and an intimation that no loss would be sustained in Israel by his rejection.
31 Samuel turned again after Saul--not to worship along with him; but first, that the people might have no ground, on pretense of Saul's rejection, to withdraw their allegiance from him; and secondly, to compensate for Saul's error, by executing God's judgment upon Agag.
32 Agag came unto him delicately--or cheerfully, since he had gained the favor and protection of the king.
33 Samuel hewed Agag--This cruel tyrant met the retribution of a righteous Providence. Never has it been unusual for great or official personages in the East to perform executions with their own hands. Samuel did it "before the Lord" in Gilgal, appointing that same mode of punishment (hitherto unknown in Israel) to be used towards him, which he had formerly used towards others.