1 Samuel 15 18

1 Samuel 15:18 kjv

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

1 Samuel 15:18 nkjv

Now the LORD sent you on a mission, and said, 'Go, and utterly destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are consumed.'

1 Samuel 15:18 niv

And he sent you on a mission, saying, 'Go and completely destroy those wicked people, the Amalekites; wage war against them until you have wiped them out.'

1 Samuel 15:18 esv

And the LORD sent you on a mission and said, 'Go, devote to destruction the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are consumed.'

1 Samuel 15:18 nlt

And the LORD sent you on a mission and told you, 'Go and completely destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, until they are all dead.'

1 Samuel 15 verses

1 Samuel 15 18 Meaning

This verse conveys the precise and absolute command given by God through the prophet Samuel to King Saul: to launch a military expedition specifically to "utterly destroy" the Amalekites. The instruction emphasizes the total and complete eradication of this group, highlighting that they were divinely designated as "sinners" whose pervasive wickedness necessitated such a comprehensive judgment from the Lord. Saul's mission was to engage them in continuous battle until their utter consumption, leaving no survivors or remnants.

1 Samuel 15 18 Context

1 Samuel chapter 15 records God's decisive command to King Saul, delivered through the prophet Samuel, to utterly destroy the Amalekites. This mission was a long-awaited act of divine justice against a people who had historically harassed Israel since the Exodus (Ex 17:8-16) and against whom God had sworn perpetual war (Deut 25:17-19). This chapter represents a crucial test for Saul's kingship, evaluating his complete obedience to God's specific and demanding instructions. Saul had already demonstrated a pattern of imperfect obedience in Chapter 13, and his failure in Chapter 15 to carry out the cherem command fully—by sparing Agag and the best of the livestock for himself and the people—sealed his rejection as king, a primary theme of the chapter.

1 Samuel 15 18 Word analysis

• And he sent thee:
  • "He" implicitly refers to the Lord, the ultimate sender and source of the command, communicated via Samuel.
  • "Sent" (שָׁלַח - shalach): Denotes a deliberate, purposeful commissioning with authority. This was a divine mandate, not a suggestion.
  • "Thee" (אֹתְךָ - otkha): Directly addresses Saul, highlighting his personal responsibility as the king chosen by God for this specific task.
• on a journey:
  • (בְּדֶרֶךְ - bə-dereḵ): Signifies a specific mission or expedition, an divinely ordained undertaking. It elevates the task beyond mere travel to a purposeful act with sacred significance.
• and said:
  • (וַיֹּאמֶר - vayyōʾmer): Introduces the precise verbal decree, underscoring the direct and unequivocal nature of God's instruction to Saul.
• Go and utterly destroy:
  • "Go" (לֵךְ - lēḵ): An immediate and active imperative, demanding prompt commencement of the mission.
  • "Utterly destroy" (הַחֲרֵם - haḥărēm, from the root חָרַם - haram): This crucial term signifies cherem (חרם), a unique form of warfare or consecration in ancient Israel. It means to devote something completely to God, typically by total annihilation. It's an act of judicial judgment where no spoils are taken, no life spared (human or animal), and everything is set apart exclusively for divine wrath. This was not for conquest or profit, but an act of spiritual purification and execution of divine judgment against profound evil.
• the sinners:
  • (אֶת-חַטָּאִים - ʾeṯ-ḥaṭṭāʾîm): A divine labeling of the Amalekites, affirming that their actions and character made them liable for this extreme judgment. It denotes a specific state of pervasive guilt, particularly for their long-standing opposition to God's people and His purposes.
• the Amalekites:
  • (הָעֲמָלֵקִי - hāʿămālēqî): Identifies the specific target of judgment. The Amalekites were persistent enemies of Israel, descendants of Esau, known for their treacherous attack on the weakest Israelites during the Exodus.
• and fight against them:
  • (וְנִלְחַמְתָּ - wə-nilḥamtā): The direct command for military engagement. It means to enter into physical conflict, emphasizing the active, physical execution of God's decree.
• until they be consumed:
  • (בָּהֶם עַד-כַּלֹּתָם - bāhem ʿaḏ-kallōṯām): "Until their completion," or "until their entire end/cessation." This reinforces the absolute totality of the cherem command, meaning no one or nothing should remain. The fighting was to continue until the Amalekites were literally wiped out from existence as a people, fulfilling the ultimate extent of God's judgment.

Words-group analysis

• "And he sent thee on a journey, and said": This phrase firmly establishes the divine origin and imperative nature of the directive to Saul. It underlines that this was a specific, deliberate, and authorized mission given by God Himself through His chosen prophet, leaving no ambiguity about its ultimate source and authority.
• "Go and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites": This segment articulates the core command, its target, and the severe divine assessment of the target. The imperative "Go" demands immediate action, while "utterly destroy" (hacharem) specifies the cherem decree—a comprehensive, no-mercy annihilation consecrated to God as judgment. Labeling them "the sinners" justifies this drastic measure, underscoring their moral culpability and the righteous basis of God's wrath.
• "and fight against them until they be consumed": This specifies the methodology and the required extent of the operation. "Fight against them" commands active military execution, while "until they be consumed" reiterates the absolute, non-negotiable totality of the destruction. It emphasizes persistence and complete eradication, ensuring no partial or incomplete obedience would fulfill God's divine justice.

1 Samuel 15 18 Bonus section

• The concept of cherem (utter destruction) is not to be generalized for all wars but was specific to particular, divinely ordained judgments against exceptionally wicked nations who had filled up the measure of their iniquity (Gen 15:16), ensuring their wickedness did not corrupt God's people or persist on the earth.
• God's memory and justice are highlighted: the command to blot out Amalek directly recalls their ancient transgression against Israel, demonstrating God's long-term commitment to justice and covenant fidelity.
• The command served as a definitive test of Saul's true kingship and obedience, distinguishing genuine submission to divine authority from mere superficial religious observance or political expediency.
• Saul's choice to save "the best" revealed his valuing of worldly possessions and popular opinion over explicit divine command, exposing a core spiritual flaw that proved his unfitness for continuing as king over God's people.

1 Samuel 15 18 Commentary

1 Samuel 15:18 is a concise yet profound articulation of God's direct command to King Saul, marking a pivotal moment in his reign. The verse underscores God's absolute sovereignty and righteous judgment, exercised through His chosen instruments. The Amalekites were designated "sinners" not merely as a generic description of wickedness, but due to their historical and persistent enmity toward God's chosen people, Israel, particularly their unprovoked attack on the vulnerable during the Exodus. The phrase "utterly destroy" translates the Hebrew concept of cherem, a holy war or total devotion to God, where everything—people, animals, and possessions—was to be completely annihilated, not for plunder or conquest, but as a judicial act of divine wrath and purification. This command left no room for partial obedience, personal gain, or human discretion regarding mercy or spoils. Saul's subsequent failure to execute this command fully—sparing Agag, their king, and the best of the livestock—revealed his deeper heart issues: fear of man, covetousness, and a fundamental lack of wholehearted obedience and trust in God's specific word. This decisive disobedience led to his rejection as king, emphasizing that God values strict, uncompromising obedience over human rationale or self-serving interests.

• Example: This situation is akin to a doctor prescribing a complete eradication of a virulent infection from a body, where any partial treatment allows the infection to persist and threaten life. Saul was instructed to be God's instrument for a complete spiritual excision, but he compromised, allowing the "infection" (Amalek's remnant and principle of disobedience) to persist, which had severe consequences for his own spiritual health and his rule.