1 Samuel 15:19 kjv
Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of the LORD, but didst fly upon the spoil, and didst evil in the sight of the LORD?
1 Samuel 15:19 nkjv
Why then did you not obey the voice of the LORD? Why did you swoop down on the spoil, and do evil in the sight of the LORD?"
1 Samuel 15:19 niv
Why did you not obey the LORD? Why did you pounce on the plunder and do evil in the eyes of the LORD?"
1 Samuel 15:19 esv
Why then did you not obey the voice of the LORD? Why did you pounce on the spoil and do what was evil in the sight of the LORD?"
1 Samuel 15:19 nlt
Why haven't you obeyed the LORD? Why did you rush for the plunder and do what was evil in the LORD's sight?"
1 Samuel 15 19 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 3:17 | "Because you have listened to the voice of your wife... you shall eat" | Disobedience leads to consequences |
| Num 14:43 | "For you have turned back from following the LORD, and the LORD will not be with you" | Consequence of refusing to obey the LORD's command |
| Deut 13:4 | "You shall walk after the LORD your God and fear him... obey his voice" | Command to obey the LORD's voice |
| Deut 25:17-19 | "You shall blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven; you shall not forget" | The divine command against Amalekites |
| Josh 7:1, 19-21 | Achan's sin concerning the devoted things, his confession of taking spoil | Taking forbidden spoil is sin and brings judgment |
| Judg 2:11 | "And the people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the LORD" | Repeated phrase for sin against God |
| 1 Sam 13:13-14 | "You have done foolishly... now your kingdom will not continue." | Saul's prior disobedience and its consequence |
| 1 Sam 15:3 | "Now go and strike Amalek and utterly destroy all that they have" | The LORD's direct command to Saul |
| 1 Sam 15:9 | "But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep... cattle" | Saul's actual action of selective obedience |
| 1 Sam 15:11 | "I regret that I have made Saul king, for he has turned back from following me" | God's sorrow over Saul's disobedience |
| 1 Sam 15:22-23 | "To obey is better than sacrifice... rebellion is as the sin of divination" | Obedience over ritual, rebellion is witchcraft |
| Psa 5:4 | "For you are not a God who delights in wickedness; evil may not dwell with you" | God's opposition to evil |
| Psa 95:7-8 | "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts" | Urgency of hearing and obeying God's voice |
| Prov 28:9 | "If one turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination" | Rejecting God's law invalidates religious acts |
| Isa 1:19-20 | "If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good... but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be eaten" | The stark choice between obedience and rebellion |
| Jer 7:23-24 | "Obey my voice, and I will be your God... but they did not obey" | Emphasis on obeying God's voice |
| Hos 4:6 | "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge" | Rejection of God's word leads to destruction |
| Zec 7:11 | "They refused to pay attention and stubbornly turned their backs and stopped their ears" | Stubborn resistance to divine command |
| Lk 11:28 | "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!" | Blessings associated with hearing and obeying God's word |
| Rom 1:18 | "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men" | Divine wrath against human disobedience and unrighteousness |
| Heb 3:7-8, 15 | "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts" | Warning against hardening hearts to God's voice |
| Heb 12:25 | "See that you do not refuse him who is speaking." | The danger of refusing God's voice |
1 Samuel 15 verses
1 Samuel 15 19 Meaning
This verse is Samuel's pointed interrogation and condemnation of King Saul. It directly challenges Saul's actions, highlighting his clear disobedience to the LORD's explicit command. Saul had been instructed to utterly destroy the Amalekites and all their possessions; however, he seized the valuable spoil. Samuel asserts that this act of plundering, rather than complete destruction, was a flagrant violation of God's word and, therefore, considered evil in the sight of the LORD.
1 Samuel 15 19 Context
This verse is situated in the pivotal narrative of Saul's second major act of disobedience, which definitively marks his rejection as king. Prior to this, Saul had demonstrated presumptuousness by offering a sacrifice without waiting for Samuel (1 Sam 13). Here, God commanded Saul, through Samuel, to enact the cherem (devotion to destruction) on the Amalekites for their historical enmity against Israel (Deut 25:17-19). This meant the complete destruction of all living beings and spoils. Saul seemingly complied, engaging the Amalekites in battle. However, he selectively obeyed, sparing King Agag and the best of the livestock, claiming they were for sacrifice to the LORD. This verse is Samuel's direct confrontation of Saul, revealing that God knew of Saul's partial obedience and condemned it as rebellion.
1 Samuel 15 19 Word analysis
- Why then did you not obey? (לָמָּה אֵפוֹא לֹא־שָׁמַעְתָּ - Lāmāh ēp̄ōʾ lōʾ-šāmāʿtā):
- Lāmāh ēp̄ōʾ ("Why then?") – This strong interrogative emphasizes Samuel's astonishment and implies the undeniable clarity of the command. It's a rebuke, demanding a justification for an act that clearly contradicts a known directive.
- Lōʾ-šāmāʿtā ("did not obey") – The verb שָׁמַע (šāmaʿ) in Hebrew means both "to hear" and "to obey" or "to heed." In this context, it unequivocally signifies active disobedience. Saul heard the command but refused to follow it fully, rendering his hearing futile. This is the central accusation, highlighting a direct affront to God's authority.
- the voice of the LORD (בְּקוֹל יְהוָה - bəqôl Yahweh):
- בְּקוֹל יְהוָה (
bəqôl Yahweh) – This refers to the explicit, direct command from God, communicated through the prophet Samuel. It emphasizes that Saul's sin was not against Samuel, nor merely against a human general, but directly against the supreme authority of God Himself. It stresses the divine origin and binding nature of the command.
- בְּקוֹל יְהוָה (
- but pounced on the spoil (וַתִּתְבָּעֵט בַּשָּׁלָל - wathittəbaʿēṭ baššālāl):
- וַתִּתְבָּעֵט (wathittəbaʿēṭ) – Derived from בָּעַט (baʿaṭ), meaning "to kick," "to spurn," or "to trample on." In this Niphal form, it suggests seizing something with greed, violently, or with contempt for regulations. This term conveys an act of eagerness and improper seizure of what was forbidden, implying a covetous intent that contradicts any pretense of piety. It reveals the heart behind Saul's action—selfish desire over divine command.
- בַּשָּׁלָל (baššālāl) – Refers to "the spoil" or "the plunder." In the context of the Amalekite campaign, this spoil was under cherem (חֵרֶם), meaning it was "devoted to destruction" or "under the ban." It was to be entirely eliminated as an act of consecration to God's judgment, not taken for personal gain or use. Taking the spoil directly violated this sacred ban, which was essential to Israel's holiness and obedience.
- and did what was evil in the sight of the LORD? (וַתַּעֲשׂ הָרַע בְּעֵינֵי יְהוָה - wathaʿaś hāraʿ bəʿêynê Yahweh):
- וַתַּעֲשׂ הָרַע (wathaʿaś hāraʿ) – "did what was evil." This is a strong moral judgment. The Hebrew term רַע (raʿ) signifies moral wickedness, not just a mistake or an error. Saul's act was not a miscalculation but a deliberate transgression deemed inherently bad by God.
- בְּעֵינֵי יְהוָה (bəʿêynê Yahweh) – "in the sight of the LORD." This phrase emphasizes that God is the ultimate judge and His perspective defines what is right or wrong. Saul's attempt to justify his actions (sacrificing the animals) was irrelevant, as God's perspective identified his act as rebellion and moral evil, stripping away all pretense. It stresses divine omniscience and judgment.
1 Samuel 15 19 Bonus section
The concept of cherem (the ban) is crucial to understanding this passage. It was a holy war practice where certain defeated enemies and their possessions were dedicated entirely to God for destruction, symbolizing God's judgment and preventing Israel from being corrupted by pagan influences or motivated by greed. Saul's failure to enforce the cherem on Amalek indicated his inability or unwillingness to submit to the absolute authority of the LORD. His sin was compounded by covetousness and fear of his own soldiers' opinions, overriding his duty to God. This highlights the ongoing tension between human desire for material gain and divine command, echoing similar instances like Achan's sin in Joshua 7. Saul's priority had shifted from divine will to self-preservation and people-pleasing, demonstrating a profound spiritual decline from a man initially anointed by God.
1 Samuel 15 19 Commentary
1 Samuel 15:19 reveals the core issue of King Saul's failure: selective obedience. He did not outright refuse God's command to fight Amalek, but his execution was incomplete and driven by personal gain rather than absolute submission. Samuel's rebuke highlights that partial obedience is, in God's eyes, complete disobedience and rebellion. The king was entrusted with enforcing God's righteous judgment against Amalek, including the cherem, which signified total devotion of the enemy to God through destruction, allowing no human benefit or glory. By taking the spoil and sparing Agag, Saul elevated his own desires and popular appeal above God's explicit word. This action was explicitly deemed "evil in the sight of the LORD," exposing Saul's inward heart of pride and rebellion, despite his outward claim of pious intent for sacrifice. It fundamentally underscores that God values wholehearted obedience more than religious ritual, and that disobedience, regardless of rationalization, leads to spiritual rejection.