²^*He is going to punish the people of Amalek because their ancestors opposed the Israelites when they were coming from Egypt. ³Go and attack the Amalekites and completely destroy everything they have. Don’t leave a thing; kill all the men, women, children, and babies; the cattle, sheep, camels, and donkeys.”

⁴Saul called his forces together and inspected them at Telem: there were 200,000 soldiers from Israel and 10,000 from Judah. ⁵Then he and his men went to the city of Amalek and waited in ambush in a dry riverbed. ⁶He sent a warning to the Kenites, a people whose ancestors had been kind to the Israelites when they came from Egypt: “Go away and leave the Amalekites, so that I won’t kill you along with them.” So the Kenites left.

⁷Saul defeated the Amalekites, fighting all the way from Havilah to Shur, east of Egypt; ⁸he captured King Agag of Amalek alive and killed all the people. ⁹But Saul and his men spared Agag’s life and did not kill the best sheep and cattle, the best calves and lambs,^v or anything else that was good; they destroyed only what was useless or worthless.^w

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Footnotes

vOne ancient translation the best calves and lambs; Hebrew unclear.
wSome ancient translations useless or worthless; Hebrew unclear.

Cross references

*15.2: Ex 17:8–14; Dt 25:17–19