1 Samuel 15:5 kjv
And Saul came to a city of Amalek, and laid wait in the valley.
1 Samuel 15:5 nkjv
And Saul came to a city of Amalek, and lay in wait in the valley.
1 Samuel 15:5 niv
Saul went to the city of Amalek and set an ambush in the ravine.
1 Samuel 15:5 esv
And Saul came to the city of Amalek and lay in wait in the valley.
1 Samuel 15:5 nlt
Then Saul and his army went to a town of the Amalekites and lay in wait in the valley.
1 Samuel 15 5 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Amalek's Divine Judgment & History | ||
| Exod 17:8-16 | Then Amalek came and fought with Israel... Lord swore to wage war against Amalek from generation to generation. | Amalek's initial unprovoked attack on Israel and God's oath against them. |
| 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." | Moses' command to remember and eradicate Amalek. |
| Num 24:20 | He looked at Amalek and took up his discourse and said, "Amalek was the first of the nations, but its end will be utter destruction." | Balaam's prophecy foreseeing Amalek's complete ruin. |
| Saul's Disobedience & Rejection (Immediate Context) | ||
| 1 Sam 15:2-3 | "Thus says the Lord of hosts, 'I will punish Amalek for what he did to Israel... Now go and strike Amalek... spare no one.'" | God's specific, severe command to Saul regarding Amalek. |
| 1 Sam 15:7-9 | And Saul defeated the Amalekites from Havilah as far as Shur... but he and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep and oxen... | Saul's partial obedience and selective sparing, contravening God's direct command. |
| 1 Sam 15:10-11 | Then the word of the Lord came to Samuel: "I regret that I have made Saul king, for he has turned back from following me..." | God's deep disappointment and rejection of Saul due to disobedience. |
| 1 Sam 15:19 | Why then did you not obey the voice of the Lord, but swooped down on the spoil... | Samuel's direct challenge to Saul's disobedience regarding the plunder. |
| 1 Sam 15:22-23 | "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 foundational teaching on obedience as paramount to sacrifice. |
| 1 Sam 15:26 | But Samuel said to Saul, "I will not return with you, for you have rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord has rejected you from being king..." | Samuel declares God's final rejection of Saul as king. |
| Principle of Obedience to God | ||
| Gen 6:22 | Noah did this; he did all that God commanded him. | Example of complete obedience (Noah). |
| Deut 11:26-28 | "See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse: the blessing, if you obey... the curse, if you do not obey..." | Consequences of obedience and disobedience. |
| Josh 11:15 | Just as the Lord had commanded Moses his servant, so Moses commanded Joshua, and so Joshua did. He left nothing undone of all that the Lord had commanded Moses. | Joshua's complete obedience in conquering the land. |
| Psa 50:8-9 | Not for your sacrifices do I rebuke you... For every beast of the forest is mine... | God values a contrite heart and obedience more than ritual sacrifices. |
| Isa 1:19 | "If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land..." | Promise for willingness and obedience. |
| Jer 7:23 | But this command I gave them: ‘Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people...' | Emphasizing the primacy of obeying God's voice. |
| Heb 4:6-7 | "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts." | Call to respond in immediate obedience to God's voice. |
| Rom 6:16 | Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey... | The principle of being slaves to righteousness through obedience. |
| Rom 16:26 | ...according to the commandment of the eternal God, has been made known to all the nations, leading to obedience of faith. | Obedience as a fundamental aspect of faith. |
| God's Judgment on Sin/Wickedness & Spiritual Warfare | ||
| Gen 15:16 | "And in the fourth generation your descendants shall return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete." | God's patience but eventual judgment when wickedness reaches its fullness. |
| Psa 9:17 | The wicked shall return to Sheol, all the nations that forget God. | The destiny of those who forget or reject God. |
| Rom 1:18 | For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men... | God's righteous judgment against sin. |
| Eph 6:12 | For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness... | The spiritual nature of the struggle Christians face, echoing Amalek as an ancient type of opposition. |
1 Samuel 15 verses
1 Samuel 15 5 Meaning
1 Samuel 15:5 describes King Saul's military approach to an Amalekite city. It states that Saul arrived at a specific city belonging to the Amalekites and strategically positioned his forces by "laying in wait in the valley," indicating a planned ambush or a preparation for a covert assault. This verse marks the beginning of Saul's execution of God's command to utterly destroy Amalek, setting the stage for his subsequent test of obedience.
1 Samuel 15 5 Context
1 Samuel chapter 15 records a pivotal moment in Saul's reign, marking the beginning of his downfall as king due to disobedience. Prior to this verse, God, through Samuel, explicitly commands Saul to execute the herem (utter destruction or "ban") against Amalek. This judgment on Amalek is a direct consequence of their unprovoked attack on Israel in the wilderness after the Exodus (Exod 17), demonstrating God's remembrance of injustices and His holy judgment against persistent wickedness. Verse 5 depicts the initial phase of Saul's campaign, showing him engaging in tactical military movements. While appearing obedient by moving against Amalek, this careful strategic approach foreshadows Saul's upcoming choices that reveal his true heart and ultimately lead to his rejection by God for not carrying out the command fully and faithfully.
1 Samuel 15 5 Word analysis
And Saul came: Hebrew:
וַיָּבֹא שָׁאוּל(way-ya-ḇō’ shā-’ūl).וַיָּבֹא(way-ya-ḇō’): Waw consecutive + imperfect. This construction is common in biblical Hebrew narrative to indicate a sequence of events. It marks a completed action in the past, directly following what was previously stated (God's command to go against Amalek). It implies Saul acted upon the divine instruction, initiating the military campaign.שָׁאוּל(Shāʾūl): "Saul". The name means "asked" or "desired," which is ironically fitting given Israel's desire for a king and Saul's later desire to please the people over God. He is the central human actor here, carrying the weight of kingship and divine command.
to a city of Amalek: Hebrew:
עַד־עִיר עֲמָלֵק(‘aḏ- ‘îr ‘ă-mā-lêq).עַד־עִיר(‘aḏ- ‘îr): "to a city".עַד("ad") means "unto" or "as far as", indicating a destination.עִיר("ir") means "city" or "town". The text does not specify which city, which emphasizes that any Amalekite settlement was under God's judgment, rather than a particular strategic target for Saul.עֲמָלֵק(Amaleq): "Amalek". A nomadic, desert-dwelling people, descendants of Esau (Gen 36:12). Their perpetual enmity against Israel (Exod 17:8-16, Num 14:45, Judg 3:13, Judg 6:3) made them a long-standing threat. This particular divine judgment signifies a final reckoning for their unrepentant wickedness and ongoing opposition to God's people.
and lay in wait in the valley: Hebrew:
וַיֶּאֱרֹב בַּנָּחַל(way-ye’ĕ-rōḇ ban-nā-ḥal).וַיֶּאֱרֹב(way-ye’ĕ-rōḇ): Waw consecutive + imperfect of the verbאָרַב('arab), "to lie in wait," "to ambush." This demonstrates a calculated military strategy on Saul's part. It shows professional military leadership, preparing for a surprise attack or to gain a tactical advantage, implying competence in conventional warfare.בַּנָּחַל(ban-nā-ḥal): "in the valley" or "in the wadi."בְּ(be-, "in") +נַּחַל(naḥal, "stream-bed," "valley," "gully," "wadi"). Wadis were common features in the ancient Near East, serving as natural concealment for troops and paths of travel. This detail paints a realistic picture of the military operation.
Words-group Analysis:
- "And Saul came... and lay in wait...": This phrase connects Saul's movement with his immediate tactical decision. It highlights his role as the leader initiating the action and demonstrates an initial display of his kingly function and military prowess in preparation for battle. The narrative flow sets up an expectation of effective, obedient execution of the divine command.
1 Samuel 15 5 Bonus section
The act of "laying in wait" (ambushing) was a legitimate and common military tactic in ancient warfare, often seen in narratives like Joshua’s defeat of Ai (Josh 8) or the tribal warfare against Benjamin (Judg 20). Saul's choice of this tactic here shows military competence and readiness for direct confrontation as instructed. The mention of an Amalekite "city" (ʿîr) suggests a more settled or fortified group, rather than purely nomadic raiders, indicating a potentially significant settlement to be utterly destroyed as per the command of herem. The lack of a specific city name keeps the focus on "Amalek" as the target of divine judgment rather than a singular geographical objective. This initial obedience serves as a crucial setup for the narrative's central theme: the true nature of obedience, where God demands not just activity for Him but total submission to Him.
1 Samuel 15 5 Commentary
1 Samuel 15:5 depicts King Saul’s opening maneuver against the Amalekites. On the surface, it portrays Saul's obedience to the Lord's command to utterly destroy this long-standing enemy of Israel. By arriving at an Amalekite city and "laying in wait in the valley," Saul demonstrates calculated military skill and takes a position of tactical advantage. This act appears as a responsible and decisive execution of his kingly duty.
However, the succinctness of this verse belies the profound theological significance of the unfolding narrative. While Saul undertakes the task, his method and choices soon reveal a critical flaw in his obedience. The verse details the outward actions, but the underlying motivation and complete adherence to God’s absolute instruction (verse 3) will prove lacking. The tactical move of "laying in wait" indicates a preparation for battle, a readiness to engage, but it does not pre-empt Saul's later decision to spare Agag and the best of the livestock, revealing a deeper issue than just military strategy—a test of his submission to divine authority. This initial compliance therefore sets the dramatic stage for the pivotal confrontation where Saul’s partial obedience leads to his rejection as king, emphasizing that God values complete obedience above outward display or strategic prowess.