1 Samuel 15:20 kjv
And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the LORD, and have gone the way which the LORD sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites.
1 Samuel 15:20 nkjv
And Saul said to Samuel, "But I have obeyed the voice of the LORD, and gone on the mission on which the LORD sent me, and brought back Agag king of Amalek; I have utterly destroyed the Amalekites.
1 Samuel 15:20 niv
"But I did obey the LORD," Saul said. "I went on the mission the LORD assigned me. I completely destroyed the Amalekites and brought back Agag their king.
1 Samuel 15:20 esv
And Saul said to Samuel, "I have obeyed the voice of the LORD. I have gone on the mission on which the LORD sent me. I have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and I have devoted the Amalekites to destruction.
1 Samuel 15:20 nlt
"But I did obey the LORD," Saul insisted. "I carried out the mission he gave me. I brought back King Agag, but I destroyed everyone else.
1 Samuel 15 20 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference (Point of Connection) |
|---|---|---|
| The Command & Disobedience | ||
| 1 Sam 15:2-3 | Thus says the LORD of hosts... 'Now go and strike Amalek and devote to destruction all that they have. Do not spare them... | God's clear, total herem command to Saul regarding Amalek. |
| 1 Sam 15:8-9 | He captured Agag... but Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep... | Direct evidence of Saul's disobedience preceding his claim in v.20. |
| 1 Sam 15:15 | Saul said, "They have brought them from the Amalekites, for the people spared the best... to sacrifice to the LORD..." | Saul's initial justification, revealing his knowledge of their sparing. |
| 1 Sam 15:21 | But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the best of the things devoted to destruction... | Further confirms the people's and Saul's sparing, contradicting v.20. |
| Consequences of Disobedience | ||
| 1 Sam 15:22 | And Samuel said, "Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice..." | Samuel's immediate rebuttal to Saul's claim, emphasizing obedience. |
| 1 Sam 15:23 | For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry... Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has also rejected you from being king. | Samuel's verdict on Saul's partial obedience as rebellion and the loss of kingship. |
| 1 Sam 16:14 | Now the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and a harmful spirit from the LORD tormented him. | The direct spiritual consequence of Saul's rejection by God. |
| Jer 7:23 | But this command I gave them: 'Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people...' | God's consistent demand for obedience as foundational to covenant. |
| Prov 28:27 | Whoever gives to the poor will not want, but he who hides his eyes will get many a curse. | General principle: disobedience has curses. |
| True Obedience vs. Ritual/Partial | ||
| Hos 6:6 | For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings. | Emphasizes God's preference for true devotion/obedience over ritual. |
| Isa 1:11-17 | "What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices?"... "Wash yourselves... cease to do evil, learn to do good..." | God's disdain for external rituals without internal righteousness and obedience. |
| Mic 6:8 | He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? | Highlights the essence of true faith and obedience. |
| Matt 7:21 | "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven." | Jesus' teaching on true discipleship being about doing God's will (obedience). |
| Mk 12:33 | "And to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices." | Echoes the priority of heart-obedience over mere ritual. |
| Heb 10:5-7 | Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said, "Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body have you prepared for me..." | Christ's perfect obedience supersedes sacrificial systems. |
| Jn 14:15 | "If you love me, you will keep my commandments." | Love for God is demonstrated through obedience. |
| Rom 1:21-25 | For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking... | General human tendency to disregard God's commands for self-serving ways. |
| Context of Herem / Holy War | ||
| Deut 7:2-6 | you shall devote them to complete destruction... for you are a people holy to the LORD your God. | Laws regarding the herem as a purifying act, necessary for Israel's holiness. |
| Deut 25:17-19 | "Remember what Amalek did to you... you shall blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven; you must not forget." | The specific divine judgment on Amalek due to their ancient treachery. |
| Josh 6:17-19 | And the city and all that is within it shall be devoted to the LORD for destruction... | An example of the herem command being strictly followed (Jericho). |
| 1 Sam 28:18 | Because you did not obey the voice of the LORD and did not carry out his fierce wrath against Amalek, therefore the LORD has done this thing to you today. | Later confirmation by Samuel's spirit of the reason for Saul's fall. |
1 Samuel 15 verses
1 Samuel 15 20 Meaning
1 Samuel 15:20 records King Saul's defensive and deceptive response to Samuel's confrontation regarding the command to utterly destroy Amalek. Saul vehemently claims he has indeed obeyed the LORD's voice and executed the divine mission, despite the clear evidence of his disobedience—specifically, his capture of Agag, the king of Amalek, and the sparing of livestock, instead of their total destruction as commanded. This verse highlights Saul's self-justification and partial obedience presented as full compliance.
1 Samuel 15 20 Context
1 Samuel Chapter 15 narrates a pivotal event in Saul's reign, leading to his rejection as king. Prior to this, Saul had already shown signs of impatience and disobedience (1 Sam 13:8-14) by offering a sacrifice himself instead of waiting for Samuel, an act for which his kingdom was foretold not to continue.
In Chapter 15, the LORD sends Samuel to Saul with a specific, unconditional, and severe command: to "utterly destroy" (Hebrew: ḥāram) the Amalekites—men, women, children, infants, oxen, sheep, camels, and donkeys (1 Sam 15:3). This was not merely war, but a ḥērem (holy ban or devotion to destruction), an ancient Israelite practice against particularly wicked nations who threatened Israel's holiness and covenant relationship with God (e.g., Deut 20:16-18, Deut 25:17-19, Ex 17:8-16). Amalek was designated for total annihilation due to their unprovoked attack on the weary Israelites coming out of Egypt.
Saul did go to war against Amalek and won a decisive victory. However, contrary to the explicit divine command, he and the people "spared Agag and the best of the sheep and of the oxen and of the fattened calves and the lambs, and all that was good" (1 Sam 15:9). When Samuel arrives to confront him (1 Sam 15:13), Saul immediately greets him with a declaration of false obedience, stating he has performed the LORD's command, to which Samuel pointedly asks, "What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears and the lowing of the oxen that I hear?" (1 Sam 15:14). It is in response to this direct question that Saul offers the justification found in 1 Samuel 15:15, and then doubles down with the emphatic, self-righteous claim in verse 20. Saul's subsequent excuse is that the animals were spared for sacrifice, blaming the people, yet Samuel holds him accountable. This entire episode reveals Saul's self-deception, his fear of man over God, and his inclination towards partial, outward performance rather than genuine, wholehearted obedience to the divine will.
1 Samuel 15 20 Word analysis
- And Saul said to Samuel: This opening immediately sets the scene as a direct verbal confrontation. Saul is being called to account, and this is his reply.
- "But I have obeyed": The Hebrew verb is šāmaʿ (שָׁמַע), meaning "to hear," but crucially, also "to obey" or "to listen and do." Saul's use of this word is a strong, definitive assertion of compliance. However, its usage here is deceptive; he claims full obedience despite clear evidence to the contrary. He frames his partial fulfillment as complete submission.
- "the voice of the LORD": In Hebrew, qōl YHWH (קוֹל יְהוָה). This refers to the explicit, unmistakable divine command given to Saul through Samuel. It highlights that the instructions were clear and directly from God, leaving no room for misunderstanding or ambiguity. Saul is claiming to have followed divine revelation perfectly.
- "and have gone on the mission": The word for "mission" is derek (דֶּרֶךְ), which typically means "way" or "path." Here, it signifies the specific course of action or task given by God. Saul acknowledges he set out on and pursued the divinely appointed task.
- "on which the LORD sent me": This further emphasizes that Saul sees himself as God's chosen agent (šālaḥ, שָׁלַח - to send). He frames his actions as being under divine commission and authority, enhancing his self-portrayal as a loyal servant.
- "and have brought Agag king of Amalek": The Hebrew verb here is bōʾ (בּוֹא), meaning "to come" or "to bring." This is a critical detail. The command was to "utterly destroy" Agag, not to "bring" or capture him alive. Saul states his disobedient action (bringing Agag) as if it were part of his obedience. This is a subtle yet profound self-deception or a deliberate misrepresentation of the divine instruction, showing that he did not comprehend or internalize the severity of the herem against Agag.
- "and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites": The verb ḥāram (חָרַם) is used here. This is the very word Samuel used when conveying the divine command for total annihilation. Saul is mimicking the precise language of the command, attempting to validate his claim of complete obedience. However, he did not utterly destroy all the Amalekites (by sparing Agag and some livestock), rendering his use of ḥāram a falsehood. He means he carried out the destructive part against many, but fails to account for the crucial exceptions he made.
- Word Group: "But I have obeyed the voice of the LORD, and have gone on the mission on which the LORD sent me...": This entire first clause is Saul's firm assertion of compliance, painting himself as the diligent, faithful king. It conveys a strong sense of personal righteousness and an almost indignant defensive posture against any accusation of wrongdoing. He feels wronged by the accusation, as he believes his actions suffice.
- Word Group: "...and have brought Agag king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites.": This second part details his claimed actions. The glaring contradiction lies here: "brought Agag" directly contradicts the essence of "utterly destroyed the Amalekites" when applied to Agag specifically. Saul's language reveals his partial, conditional obedience which he presents as full compliance, failing to grasp the holistic, uncompromising nature of God's command. His verbal adherence to the command while acting contrary to it demonstrates self-deception and hypocrisy.
1 Samuel 15 20 Bonus section
Saul's statement in 1 Samuel 15:20 highlights the dangerous trap of self-justification, particularly for leaders. He had performed enough of the command to consider himself obedient, failing to recognize that "missing the mark" on a specific divine instruction meant a complete failure in God's eyes. This illustrates a recurring biblical principle: God's commands are holistic, and partial fulfillment stemming from disobedience (not merely error) is rebellion. Saul was more concerned with his reputation and what appeared outwardly successful than with genuinely aligning his heart and actions with the exact requirements of the LORD. His statement reveals a disconnect between outward religiosity (fighting the battle) and true spiritual discernment and obedience. It's a powerful warning against mistaking a significant effort for perfect compliance when a precise divine directive has been issued.
1 Samuel 15 20 Commentary
1 Samuel 15:20 encapsulates Saul's tragic flaw: his preference for human approval and partial obedience over absolute submission to God's command. Confronted by Samuel, Saul reflexively defends himself, asserting complete compliance with the LORD's directive. His declaration, "I have obeyed the voice of the LORD," is an act of profound self-deception. He believes he fulfilled the command because he participated in the military action and "destroyed" many Amalekites. However, he conspicuously failed on two counts crucial to the ḥērem – sparing King Agag and the best of the livestock. For God, a "partial" obedience in a direct, explicit command is, in fact, disobedience. The holiness and demands of the ḥērem required total devotion to destruction, not a selection based on human expediency or perceived benefit (like sacrificing animals).
Saul's words expose his inability to prioritize God's word above all else, including the desires or perceived benefits of the people. This contrasts sharply with God's demand for radical, unreserved obedience from His king, an obedience that reflects faith and trust. Saul's justification here lays the groundwork for Samuel's stern rebuke that "to obey is better than sacrifice" (1 Sam 15:22). This moment is a defining point, revealing Saul's heart was not fully yielded to God, ultimately leading to his rejection as king and the anointing of David in his place. It teaches that God requires complete and heartfelt submission, not mere external performance or selective compliance based on personal convenience or gain.