^15:32Then Samuel said, “Bring me King Agag of the Amalekites.” So Agag came to him trembling,⁴⁵ thinking to himself,⁴⁶ “Surely death is bitter!”⁴⁷^15:33Samuel said, “Just as your sword left women childless, so your mother will be the most bereaved among women!” Then Samuel hacked Agag to pieces there in Gilgal before the Lord.

Read in Logos

Footnotes

45 The reading מַעֲדַנֹּת (ma’adannot, literally, “bonds,” used here adverbially, “in bonds”) is difficult. The word is found only here and in Job 38:31. Part of the problem lies in determining the root of the word. Some scholars have taken it to be from the root ענד (’nd, “to bind around”), but this assumes a metathesis of two of the letters of the root. Others take it from the root עדן (’dn) with the meaning “voluptuously,” but this does not seem to fit the context. It seems better to understand the word to be from the root מעד (m’d, “to totter” or “shake”). In that case it describes the fear that Agag experienced in realizing the mortal danger that he faced as he approached Samuel. This is the way that the translators understood the word, rendering it by the Greek participle τρέμον (tremon, “trembling”).
46 Heb “and Agag said.”
47 The text is difficult here. With the , two Old Latin , and the it is probably preferable to delete סָר (sar, “is past”) of the ; it looks suspiciously like a dittograph of the following word מַר (mar, “bitter”). This further affects the interpretation of Agag’s comment. In the he comes to Samuel confidently assured that the danger is over (cf. , , “Surely the bitterness of death is past,” along with , ). However, it seems more likely that Agag realized that his fortunes had suddenly taken a turn for the worse and that the clemency he had enjoyed from Saul would not be his lot from Samuel. The present translation thus understands Agag to approach not confidently but in the stark realization that his death is imminent (“Surely death is bitter!”). Cf. “So it is bitter death!”; “Surely this is the bitterness of death”; “What a bitter thing it is to die!”

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

Then Samuel said, “Bring here to me Agag the king of the Amalekites.” And Agag came to him cheerfully. Agag said, “Surely the bitterness of death is past.” And Samuel said, “As your sword has made women childless, so shall your mother be childless among women.” And Samuel hacked Agag to pieces before the Lord in Gilgal.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

Then Samuel said, “Bring me Agag king of the Amalekites.”

Agag came to him in chains. And he thought, “Surely the bitterness of death is past.”

But Samuel said,

“As your sword has made women childless,

so will your mother be childless among women.”

And Samuel put Agag to death before the Lord at Gilgal.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

Samuel said, “Bring me King Agag of Amalek.”

Agag came to him trembling, for he thought, “Certainly the bitterness of death has come.”

Samuel declared:

As your sword has made women childless,

so your mother will be childless among women.

Then he hacked Agag to pieces before the Lord at Gilgal.

NLTNew Living Translation

Then Samuel said, “Bring King Agag to me.” Agag arrived full of hope, for he thought, “Surely the worst is over, and I have been spared!” But Samuel said, “As your sword has killed the sons of many mothers, now your mother will be childless.” And Samuel cut Agag to pieces before the Lord at Gilgal.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

Then Samuel said, “Bring Agag the king of Amalek out to me!” Agag came to him confidently, for Agag thought, “Surely the bitterness of death is over.”

Samuel said,

“Just as your sword bereaved women,

so will your mother be bereaved among women!”

Then Samuel hacked Agag to pieces in the presence of Yahweh at Gilgal.

KJV 1900King James Version

Then said Samuel, Bring ye hither to me Agag the king of the Amalekites. And Agag came unto him delicately. And Agag said, Surely the bitterness of death is past. And Samuel said, As thy sword hath made women childless, so shall thy mother be childless among women. And Samuel hewed Agag in pieces before the Lord in Gilgal.

Public Domain