1 Samuel 15:14
in 1 Samuel 15But Samuel replied, “Then what is this bleating of sheep and lowing of cattle that I hear?”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And Samuel said, What meaneth then this bleating of the sheep in mine ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?
KJV
And Samuel said, What meaneth then this bleating of the sheep in mine ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?
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This verse in 1 Samuel 15
Commentary
5 notes on this verseA commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Saul said unto him, Blessed be thou of the Lord: I have performed the commandment of the Lord--Saul was either blinded by a partial and delusive self-love, or he was, in his declaration to Samuel, acting the part of a bold and artful hypocrite. He professed to have fulfilled the divine command, and that the blame of any defects in the execution lay with the people.
This site's exposition
Then what is this bleating of sheep and lowing of cattle that I hear
on 1 Samuel 15:14-15
Samuel answers Saul’s claim with "this bleating of sheep and lowing of cattle." Saul shifts the blame to the troops and dresses disobedience as piety, a sacrifice "to the LORD your God." Henry reads "your God" as a slip showing Saul’s distance from the God he claims to honor.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church1 voice
A commentator
Gregory the DialogistCommentary on 1 Kings, Book 6, Chapter 2 · Written before 604.
proposed
14. The voice of the flocks and herds of Amalek is the report of shameful deeds. When anyone is defamed for lesser sins of indulgence, the voice of the flocks is said to resound. When likewise one is accused of more criminal and more obscene things, it is the voice of the herds. As if he lays bare what was hidden under the pretense of his false virtue, saying: You justify yourself with your own mouth, but the crowds of your uncleannesses cry out through the mouths of all.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
And Samuel said, what meaneth then this bleating of the sheep in mine ears,....
Many boast of their obedience to the command of God; but what mean then their indulgence of the flesh, their love of the world, their passion and uncharitableness, and their neglect of holy duties, which witness against them? Saul insists upon his own justification against this charge,
The words behind it
12 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיֹּ֣אמֶר | vaiyomer | and he said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| שְׁמוּאֵ֔ל | shemuel | Samuel | H8050 → | 141 times |
| וּמֶ֛ה | umeh | and what? | H4100 → | 752 times |
| קֽוֹל־ | kol- | [is] [the] sound of | H6963 → | 506 times |
| הַצֹּ֥אן | hatzon | the sheep | H6629 → | 274 times |
| הַזֶּ֖ה | hazeh | <the> this | H2088 → | 1180 times |
| בְּאָזְנָ֑י | beazenai | in ears my | H241 → | 187 times |
| וְק֣וֹל | vekol | and [the] sound of | H6963 → | 506 times |
| הַבָּקָ֔ר | habakar | the cattle | H1241 → | 183 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֥ר | ʾasher | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| אָנֹכִ֖י | ʾanokhi | I | H595 → | 359 times |
| שֹׁמֵֽעַ׃ | shomea' | [am] hearing | H8085 → | 1159 times |
וַיֹּ֣אמֶרand he said
vaiyomerH559 →5305 times
שְׁמוּאֵ֔לSamuel
shemuelH8050 →141 times
וּמֶ֛הand what?
umehH4100 →752 times
קֽוֹל־[is] [the] sound of
kol-H6963 →506 times
הַצֹּ֥אןthe sheep
hatzonH6629 →274 times
הַזֶּ֖ה<the> this
hazehH2088 →1180 times
בְּאָזְנָ֑יin ears my
beazenaiH241 →187 times
וְק֣וֹלand [the] sound of
vekolH6963 →506 times
הַבָּקָ֔רthe cattle
habakarH1241 →183 times
אֲשֶׁ֥רwhich
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
אָנֹכִ֖יI
ʾanokhiH595 →359 times
שֹׁמֵֽעַ׃[am] hearing
shomea'H8085 →1159 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 Corinthians 4:5Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts. At that time each…
it leads to
- James 5:7
Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer awaits the precious fruit of the soil—how patient he is for the fall and spring rains.
- 2 Corinthians 5:10
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive his due for the things done in the body, whether good or bad.
- 1 Corinthians 3:13
his workmanship will be evident, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will prove the quality of each man’s work.
- Hebrews 4:13
Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight; everything is uncovered and exposed before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.
- 2 Corinthians 10:18
For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.
- James 5:7
Through
Romans 3:19Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God.
it leads to
- Galatians 3:10
All who rely on works of the law are under a curse. For it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.”
- Galatians 3:22–23
But the Scripture pronounces all things confined by sin, so that by faith in Jesus Christ the promise might be given to those who believe.
- Romans 3:9
What then? Are we any better? Not at all. For we have already made the charge that Jews and Greeks alike are all under sin.
- Galatians 3:10
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies16
About 1 Samuel

Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Gregory the Dialogist, Commentary on 1 Kings, Book 6, Chapter 2; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.
