^15:9However, Saul and the army spared Agag, along with the best of the flock, the cattle, the fatlings,¹³ and the lambs, as well as everything else that was of value.¹⁴ They were not willing to slaughter them. But they did slaughter everything that was despised¹⁵ and worthless.

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Footnotes

13 The Hebrew text is difficult here. We should probably read וְהַמַּשְׂמַנִּים (véhammasmannim, “the fat ones”) rather than the וְהַמִּשְׂנִים (véhammisnim, “the second ones”). However, if the is retained, the sense may be as the Jewish commentator Kimchi supposed: the second-born young, thought to be better than the firstlings. (For discussion see S. R. Driver, Notes on the Hebrew Text and the Topography of the Books of Samuel, .)
14 Heb “good.”
15 The has here the very odd form נְמִבְזָה (némivzah), but this is apparently due to a scribal error. The translation follows instead the Niphal participle נִבְזָה (nivzah).

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep and of the oxen and of the fattened calves and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them. All that was despised and worthless they devoted to destruction.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

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

CSBChristian Standard Bible

Saul and the troops spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, goats, cattle, and choice animals, as well as the young rams and the best of everything else. They were not willing to destroy them, but they did destroy all the worthless and unwanted things.

NLTNew Living Translation

Saul and his men spared Agag’s life and kept the best of the sheep and goats, the cattle, the fat calves, and the lambs—everything, in fact, that appealed to them. They destroyed only what was worthless or of poor quality.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

However, Saul and the army spared Agag and the best of the sheep and the cattle and the second best of the young fatlings and all that was valuable; they were not willing to utterly destroy them. But all the possessions that were despised or worthless, they utterly destroyed.

KJV 1900King James Version

But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them: but every thing that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly.

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