The Tanakh · JPS 1917 Translation

1 Samuel 15

Jewish Publication Society 1917 · Nevi'im — the Prophets

1 Samuel chapter 15 — part of the Nevi'im — the Prophets in the Jewish Bible. In the classic JPS 1917 translation it opens: “And Samuel said unto Saul: 'The HaShem sent me to anoint thee to be king over His people, over Israel; now therefore hearken thou unto the…” — the complete text of all 35 verses is below, free to read online.

1And Samuel said unto Saul: 'The HaShem sent me to anoint thee to be king over His people, over Israel; now therefore hearken thou unto the voice of the words of HaShem.

2Thus saith HaShem of hosts: I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he set himself against him in the way, when he came up out of Egypt.

3Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass.'

4And Saul summoned the people, and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen, and ten thousand men of Judah.

5And Saul came to the city of Amalek, and lay in wait in the valley.

6And Saul said unto the Kenites: 'Go, depart, get you down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them; for ye showed kindness to all the children of Israel, when they came up out of Egypt.' So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites.

7And Saul smote the Amalekites, from Havilah as thou goest to Shur, that is in front of Egypt.

8And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword.

9But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, even the young of the second birth, and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them; but every thing that was of no account and feeble, that they destroyed utterly.

10Then came the word of HaShem unto Samuel, saying:

11'It repenteth Me that I have set up Saul to be king; for he is turned back from following Me, and hath not performed My commandments.' And it grieved Samuel; and he cried unto HaShem all night.

12And Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning; and it was told Samuel, saying: 'Saul came to Carmel, and, behold, he is setting him up a monument, and is gone about, and passed on, and gone down to Gilgal.'

13And Samuel came to Saul; and Saul said unto him: 'Blessed be thou of HaShem; I have performed the commandment of HaShem.'

14And Samuel said: 'What meaneth then this bleating of the sheep in mine ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?'

15And Saul said: 'They have brought them from the Amalekites; for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen, to sacrifice unto HaShem thy G-d; and the rest we have utterly destroyed.'

16Then Samuel said unto Saul: 'Stay, and I will tell thee what HaShem hath said to me this night.' And he said unto him: 'Say on.'

17And Samuel said: 'Though thou be little in thine own sight, art thou not head of the tribes of Israel? And HaShem anointed thee king over Israel;

18and HaShem sent thee on a journey, and said: Go and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them until they be consumed.

19Wherefore then didst thou not hearken to the voice of HaShem, but didst fly upon the spoil, and didst that which was evil in the sight of HaShem?'

20And Saul said unto Samuel: 'Yea, I have hearkened to the voice of HaShem, and have gone the way which HaShem sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites.

21But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the devoted things, to sacrifice unto HaShem thy G-d in Gilgal.'

22And Samuel said: 'Hath HaShem as great delight in burnt-offerings and sacrifices, as in hearkening to the voice of HaShem? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.

23For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as idolatry and teraphim. Because thou hast rejected the word of HaShem, He hath also rejected thee from being king.'

24And Saul said unto Samuel: 'I have sinned; for I have transgressed the commandment of HaShem, and thy words; because I feared the people, and hearkened to their voice.

25Now therefore, I pray thee, pardon my sin, and return with me, that I may worship HaShem.'

26And Samuel said unto Saul: 'I will not return with thee; for thou hast rejected the word of HaShem, and HaShem hath rejected thee from being king over Israel.'

27And as Samuel turned about to go away, he laid hold upon the skirt of his robe, and it rent.

28And Samuel said unto him: 'The HaShem hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbour of thine, that is better than thou.

29And also the Glory of Israel will not lie nor repent; for He is not a man, that He should repent.'

30Then he said: 'I have sinned; yet honour me now, I pray thee, before the elders of my people, and before Israel, and return with me, that I may worship HaShem thy G-d.'

31So Samuel returned after Saul; and Saul worshipped HaShem.

32Then said Samuel: 'Bring ye hither to me Agag the king of the Amalekites.' And Agag came unto him in chains. And Agag said: 'Surely the bitterness of death is at hand.'

33And Samuel said: As thy sword hath made women childless, so shall thy mother be childless among women. And Samuel hewed Agag in pieces before HaShem in Gilgal.

34Then Samuel went to Ramah; and Saul went up to his house to Gibeath-shaul.

35And Samuel never beheld Saul again until the day of his death; for Samuel mourned for Saul; and HaShem repented that He had made Saul king over Israel.

35 verses · JPS 1917 (public domain)

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