1 Samuel 15:1
in 1 Samuel 15Then Samuel said to Saul, “The LORD sent me to anoint you king over His people Israel. Now therefore, listen to the words of the LORD.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And Samuel said unto Saul, Jehovah sent me to anoint thee to be king over his people, over Israel: now therefore hearken thou unto the voice of the words of Jehovah.
KJV
Samuel also said unto Saul, The Lord sent me to anoint thee to be king over his people, over Israel: now therefore hearken thou unto the voice of the words of the Lord.
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This verse in 1 Samuel 15
Commentary
8 notes on this verseA commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Their territory extended over the whole of the eastern portion of the desert of Sinai to Rephidim--the earliest opponent (De 25:18; Ex 17:8-16) --the hereditary and restless enemy of Israel (Nu 14:45; 6:3), and who had not repented (1Sa 14:48) of their bitter and sleepless hatred during the five hundred years that had elapsed since their doom was pronounced.
This site's exposition
The LORD sent me to anoint you king over His people Israel
on 1 Samuel 15:1-3
Samuel reminds Saul that his crown came by anointing, so obedience is the condition of the office. The command reaches back to Exodus 17:14 to 16, where the LORD swore war with Amalek for the ambush on the way from Egypt, and to Deuteronomy 25:17 to 19. The words "devote to destruction" render the Hebrew herem, a ban that spares nothing, and set the standard for every later verse.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church2 voices
Samuel said to Saul: The Lord sent me to anoint you as king, etc. The prophetic word daily says to the rulers of the Church that they have not been chosen by their own industrious liberty, but by the ministry of the Lord to govern …
A commentator
Gregory the DialogistCommentary on 1 Kings, Book 6, Chapter 1 · Written before 604.
proposed
We said above that Amalek designates the vice of lust, which as it were licks, since it suggests pleasure by flattering. Progress in the way of life is therefore shown, in that above he is declared to have been struck by Saul, and now he is not simply commanded to be struck, but all his possessions to be destroyed. First indeed the teacher strikes him, when through his word it is brought about that chastity is maintained in the hearts and bodies of the converted.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Samuel also said unto Saul,....
Samuel had himself been employed to anoint Saul, and therefore was the fitter to be send with these orders to him. He tells him, in general, that, in consideration of this, whatever God commanded him to do he was bound to do it: Now therefore hearken to the voice of the Lord.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
The Lord sent me to anoint thee - This gave him a right to say what immediately follows.
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
The absence of all chronology or note of time is remarkable.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
Now obey Adonoy's words. Once you acted foolishly, 1 Shaul had acted improperly by not waiting for Shmuel [Above:8-14] as he had been instructed, therefore, Shmuel is warning him now to be careful. but now be careful [in your actions].
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 4 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
18 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיֹּ֤אמֶר | vaiyomer | and he said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| שְׁמוּאֵל֙ | shemuel | Samuel | H8050 → | 141 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| שָׁא֔וּל | shaul | Saul | H7586 → | 402 times |
| אֹתִ֨י | ʾoti | <obj.> me | H853 → | 10935 times |
| שָׁלַ֤ח | shalach | he sent | H7971 → | 845 times |
| יְהוָה֙ | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| לִמְשָׁחֳךָ֣ | limshochokha | to anoint you | H4886 → | 70 times |
| לְמֶ֔לֶךְ | lemelekh | to king | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | over | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| עַמּ֖וֹ | amo | people his | H5971 → | 1873 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | over | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| וְעַתָּ֣ה | veatah | and therefore | H6258 → | 433 times |
| שְׁמַ֔ע | shema' | listen | H8085 → | 1159 times |
| לְק֖וֹל | lekol | to [the] voice of | H6963 → | 506 times |
| דִּבְרֵ֥י | divrei | [the] words of | H1697 → | 1440 times |
| יְהוָֽה׃ ס | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
וַיֹּ֤אמֶרand he said
vaiyomerH559 →5305 times
שְׁמוּאֵל֙Samuel
shemuelH8050 →141 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
שָׁא֔וּלSaul
shaulH7586 →402 times
אֹתִ֨י<obj.> me
ʾotiH853 →10935 times
שָׁלַ֤חhe sent
shalachH7971 →845 times
יְהוָה֙Yahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
לִמְשָׁחֳךָ֣to anoint you
limshochokhaH4886 →70 times
לְמֶ֔לֶךְto king
lemelekhH4428 →2525 times
עַל־over
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
עַמּ֖וֹpeople his
amoH5971 →1873 times
עַל־over
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
יִשְׂרָאֵ֑לIsrael
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
וְעַתָּ֣הand therefore
veatahH6258 →433 times
שְׁמַ֔עlisten
shema'H8085 →1159 times
לְק֖וֹלto [the] voice of
lekolH6963 →506 times
דִּבְרֵ֥י[the] words of
divreiH1697 →1440 times
יְהוָֽה׃ סYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
1 Samuel 9:16“At this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you are to anoint him leader over My people Israel; he will save them from the hand of…
it leads to
- 1 Samuel 10:1
Then Samuel took a flask of oil, poured it on Saul’s head, kissed him, and said, “Has not the LORD anointed you ruler over His inheritance?
- Psalms 106:44
Nevertheless He heard their cry; He took note of their distress.
- Exodus 3:7–9
The LORD said, “I have indeed seen the affliction of My people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their oppressors, and I am aware of their sufferings.
- Psalms 25:18
Consider my affliction and trouble, and take away all my sins.
- Exodus 2:23–25
After a long time, the king of Egypt died. The Israelites groaned and cried out under their burden of slavery, and their cry for deliverance from bondage ascended to God.
- 1 Samuel 10:1
Through
1 Samuel 13:13“You have acted foolishly,” Samuel declared. “You have not kept the command that the LORD your God gave you; if you had, the LORD would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time.
it leads to
- 1 Samuel 15:22
But Samuel declared: “Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obedience to His voice? Behold, obedience is better than sacrifice, and attentiveness is better than the fat of…
- 2 Chronicles 16:9
For the eyes of the LORD roam to and fro over all the earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose hearts are fully devoted to Him. You have acted foolishly in…
- 1 Samuel 15:28
So Samuel said to him, “The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to your neighbor who is better than you.
- 1 Samuel 15:22
Where this verse is studied
About 1 Samuel
Who and where
2 names in this verse with a page on the site.
- PersonJudges to monarchySamuelAsked of God by Hannah and lent to the LORD at Shiloh; the last judge and first of the prophets after Moses, who anointed both Sau…
- PersonUnited monarchySaulIsrael's first king, head and shoulders above the people; began in humility, ended in rejection — sparing what God devoted, consul…
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Bede, Commentary on Samuel; Gregory the Dialogist, Commentary on 1 Kings, Book 6, Chapter 1; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Books of Samuel and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.