1 Samuel 15:1–16:23

The Lord Is Sorry He Has Made Saul King

15 Samuel said to Saul, “The Lord sent me to anoint you as king over his people Israel. So listen now to a message from him. 2The Lord who rules over all says, ‘I will punish the Amalekites because of what they did to Israel. As the people of Israel came up from Egypt, the Amalekites attacked them.

3“ ‘Now go. Attack the Amalekites. Set everything apart that belongs to them. Set it apart to me in a special way to be destroyed. Do not spare the Amalekites. Put the men and women to death. Put the children and babies to death. Also kill the cattle, sheep, camels and donkeys.’ ”

4So Saul brought his men together at Telaim. The total number was 200,000 soldiers on foot from Israel and 10,000 men from Judah. 5He went to the city of Amalek. He had some of his men hide and wait in the valley.

6Then Saul said to the Kenites, “You were kind to all of the people of Israel when they came up out of Egypt. Get away from the Amalekites. Then I won’t have to destroy you along with them.” So the Kenites moved away from the Amalekites.

7Saul attacked the Amalekites. He struck them down all the way from Havilah to Shur. Shur was near the eastern border of Egypt. 8He took Agag, the king of the Amalekites, alive. He and his men totally destroyed all of Agag’s people with swords.

9But Saul and the army spared Agag. They spared the best of the sheep and cattle. They spared the fat calves and lambs. They spared everything that was valuable. They weren’t willing to completely destroy any of those things. But they totally destroyed everything that was worthless and weak.

10Then the Lord gave Samuel a message. He said, 11“I am very sorry I have made Saul king. He has turned away from me. He has not done what I directed him to do.”

When Samuel heard that, he was troubled. He cried out to the Lord during that whole night.

12Early the next morning Samuel got up. He went to see Saul. But Samuel was told, “Saul went to Carmel. There he set up a monument in his own honor. Now he has gone on down to Gilgal.”

13When Samuel got there, Saul said, “May the Lord bless you. I’ve done what he directed me to do.”

14But Samuel said, “Then why do I hear the baaing of sheep? Why do I hear the mooing of cattle?”

15Saul answered, “The soldiers brought them from the Amalekites. They spared the best of the sheep and cattle. They did it to sacrifice them to the Lord your God. But we totally destroyed everything else.”

16“Stop!” Samuel said to Saul. “Let me tell you what the Lord said to me last night.”

“Tell me,” Saul replied.

17Samuel said, “There was a time when you didn’t think you were important. But you became the leader of the tribes of Israel. The Lord anointed you to be king over Israel. 18He sent you to do something for him. He said, ‘Go and set the Amalekites apart. Set those sinful people apart to me in a special way to be destroyed. Fight against them until you have wiped them out.’

19“Why didn’t you obey the Lord? Why did you grab what you had taken from your enemies? Why did you do what is evil in the sight of the Lord?”

20“But I did obey the Lord,” Saul said. “I went to do what he sent me to do. I totally destroyed the Amalekites. I brought back Agag, their king.

21“The soldiers took sheep and cattle from what had been taken from our enemies. They took the best of what had been set apart to God. They wanted to sacrifice them to the Lord your God at Gilgal.”

22But Samuel replied,

“What pleases the Lord more?

Burnt offerings and sacrifices, or obeying him?

It is better to obey than to offer a sacrifice.

It is better to do what he says than to offer the fat of rams.

23 Refusing to obey him is as sinful as using evil magic.

Being proud is as evil as worshiping statues of gods.

You have refused to do what the Lord told you to do.

So he has refused to have you as king.”

24Then Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned. I’ve broken the Lord’s command. I haven’t done what you directed me to do. I was afraid of the people. So I did what they said I should do. 25Now I beg you, forgive my sin. Come back into town with me so I can worship the Lord.”

26But Samuel said to him, “I won’t go back with you. You have refused to do what the Lord told you to do. So he has refused to have you as king over Israel!”

27Samuel turned to leave. But Saul grabbed hold of the hem of his robe, and it tore.

28Samuel said to Saul, “The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel away from you today. He has given it to one of your neighbors. He has given it to someone who is better than you. 29The One who is the Glory of Israel does not lie. He doesn’t change his mind. That’s because he isn’t a mere man. If he were, he might change his mind.”

30Saul replied, “I have sinned. But please honor me in front of the elders of my people and in front of Israel. Come back with me so I can worship the Lord your God.”

31So Samuel went back with Saul. And Saul worshiped the Lord.

32Then Samuel said, “Bring me Agag, the king of the Amalekites.”

Agag wasn’t afraid when he came to Samuel. He thought, “The time for me to be put to death must have passed by now.”

33But Samuel said,

“Your sword has killed the children of other women.

So the child of your mother will be killed.”

Samuel put Agag to death at Gilgal in the sight of the Lord.

34Then Samuel left to go to Ramah. But Saul went up to his home in Gibeah of Saul. 35Until the day Samuel died, he didn’t go to see Saul again. Samuel was filled with sorrow because of Saul. And the Lord was very sorry he had made Saul king over Israel.

Samuel Anoints David to Be Israel’s King

16 The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you be filled with sorrow because of Saul? I have refused to have him as king over Israel. Fill your animal horn with olive oil and go on your way. I am sending you to Jesse in Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king.”

2But Samuel said, “How can I go? Saul will hear about it. Then he’ll kill me.”

The Lord said, “Take a young cow with you. Tell the elders of Bethlehem, ‘I’ve come to offer a sacrifice to the Lord.’ 3Invite Jesse to the sacrifice. Then I will show you what to do. You must anoint for me the one I point out to you.”

4Samuel did what the Lord said. He arrived at Bethlehem. The elders of the town met him. They were trembling with fear. They asked, “Have you come in peace?”

5Samuel replied, “Yes, I’ve come in peace. I’ve come to offer a sacrifice to the Lord. Set yourselves apart to him and come to the sacrifice with me.”

Then he set Jesse and his sons apart to the Lord. He invited them to the sacrifice.

6When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab. He thought, “This has to be the one the Lord wants me to anoint for him.”

7But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider how handsome or tall he is. I have not chosen him. I do not look at the things people look at. Man looks at how someone appears on the outside. But I look at what is in the heart.”

8Then Jesse called for Abinadab. He had him walk in front of Samuel. But Samuel said, “The Lord hasn’t chosen him either.”

9Then Jesse had Shammah walk by. But Samuel said, “The Lord hasn’t chosen him either.”

10Jesse had seven of his sons walk in front of Samuel. But Samuel said to him, “The Lord hasn’t chosen any of them.” 11So he asked Jesse, “Are these the only sons you have?”

“No,” Jesse answered. “My youngest son is taking care of the sheep.”

Samuel said, “Send for him. We won’t sit down to eat until he arrives.”

12So Jesse sent for his son and had him brought in. His skin was tanned. He had a fine appearance and handsome features.

Then the Lord said, “Get up and anoint him. He is the one.”

13So Samuel got the animal horn that was filled with olive oil. He anointed David in front of his brothers. From that day on, the Spirit of the Lord came on David with power. Samuel went back to Ramah.

David Serves Saul

14The Spirit of the Lord had left Saul. And an evil spirit that was sent by the Lord terrified him.

15Saul’s attendants said to him, “An evil spirit that was sent by God is terrifying you. 16Give us an order to look for someone who can play the harp. He will play it when the evil spirit that was sent by God comes on you. Then you will feel better.”

17So Saul said to his attendants, “Find someone who plays the harp well. Bring him to me.”

18One of the servants said, “I’ve seen someone who knows how to play the harp. He is a son of Jesse from Bethlehem. He’s a brave man. He would make a good soldier. He’s a good speaker. He’s very handsome. And the Lord is with him.”

19Then Saul sent messengers to Jesse. He said, “Send me your son David, the one who takes care of your sheep.”

20So Jesse got some bread and a bottle of wine. The bottle was made out of animal skin. He also got a young goat. He loaded everything on the back of a donkey. He sent all of it to Saul with his son David.

21David went to Saul and began to serve him. Saul liked him very much. David became one of the men who carried Saul’s armor.

22Saul sent a message to Jesse. It said, “Let David stay here. I want him to serve me. I’m pleased with him.”

23When the evil spirit that was sent by God would come on Saul, David would get his harp and play it. That would help Saul. He would feel better, and the evil spirit would leave him.