1 Samuel 15:7 kjv
And Saul smote the Amalekites from Havilah until thou comest to Shur, that is over against Egypt.
1 Samuel 15:7 nkjv
And Saul attacked the Amalekites, from Havilah all the way to Shur, which is east of Egypt.
1 Samuel 15:7 niv
Then Saul attacked the Amalekites all the way from Havilah to Shur, near the eastern border of Egypt.
1 Samuel 15:7 esv
And Saul defeated the Amalekites from Havilah as far as Shur, which is east of Egypt.
1 Samuel 15:7 nlt
Then Saul slaughtered the Amalekites from Havilah all the way to Shur, east of Egypt.
1 Samuel 15 7 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ex 17:8-16 | Then Amalek came and fought with Israel at Rephidim...the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation. | God's declaration of perpetual war with Amalek |
| Deut 25:17-19 | Remember what Amalek did to you on the way as you came out of Egypt...you shall blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven. | Israel's divine command to destroy Amalek |
| Gen 36:12 | ...Amalek, a concubine of Eliphaz, Esau’s firstborn. | Genealogy of Amalek, descending from Esau |
| Num 24:20 | ...Amalek was the first of the nations, but its end is to come to destruction. | Balaam's prophecy against Amalek |
| Judg 3:13 | ...Eglon king of Moab against Israel. He gathered to himself the Ammonites and the Amalekites. | Amalekites as recurring enemies |
| Judg 6:3 | ...whenever the Israelites planted their crops, the Midianites and the Amalekites and the people of the East would come up against them. | Amalekites as oppressors and raiders |
| 1 Sam 15:3 | Now go and strike Amalek and devote to destruction all that they have. Do not spare them... | Direct command to Saul for utter destruction (herem) |
| 1 Sam 15:8-9 | And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive...but Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep and of the oxen. | Saul's disobedience to the command |
| 1 Sam 15:11 | "I regret that I have made Saul king, for he has turned back from following me and has not performed my commandments." | God's response to Saul's disobedience |
| 1 Sam 15:22-23 | Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? ...To obey is better than sacrifice... | Emphasizes obedience over ritual sacrifice |
| 1 Sam 13:13-14 | "You have done foolishly. You have not kept the command of the Lord your God... Now your kingdom will not continue." | Previous instance of Saul's disobedience |
| Esther 3:1 | ...King Ahasuerus promoted Haman the Agagite... | Haman, a descendant of Amalekite King Agag |
| 1 Chro 4:43 | They attacked the remnant of the Amalekites who had escaped, and have lived there to this day. | Later acts against Amalekites |
| Deut 7:2 | ...then you must devote them to complete destruction. Make no covenant with them and show no mercy to them. | Principle of Herem (utter destruction) |
| Deut 20:16-18 | But in the cities of these peoples that the Lord your God is giving you for an inheritance, you shall save alive nothing that breathes. | Broader application of Herem war |
| Josh 6:17 | And the city and all that is within it shall be devoted to the Lord for destruction. | Example of Herem execution (Jericho) |
| Josh 10:40 | So Joshua struck all the land...he devoted to destruction everything that breathed. | Joshua's general Herem fulfillment |
| Prov 21:3 | To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice. | Reinforces priority of 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...’ | Divine emphasis on obedience to God's voice |
| Jn 14:15 | “If you love me, you will keep my commandments." | New Testament principle of obedience |
| 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... | Slavery to sin or righteousness through obedience |
| Heb 3:18-19 | And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, but to those who were disobedient? So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief. | Consequences of disobedience for entering God's rest |
1 Samuel 15 verses
1 Samuel 15 7 Meaning
This verse details the geographical extent of King Saul's military campaign against the Amalekites, indicating a sweeping offensive from Havilah in the east to the desert region of Shur, located east of Egypt. It sets the scene for the comprehensive destruction that God commanded Saul to execute against this long-standing enemy of Israel.
1 Samuel 15 7 Context
This verse is situated within a pivotal narrative in the reign of King Saul. Chapter 15 records God's explicit command, delivered through the prophet Samuel, for Saul to utterly destroy the Amalekites, including every man, woman, child, infant, ox, sheep, camel, and donkey (1 Sam 15:3). This command for herem warfare (devotion to complete destruction) was a divine judgment against the Amalekites for their unprovoked attack on the vulnerable Israelites during the Exodus from Egypt (Ex 17:8-16; Deut 25:17-19). This historical act solidified Amalek's status as a perpetual, spiritually hostile enemy. Verse 7 describes Saul's initial, successful execution of this command's scope, setting the stage for his subsequent act of disobedience in sparing King Agag and the best of the livestock (1 Sam 15:8-9), which ultimately led to God's rejection of him as king. The verse highlights Saul's competence in leading the army as well as the initial magnitude of his obedient response, making his subsequent failure all the more striking.
1 Samuel 15 7 Word analysis
- And he attacked (וַיַּךְ - vayyakh from root נָכָה - nakah): This verb signifies a powerful and decisive strike, to smite or utterly defeat. It goes beyond a simple attack, implying a strong military operation intended to cause significant harm or destruction, in line with the command for herem.
- the Amalekites (אֶת־עֲמָלֵק - 'et 'Amaleq): Descendants of Amalek, a grandson of Esau (Gen 36:12). They were a nomadic or semi-nomadic people living in the desert regions south of Canaan. Their significance stems from their persistent and ruthless opposition to Israel, exemplified by their ambush of the vulnerable Israelites during the Exodus. Their identity here marks the specific, condemned target of God's judgment.
- from Havilah (מֵחֲוִילָה - meChawilah): This is a geographical term indicating a widespread area. Havilah is typically identified with a region in the northern Arabian desert, possibly near the head of the Persian Gulf or within the Arabian Peninsula, extending the influence of Amalekites far to the east. Its mention emphasizes the broad eastern extent of the Amalekite territory that Saul was tasked with clearing.
- as far as Shur (וְעַד־שׁוּר - ve'ad Shur): Shur, meaning "wall" or "fortification," refers to a desert wilderness that served as a natural barrier on the northeast border of Egypt (Gen 16:7; Ex 15:22). It represents the westernmost extent of Amalekite territory. This defines the thoroughness of the campaign, indicating a complete sweep across their domain from east to west.
- which is east of Egypt (אֲשֶׁר עַל־פְּנֵי מִצְרָֽיִם - asher 'al-penei Mitzrayim): Literally "that which is on the face of Egypt" or "opposite Egypt." This phrase explicitly clarifies the location of Shur relative to Egypt, thereby precisely defining the western boundary of the Amalekites and the full scope of Saul's operations. It highlights that the entire region inhabited or frequented by the Amalekites was to be targeted.
- "from Havilah as far as Shur": This extensive geographical demarcation underscores the comprehensiveness of God's command. It wasn't a limited raid but an absolute, border-to-border eradication. This phrase signals the scale of the Amalekite presence and the immense task that Saul had successfully begun.
- "from Havilah as far as Shur, which is east of Egypt": The entire geographical phrase defines a vast desert region covering hundreds of miles. It highlights the thoroughness demanded by God and the significant initial accomplishment by Saul, prior to his critical failure of full obedience. It portrays the command as absolute and geographically unambiguous.
1 Samuel 15 7 Bonus section
- The detailed geographical parameters in this verse, outlining the sweep "from Havilah as far as Shur, which is east of Egypt," reinforce the unreserved and unconditional nature of God's herem command. This specificity left no room for misinterpretation regarding the scope of destruction required of Saul, thus magnifying his subsequent partial obedience.
- The Amalekites, for ancient Israel, represented more than just a political enemy; they symbolized entrenched opposition to God's redemptive plan and a perpetual spiritual threat. Their eradication was seen as an act of divine justice against a deeply malicious influence. This makes Saul's failure to fully carry out the command not merely a tactical blunder but a spiritual failure, underscoring the severity of disobedient heart posture before God.
1 Samuel 15 7 Commentary
1 Samuel 15:7 concisely details the broad geographical sweep of King Saul's campaign against the Amalekites, encompassing their territory from the eastern region of Havilah to the western desert of Shur near Egypt. This verse illustrates Saul's initial fulfillment of God's command regarding the extent of the offensive, signifying a formidable military feat and seemingly full obedience to the divine herem mandate against Israel's ancient, relentless enemy. The detailed geography emphasizes the magnitude and thoroughness of the destruction God commanded. While the verse shows Saul's successful execution of the logistical parameters of the mission, it ironically foreshadows his ultimate spiritual failure, as the following verses immediately reveal his incomplete obedience regarding the spoils and King Agag. This verse establishes the scale of the divinely ordained task against a perpetually hostile people, against which Saul was initially, but not fully, obedient.