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Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary

1 Samuel 15:33

Thy sword hath made women childless; whereby it appears that he was a cruel tyrant, and guilty of really bloody actions, and that towards God's people, though it be not related elsewhere. And this seems to be added for the fuller vindication of God's justice, and to show, that although God did at this time remember and revenge a crime committed by this man's ancestors four hundred years ago, yet he did not punish an innocent son for his father's crimes, but one that allowed and persisted in the same evil courses. Samuel hewed Agag in pieces by Divine instinct, and in pursuance of God's express and particular command, above, 1 Samuel 15:3, which being sinfully neglected by Saul, is now executed by Samuel. See the like example 1 Kings 18:40. But these are no precedents for private persons to take the sword of justice into their hands; for we must live by thee laws of God, and not by extraordinary examples. Before the Lord; either before the ark, which, it seems, Saul carried with him in this, as he did in his former expedition, 1 Samuel 14:18; or before God's altar; or in the public assembly.

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See also 1 Samuel 15:33 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse 1 Samuel 15:33. _AS THY SWORD HATH MADE WOMEN CHILDLESS_] It appears that Agag had forfeited his life by his own personal transgressions, and that his death now was the retribution of his cruelt...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    HEWED IN PIECES - Only found in this passage. Samuel thus executed the חרם _chērem_ 1 Samuel 15:3 which Saul had violated, and so both saved the nation from the guilt of a broken oath, and gave a fin...

  • 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

    AS. according as. HEWED: i.e. commanded him to be hewed or cut asunder after death. Verb occurs only here. AGAG. See note on Amalek (Exodus 17:16, and Compare 1 Samuel 15:3)....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    The execution of Agag. Samuel's departure 32. _delicately_ Rather, CHEERFULLY: not fearing any harm from the aged prophet, as the king had spared his life. But the meaning of the word is very doubtfu...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _As thy sword_, &c. By the law of retaliation Agag's life was forfeit. Cp. Judges 1:7. _hewed Agag in pieces before the Lord_ A solemn execution of the Divine sentence which Saul had neglected. The wo...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    AND AGAG CAME UNTO HIM DELICATELY, &C.— Houbigant renders this, _Agag came to him from his bonds, and said, How bitter is death!_ for his justification of which version we refer to his note. It is unc...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    _Samuel and Saul Parted Permanently._ 1 Samuel 15:24-35 24 And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned: for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord, and thy words: because I feared the people, an...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _AND SAMUEL SAID, AS THY SWORD HATH MADE WOMEN CHILDLESS, SO SHALL THY MOTHER BE CHILDLESS AMONG WOMEN. AND SAMUEL HEWED AGAG IN PIECES BEFORE THE LORD IN GILGAL._ Samuel hewed Agag. This cruel tyran...

  • Darby's translation notes (1890)

    15:33 above (g-17) Or 'among.'...

  • 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...

  • 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

    SAMUEL HEWED AGAG IN PIECES. — It has been suggested, with some probability, that these words refer to a peculiar form of putting to death, like the quartering in vogue during the Middle Ages....

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    וַ יֹּ֣אמֶר שְׁמוּאֵ֔ל כַּ אֲשֶׁ֨ר שִׁכְּלָ֤ה...

  • 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

    SHALLOW REPENTANCE UNAVAILING 1 Samuel 15:17 Samuel was deeply moved when he heard of Saul's failure, “and he cried unto the Lord all night.” Thus he was prepared to accost the sinful king. Mr. Finne...

  • 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...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    _Pieces. Josephus adds, by the hand of others. (Menochius) --- But zeal put the sword into his own hand; and he imitated the Levites and Phinees, (Exodus xxxii. 27.) to shew Saul how preposterous had...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    (32) В¶ Then said Samuel, Bring ye hither to me Agag the king of the Amalekites. And Agag came unto him delicately. And Agag said, Surely the bitterness of death is past. (33) And Samuel said, As thy...

  • 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

    AND SAMUEL SAID, AS THY SWORD HATH MADE WOMEN CHILDLESS,.... Or, "bereaved s" them, not of their children only, but of their husbands also, and so made them both childless and widows; by which it appe...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    And Samuel said, As thy sword hath made women childless, so shall thy mother be childless among women. And Samuel hewed Agag in pieces before the LORD in Gilgal. Ver. 33. _As thy sword hath made wome...

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

    _Agag came unto him delicately_ Hebrew, מעדנת, _magnadannoth, in delights_, or _ornaments;_ that is, he came not like an offender, expecting the sentence of death, but in the garb, and gesture, and ma...

  • 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

    And Samuel said, As thy sword hath made women childless, so shall thy mother be childless among women; he was but receiving his just reward for his cruelties. AND SAMUEL HEWED AGAG IN PIECES BEFORE TH...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    Saul's Humiliation...

  • 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

    32-35 Many think the bitterness of death is past when it is not gone by; they put that evil day far from them, which is very near. Samuel calls Agag to account for his own sins. He followed the examp...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    1 Samuel 15:33 Samuel H8050 said H559 (H8799) sword H2719 women H802 childless H7921 (H8765) mother H517 childless

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    SAMUEL COMPLETES WHAT SAUL HAD FAILED TO COMPLETE (1 SAMUEL 15:32). Samuel recognised that what had been devoted to YHWH must be given to him, and so he calls for Agag to be brought and executes him....

  • 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

    _And Samuel hewed Agag to pieces before the Lord in Gilgal._ THE VINDICTIVE JUSTICE OF GOD God, who viewed Agag as an enemy to Himself and to His people, would not release him from the punishment he...

  • 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 15:32 BRING HERE TO ME AGAG. Samuel himself takes on the task that Saul failed to finish. HACKED... TO PIECES was not the normal means of putting to death. Usually slaying...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    CRITICAL AND EXPOSITORY NOTES— 1 Samuel 15:25. “PARDON MY SIN.” “He offers this prayer to _Samuel_, not to _God_.” “TURN AGAIN WITH ME.” “According to 1 Samuel 15:30, to show him honour before the eld...

  • 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

    1 Kings 18:40; Exodus 17:11; Genesis 9:6; Isaiah 34:6; James 2:13;...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    As, &c. — Whereby it appears, that he was a tyrant, and guilty of many bloody actions. And this seems to be added for the fuller vindication of God's justice, and to shew, that although God did at thi...

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