1 Samuel

1 Samuel 15:1–3

1Then Samuel said to Saul, “The LORD sent me to anoint you king over His people Israel. Now therefore, listen to the words of the LORD. 2This is what the LORD of Hosts says: ‘I witnessed what the Amalekites did to the Israelites when they opposed them on their way up from Egypt. 3Now go and attack the Amalekites and devote to destructiona all that belongs to them. Do not spare them, but put to death men and women, children and infants, oxen and sheep, camels and donkeys.’”

Footnotes

  • a 15:3 Forms of the Hebrew cherem refer to the giving over of things or persons to the LORD, either by destroying them or by giving them as an offering; also in verses 8, 9, 15, 18, 20, and 21.

Read all of 1 Samuel 15

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

1 Samuel 15:1

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Then Samuelשְׁמוּאֵל֙šə·mū·’êlNoun - proper - masculine singularH8050 Samuel
saidוַיֹּ֤אמֶרway·yō·merConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH559 utter, say
toאֶל־’el-PrepositionH413 motion to
Saulשָׁא֔וּלšā·’ūlNoun - proper - masculine singularH7586 Shaul
The LORDיְהוָה֙Yah·wehNoun - proper - masculine singularH3068 Yahweh
sentשָׁלַ֤חšā·laḥVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularH7971 send
meאֹתִ֨י’ō·ṯîDirect object marker; first person common singularH853 mark of the accusative
to anoint youלִמְשָׁחֳךָ֣lim·šā·ḥo·ḵāPreposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct; second person masculine singularH4886 smear, anoint
kingלְמֶ֔לֶךְlə·me·leḵPreposition-l; Noun - masculine singularH4428 king
overעַל־‘al-PrepositionH5921 height
His peopleעַמּ֖וֹ‘am·mōwNoun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singularH5971 people
Israelיִשְׂרָאֵ֑לyiś·rā·’êlNoun - proper - masculine singularH3478 Israel
Now thereforeוְעַתָּ֣הwə·‘at·tāhConjunctive waw; AdverbH6258 now
listenשְׁמַ֔עšə·ma‘Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singularH8085 hear
to the wordsדִּבְרֵ֥יdiḇ·rêNoun - masculine plural constructH1697 speech, word
of the LORDיְהוָֽה׃סYah·wehNoun - proper - masculine singularH3068 Yahweh

1 Samuel 15:2

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
This is whatכֹּ֤הkōhAdverbH3541 thus, here
the LORDיְהוָ֣הYah·wehNoun - proper - masculine singularH3068 Yahweh
of Hostsצְבָא֔וֹתṣə·ḇā·’ō·wṯNoun - common pluralH6635 army, war, warfare
saysאָמַר֙’ā·marVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularH559 utter, say
I witnessedפָּקַ֕דְתִּיpā·qaḏ·tîVerb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singularH6485 attend to, visit, muster, appoint
whatאֲשֶׁר־’ă·šer-Pronoun - relativeH834 particle of relation
the Amalekitesעֲמָלֵ֖ק‘ă·mā·lêqNoun - proper - masculine singularH6002 Amalek
didעָשָׂ֥ה‘ā·śāhVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularH6213 do, make
to the Israelitesלְיִשְׂרָאֵ֑לlə·yiś·rā·’êlPreposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singularH3478 Israel
whenאֲשֶׁר־’ă·šer-Pronoun - relativeH834 particle of relation
they opposedשָׂ֥םśāmVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularH7760 put, place, set
themלוֹ֙lōwPreposition; third person masculine singular
on their wayבַּדֶּ֔רֶךְbad·de·reḵPreposition-b, Article; Noun - common singularH1870 way, road, distance, journey, manner
upבַּעֲלֹת֖וֹba·‘ă·lō·ṯōwPreposition-b; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct; third person masculine singularH5927 go up, ascend, climb
from Egyptמִמִּצְרָֽיִם׃mim·miṣ·rā·yimPreposition-m; Noun - proper - feminine singularH4714 Egypt, Egyptians

1 Samuel 15:3

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Nowעַתָּה֩‘at·tāhAdverbH6258 now
goלֵ֨ךְlêḵVerb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singularH1980 go, come, walk
and attackוְהִכִּֽיתָ֜הwə·hik·kî·ṯāhConjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singularH5221 smite
the Amalekitesעֲמָלֵ֗ק‘ă·mā·lêqNoun - proper - masculine singularH6002 Amalek
and devote to destructionוְהַֽחֲרַמְתֶּם֙wə·ha·ḥă·ram·temConjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine pluralH2763 ban, devote, exterminate
allכָּל־kāl-Noun - masculine singular constructH3605 the whole, all
thatאֲשֶׁר־’ă·šer-Pronoun - relativeH834 particle of relation
belongs to themל֔וֹlōwPreposition; third person masculine singular
Do notוְלֹ֥אwə·lōConjunctive waw; Adverb - Negative particleH3808 not
spareתַחְמֹ֖לṯaḥ·mōlVerb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singularH2550 spare
themעָלָ֑יו‘ā·lāwPreposition; third person masculine singularH5921 height
but put to deathוְהֵמַתָּ֞הwə·hê·mat·tāhConjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singularH4191 die
menמֵאִ֣ישׁmê·’îšPreposition-m; Noun - masculine singularH376 man
andעַד־‘aḏ-PrepositionH5704 as far as, even to, up to, until, while
womenאִשָּׁ֗ה’iš·šāhNoun - feminine singularH802 woman, wife, female
childrenמֵֽעֹלֵל֙mê·‘ō·lêlPreposition-m; Noun - masculine singularH5768 child
andוְעַד־wə·‘aḏ-Conjunctive waw; PrepositionH5704 as far as, even to, up to, until, while
infantsיוֹנֵ֔קyō·w·nêqVerb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularH3243 suck
oxenמִשּׁ֣וֹרmiš·šō·wrPreposition-m; Noun - masculine singularH7794 head of cattle
andוְעַד־wə·‘aḏ-Conjunctive waw; PrepositionH5704 as far as, even to, up to, until, while
sheepשֶׂ֔הśehNoun - masculine singularH7716 one of a flock, a sheep (or goat)
camelsמִגָּמָ֖לmig·gā·mālPreposition-m; Noun - masculine singularH1581 camel
andוְעַד־wə·‘aḏ-Conjunctive waw; PrepositionH5704 as far as, even to, up to, until, while
donkeysחֲמֽוֹר׃סḥă·mō·wrNoun - masculine singularH2543 heap

Cross-references

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

1 Samuel 15:1 1 Samuel 9:16 · 1 Samuel 12:14 · 1 Samuel 13:13 · 1 Chronicles 22:12–13 · Psalm 2:10–11 · 1 Samuel 15:16–18 · 2 Samuel 23:2–3 · 1 Samuel 10:1

1 Samuel 15:2 Deuteronomy 25:17–19 · Numbers 24:20 · Exodus 17:8–16 · Hosea 7:2 · Amos 8:7

1 Samuel 15:3 Numbers 24:20 · Deuteronomy 20:16–18 · 1 Samuel 22:19 · Numbers 31:17 · Isaiah 14:21–22 · Joshua 6:17–21 · Leviticus 27:28–29

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.