Font Size
1 Samuel 15:3-9
English Standard Version
1 Samuel 15:3-9
English Standard Version
3 Now go and strike Amalek and (A)devote to destruction[a] all that they have. Do not spare them, (B)but kill both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’”
4 So Saul summoned the people and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand men on foot, and ten thousand men of Judah. 5 And Saul came to the city of Amalek and lay in wait in the valley. 6 Then Saul said to (C)the Kenites, “Go, depart; go down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them. (D)For you showed kindness to all the people of Israel when they came up out of Egypt.” So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites. 7 (E)And Saul defeated the Amalekites from (F)Havilah as far as (G)Shur, which is east of Egypt. 8 And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive (H)and devoted to destruction all the people with the edge of the sword. 9 (I)But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep and of the oxen and of the fattened calves[b] and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them. All that was despised and worthless they devoted to destruction.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 1 Samuel 15:3 That is, set apart (devote) as an offering to the Lord (for destruction); also verses 8, 9, 15, 18, 20, 21
- 1 Samuel 15:9 The meaning of the Hebrew term is uncertain
1 Samuel 15:3-9
New International Version
1 Samuel 15:3-9
New International Version
3 Now go, attack the Amalekites and totally(A) destroy[a] all that belongs to them. Do not spare them; put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys.’”
4 So Saul summoned the men and mustered them at Telaim—two hundred thousand foot soldiers and ten thousand from Judah. 5 Saul went to the city of Amalek and set an ambush in the ravine. 6 Then he said to the Kenites,(B) “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.
7 Then Saul attacked the Amalekites(C) all the way from Havilah to Shur,(D) near the eastern border of Egypt. 8 He took Agag(E) king of the Amalekites alive,(F) and all his people he totally destroyed with the sword. 9 But Saul and the army spared(G) Agag and the best of the sheep and cattle, the fat calves[b] and lambs—everything that was good. These they were unwilling to destroy completely, but everything that was despised and weak they totally destroyed.
Footnotes
- 1 Samuel 15:3 The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord, often by totally destroying them; also in verses 8, 9, 15, 18, 20 and 21.
- 1 Samuel 15:9 Or the grown bulls; the meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain.
1 Samuel 15:3-9
New American Standard Bible
1 Samuel 15:3-9
New American Standard Bible
3 Now go and strike Amalek and (A)completely destroy everything that he has, and do not spare him; but (B)put to death both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’”
4 Then Saul summoned the people and [a]counted them in (C)Telaim: two hundred thousand foot soldiers and ten thousand men of Judah. 5 And Saul came to the city of Amalek and set an ambush in the [b]wadi. 6 But Saul said to (D)the Kenites, “Go, get away, go down from among the Amalekites, so that I do not destroy you along with them; for (E)you showed kindness to all the sons of Israel when they went up from Egypt.” So the Kenites got away from among the Amalekites. 7 Then (F)Saul [c]defeated the Amalekites, from (G)Havilah [d]going toward (H)Shur, which is [e]east of Egypt. 8 He captured (I)Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and (J)completely destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword. 9 But Saul and the people (K)spared Agag and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the more valuable animals, the lambs, and everything that was good, and were unwilling to destroy them completely; but everything despicable and weak, that they completely destroyed.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 1 Samuel 15:4 Lit mustered
- 1 Samuel 15:5 Or valley
- 1 Samuel 15:7 Lit struck
- 1 Samuel 15:7 Lit as you go
- 1 Samuel 15:7 Lit before
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
New American Standard Bible (NASB) 
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.