1 Samuel 15

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Samuel said to Saul, 'I am the man whom Yahweh sent to anoint you as king of his people Israel, sonow listen to the words of Yahweh.	1 Samuel said to Saul: "It was I the LORD sent to anoint you king over his people Israel. Now, therefore, listen to the message of the LORD.
2 This is what Yahweh Sabaoth says, "I intend to punish what Amalek did to Israel -- laying a trap forhim on the way as he was coming up from Egypt.	2 This is what the LORD of hosts has to say: 'I will punish what Amalek did to Israel when he barred his way as he was coming up from Egypt.
3 Now, go and crush Amalek; put him under the curse of destruction with al that he possesses. Do notspare him, but kil man and woman, babe and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and donkey." '	3 Go, now, attack Amalek, and deal with him and all that he has under the ban. Do not spare him, but kill men and women, children and infants, oxen and sheep, camels and asses.'"
4 Saul summoned the people and reviewed them at Telaim: two hundred thousand foot soldiers (andten thousand men of Judah).	4 Saul alerted the soldiers, and at Telaim reviewed two hundred thousand foot soldiers and ten thousand men of Judah.
5 Saul advanced on the town of Amalek and lay in ambush in the river bed.	5 Saul went to the city of Amalek, and after setting an ambush in the wadi,
6 Saul said to the Kenites, 'Go away, leave your homes among the Amalekites, in case I destroy youwith them -- you acted with faithful love towards al the Israelites when they were coming up from Egypt.' So theKenites moved away from the Amalekites.	6 warned the Kenites: "Come! Leave Amalek and withdraw, that I may not have to destroy you with them, for you were kind to the Israelites when they came up from Egypt." After the Kenites left,
7 Saul then crushed the Amalekites, beginning at Havilah in the direction of Shur, which is to the east ofEgypt.	7 Saul routed Amalek from Havilah to the approaches of Shur, on the frontier of Egypt.
8 He took Agag king of the Amalekites alive and, executing the curse of destruction, put al the people tothe sword.	8 He took Agag, king of Amalek, alive, but on the rest of the people he put into effect the ban of destruction by the sword.
9 But Saul and the army spared Agag with the best of the sheep and cattle, the fatlings and lambs andal that was good. They did not want to consign these to the curse of destruction; they consigned only what waspoor and worthless.	9 He and his troops spared Agag and the best of the fat sheep and oxen, and the lambs. They refused to carry out the doom on anything that was worthwhile, dooming only what was worthless and of no account.
10 The word of Yahweh came to Samuel,	10 Then the LORD spoke to Samuel:
11 'I regret having made Saul king, since he has broken his allegiance to me and not carried out myorders.' Samuel was appal ed and cried to Yahweh al night long.	11 "I regret having made Saul king, for he has turned from me and has not kept my command." At this Samuel grew angry and cried out to the LORD all night.
12 In the morning, Samuel set off to find Saul. Samuel was told, 'Saul has been to Carmel, to raisehimself a monument there, but now has turned about, moved on and gone down to Gilgal.'	12 Early in the morning he went to meet Saul, but was informed that Saul had gone to Carmel, where he erected a trophy in his own honor, and that on his return he had passed on and gone down to Gilgal.
13 When Samuel reached Saul, Saul said, 'May you be blessed by Yahweh! I have carried outYahweh's orders.'	13 When Samuel came to him, Saul greeted him: "The LORD bless you! I have kept the command of the LORD."
14 Samuel replied, 'Then what is this bleating of sheep in my ears and the lowing of cattle that I hear?'	14 But Samuel asked, "What, then, is the meaning of this bleating of sheep that comes to my ears, and the lowing of oxen that I hear?"
15 Saul said, 'They have been brought from Amalek, the people having spared the best of the sheepand cattle to sacrifice them to Yahweh, your God; the rest we have consigned to the curse of destruction.'	15 Saul replied: "They were brought from Amalek. The men spared the best sheep and oxen to sacrifice to the LORD, your God; but we have carried out the ban on the rest."
16 Samuel then said to Saul, 'Stop! Let me tel you what Yahweh said to me last night.' He said, 'Go on.'	16 Samuel said to Saul: "Stop! Let me tell you what the LORD said to me last night." "Speak!" he replied.
17 Samuel said, 'Smal as you may be in your own eyes, are you not the leader of the tribes of Israel?Yahweh has anointed you as king of Israel.	17 Samuel then said: "Though little in your own esteem, are you not leader of the tribes of Israel? The LORD anointed you king of Israel
18 When Yahweh sent you on a mission he said to you, "Go and put those sinners, the Amalekites,under the curse of destruction and make war on them until they are exterminated."	18 and sent you on a mission, saying, 'Go and put the sinful Amalekites under a ban of destruction. Fight against them until you have exterminated them.'
19 Why then did you not obey Yahweh's voice? Why did you fal on the booty and do what is wrong inYahweh's eyes?'	19 Why then have you disobeyed the LORD? You have pounced on the spoil, thus displeasing the LORD."
20 Saul replied to Samuel, 'But I did obey Yahweh's voice. I went on the mission which Yahweh gaveme; I brought back Agag king of the Amalekites; I put Amalek under the curse of destruction;	20 Saul answered Samuel: "I did indeed obey the LORD and fulfill the mission on which the LORD sent me. I have brought back Agag, and I have destroyed Amalek under the ban.
21 and from the booty the people have taken the best sheep and cattle of what was under the curse ofdestruction only to sacrifice them to Yahweh your God in Gilgal.'	21 But from the spoil the men took sheep and oxen, the best of what had been banned, to sacrifice to the LORD their God in Gilgal."
22 To which, Samuel said: Is Yahweh pleased by burnt offerings and sacrifices or by obedience toYahweh's voice? Truly, obedience is better than sacrifice, submissiveness than the fat of rams.	22 But Samuel said: "Does the LORD so delight in holocausts and sacrifices as in obedience to the command of the LORD? Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission than the fat of rams.
23 Rebellion is a sin of sorcery, presumption a crime of idolatry! 'Since you have rejected Yahweh'sword, he has rejected you as king.'	23 For a sin like divination is rebellion, and presumption is the crime of idolatry. Because you have rejected the command of the LORD, he, too, has rejected you as ruler."
24 Saul then said to Samuel, 'I have sinned, having broken Yahweh's order and your instructionsbecause I was afraid of the people and yielded to their demands.	24 Saul replied to Samuel: "I have sinned, for I have disobeyed the command of the LORD and your instructions. In my fear of the people, I did what they said.
25 Now, please forgive my sin and come back with me, so that I can worship Yahweh.'	25 Now forgive my sin, and return with me, that I may worship the LORD."
26 Samuel said to Saul, 'I wil not come back with you, since you have rejected Yahweh's word andYahweh has rejected you as king of Israel.'	26 But Samuel said to Saul, "I will not return with you, because you rejected the command of the LORD and the LORD rejects you as king of Israel."
27 As Samuel turned away to leave, Saul caught at the hem of his cloak and it tore,	27 As Samuel turned to go, Saul seized a loose end of his mantle, and it tore off.
28 and Samuel said to him, 'Today Yahweh has torn the kingdom of Israel from you and given it to aneighbour of yours who is better than you.'	28 So Samuel said to him: "The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this day, and has given it to a neighbor of yours, who is better than you.
29 (The Glory of Israel, however, does not lie or go back on his word, not being human and liable to goback on his word.)	29 The Glory of Israel neither retracts nor repents, for he is not man that he should repent."
30 'I have sinned,' Saul said, 'but please stil show me respect in front of my people's elders and in frontof Israel, and come back with me, so that I can worship Yahweh your God.'	30 But he answered: "I have sinned, yet honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel. Return with me that I may worship the LORD your God."
31 Samuel fol owed Saul back and Saul worshipped Yahweh.	31 And so Samuel returned with him, and Saul worshiped the LORD.
32 Samuel then said, 'Bring me Agag king of the Amalekites!' Agag came towards him unsteadilysaying, 'Truly death is bitter!'	32 Afterward Samuel commanded, "Bring Agag, king of Amalek, to me." Agag came to him struggling and saying, "So it is bitter death!"
33 Samuel said: As your sword has left women childless, so wil your mother be left childless amongwomen! Samuel then butchered Agag before Yahweh at Gilgal.	33 And Samuel said, "As your sword has made women childless, so shall your mother be childless among women." Then he cut Agag down before the LORD in Gilgal.
34 Samuel left for Ramah, and Saul went up home to Gibeah of Saul.	34 Samuel departed for Ramah, while Saul went up to his home in Gibeah of Saul.
35 Samuel did not see Saul again til his dying day. Samuel indeed mourned over Saul, but Yahwehregretted having made Saul king of Israel.	35 Never again, as long as he lived, did Samuel see Saul. Yet he grieved over Saul, because the LORD regretted having made him king of Israel.