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Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary

1 Samuel 15:3

All that they have, both persons and goods; kill all that live, and consume all things without life; for I will have no name nor remnant of that people, whom long since I have cursed and devoted to utter destruction. Spare them not; show no compassion or favour to any of them. The same thing repeated to prevent mistake, and oblige Saul to the exact performance hereof; or, to leave him without excuse, in case of neglect. Infant and suckling; for their parents crime and punishment; which was not unjust, because God is the supreme Lord and giver of life, and can require his own when he pleaseth; infants also are born in sin, Psalms 51:5, and therefore liable to God's wrath, Ephesians 2:3, and to death, Romans 5:12,14. Their death also was rather a mercy than a curse to them, as being the occasion of preventing the vast increase of their sin and punishment. Ox and sheep, camel and ass; which being all made for man's benefit, it is not strange nor unjust if they suffer with him, and for him and for the instruction of mankind.

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See also 1 Samuel 15:3 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse 1 Samuel 15:3. _SLAY BOTH MAN AND WOMAN_] Nothing could justify such an exterminating decree but the absolute authority of God. This was given: all the reasons of it we do not know; but this we...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    UTTERLY DESTROY - Rather, “devote to destruction” (Leviticus 27:28 note). When a city or people were thus made cherem, everything living was to be destroyed, and no part of the spoil fall to the conqu...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    8. WAR WITH AMALEK: SAUL'S DISOBEDIENCE AND REJECTION CHAPTER 15 _ 1. The commission to destroy Amalek (1 Samuel 15:1)_ 2. Saul's disobedience and rejection (1 Samuel 15:10) 3. Saul's confession ...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    XV. THE WAR AGAINST AMALEK; SAUL'S DISOBEDIENCE AND DEPOSITION (E). - A section of a secondary narrative; according to the scheme adopted here, the last section of this document was 1 Samuel 3:3 to 1...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    NOW GO. Some codices, with Aramaean, Septuagint, and Vulgate, read "now therefore go". AMALEK. Compare Exodus 17:16; Numbers 24:20. UTTERLY DESTROY. devote to destruction. MAN. Hebrew. _'ish._ App-...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _utterly destroy all that they have_ The word translated "utterly destroy" means "to ban," or "to devote," and hence since that which was _cherem_or "devoted" might not be taken as spoil, it comes to...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    The Lord's Rejection of Saul, 1 Samuel 15:1-35. _Saul Sent Against the Amalekites._ 1 Samuel 15:1-6 Samuel also said unto Saul, The Lord sent me to anoint thee _to be_ king over his people, over Isr...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _NOW 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._ Now go and smite Amalek ... The S...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    SAUL'S VICTORY OVER AMALEK. HIS DISOBEDIENCE AND REJECTION Amalek had attacked Israel at Rephidim (Exodus 17:8) and opposed their entrance into Canaan (Numbers 14:45 : cp. Deuteronomy 25:7; They are m...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    UTTERLY DESTROY] lit. 'devote' (to Jehovah). The first idea of the word (_herem_) is that the object is dedicated to Jehovah, and so forbidden to common use: see Joshua 6:18. We meet with the same roo...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    ISRAEL’S FIRST KING 1 SAMUEL _HELEN POCOCK_ CHAPTER 15 GOD REFUSES SAUL AS KING V1 Samuel said to Saul, ‘The *Lord sent me to *anoint you as king over his people, the *Israelites. Now listen to...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    SMITE AMALEK, AND UTTERLY DESTROY... — For “utterly destroy” the Hebrew has the far stronger expression, “put under the ban” (_cherem_). Whatever was “put under the ban” in Israel was devoted to God,...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    (1 Samuel 15:1) SAMUEL ALSO SAID UNTO SAUL... — The compiler of the history, selecting, no doubt, from ancient state records, chose to illustrate the story of the reign and rejection of Saul by certai...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    עַתָּה֩ לֵ֨ךְ וְ הִכִּֽיתָ֜ה אֶת ־עֲמָלֵ֗ק וְ

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    CHAPTER XXI. _ THE FINAL REJECTION OF SAUL_ 1 Samuel 15:1. HERE we find the second portion of God's indictment against Saul, and the reason for his final rejection from the office to which he had be...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    LEADING THE PEOPLE IN DISOBEDIENCE 1 Samuel 15:1 Several years intervened between the preceding chapter and this. The kingdom had become strong and prosperous. It seemed as though Samuel's sentence o...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    Saul was commissioned by Jehovah through Samuel to smite Amalek, and it was in connection with this that the sin occurred which filled his cup to the brim and caused him to be rejected. His campaign...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but (b) slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass. (b) That this might be an examp...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    Destroy, as a thing accursed. (Haydock) --- Child. The great master of life and death (who cuts off one half of mankind whilst they are children) has been pleased sometimes to ordain that children sho...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    (2) Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way, when he came up from Egypt. (3) Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    We have already seen that the desire and deliberate decision of the people for a king was a direct blow at the government of God in Israel; but the time was come to permit the will of the people to ha...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    Nevertheless Saul is put to a final proof. Jehovah, by the mouth of Samuel, sends him to smite Amalek, and utterly destroy them and all that belonged to them. They were the cruel and determined enemie...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    NOW GO AND SMITE AMALEK,.... This was one of the three things the Israelites were obliged to do when they came into the land of Canaan, as Kimchi observes; one was, to appoint a king over them, anothe...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    Now 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. Ver. 3. _Now go and smite Amalek._]...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _Go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have_, &c. This heavy sentence was pronounced against them long before, (Exodus 17:14,) and renewed at the Israelites' entrance into Canaan, wit...

  • KJV Original Language Details

    1 Samuel sendeth Saul to destroy Amalek. 6 Saul fauoureth the Kenites. 8 Hee spareth Agag and the best of the spoile. 10 Samuel denounceth vnto Saul commending and excusing himselfe, Gods reiection...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, as devoted to the Lord, in a campaign of annihilation, AND SPARE THEM NOT; BUT SLAY BOTH MAN AND WOMAN, INFANT AND SUCKLING, OX AND SHE...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    THE UNAUTHORIZED ACTION OF SAUL...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    God had a more solemn controversy with the Amalekites than with the Philistines. The mere formal worship typified by the Philistines is empty; but Amalekite "lusts of the flesh" are a deadly enemy tha...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    1-9 The sentence of condemnation against the Amalekites had gone forth long before, Exodus 17:14; Deuteronomy 25:19, but they had been spared till they filled up the measure of their sins. We are sur...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    1 Samuel 15:3 go H3212 (H8798) attack H5221 (H8689) Amalek H6002 destroy H2763 (H8689) spare H2550 ...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    YHWH COMMANDS HIS ANOINTED TO SLAY THE AMALEKITES AS A DIVINE JUDGMENT ON THEM (1 SAMUEL 15:1). It is important to recognise in this passage that Saul is specifically instructed as ‘the anointed of YH...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    1 Samuel 15 _(with 1 Timothy 1:19)_ The story of Saul is among the saddest which Scripture anywhere contains. I. Notice first the singular elements of nobleness which are to be traced in his natural...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Saul's incomplete obedience and his rejection as king. CHARACTERS: God, Samuel, Saul, Agag. CONCLUSION: Some judge many things in their lives, but spare one Agag which the Lord has condemn...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    1 Samuel 15:2. _I remember what Amalek did; Numbers 17:8_; and what he has often repeated, in the effusion of innocent blood. He joined Midian, and the children of the east, in a bloody and unprovoked...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Thus saith the Lord of Hosts, I remember that which Amalek did to Israel._ NATIONAL SINS AND NATIONAL PUNISHMENTS We turn from Saul to the case of those against whom he was sent. “Thus saith the Lor...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    1 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 1 SAMUEL 15:1 The Lord finally rejects Saul as king. ⇐ ⇔...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    1 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 1 SAMUEL 15:3 DEVOTE TO DESTRUCTION. This usually meant that all living things—men, women, children, and livestock—were to be killed (see notes on Deut. 20:16–18;...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    CRITICAL AND EXPOSITORY NOTES— “Samuel also said to Saul.” “This verse is not to be connected chronologically with chap. 12, but continues the narrative of chaps. 13 and 14. The solemn reminder of Sau...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    FINAL REJECTION OF SAUL (1 Samuel 15:1.) EXPOSITION DIVINE COMMAND TO PUNISH THE AMALEKITES, AND ITS EXECUTION BY SAUL ...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Now as we get into chapter fifteen, Samuel came to Saul, and said, The Lord sent me to anoint you to be king over his people, over Israel: now hearken unto the voice of the words of the Lord (1 Samue...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    Deuteronomy 13:15; Deuteronomy 13:16; Deuteronomy 20:16; Exodus 20:5;...

  • Wells of Living Water Commentary

    TO OBEY IS BETTER THAN SACRIFICE 1 Samuel 15:1 INTRODUCTORY WORDS Disobedience is black with the frown of God. Sin is the transgression of the Law. Disobedience is taking one's own way, as against...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    Destroy — Both persons and goods, kill all that live, and consume all things without life, for I will have no name nor remnant of that people left, whom long since I have devoted to utter destruction....

  • When Critics Ask: A Popular Handbook on Bible Difficulties, Norman L. Geisler and Thomas Howe, 1960

    Why did God destroy the Amalekites? PROBLEM: God is depicted in the Bible as a God of mercy and compassion, freely forgiving those who turn to Him (Psalms 94:18-19; Lamentations 3:22; James 5:11;...

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