The Lord Rejects Saul as King
1Samuel said to Saul, “I am the one the Lord sent to anoint you king over his people Israel; so listen now to the message from the Lord. 2This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘I will punish the Amalekites for what they did to Israel when they waylaid them as they came up from Egypt. 3Now go, attack the Amalekites and totally destroy15:3 The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord, often by totally destroying them; also in verses 8, 9, 15, 18, 20 and 21. all that belongs to them. Do not spare them; put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys.’ ”
4So Saul summoned the men and mustered them at Telaim—two hundred thousand foot soldiers and ten thousand from Judah. 5Saul went to the city of Amalek and set an ambush in the ravine. 6Then he said to the Kenites, “Go away, leave the Amalekites so that I do not destroy you along with them; for you showed kindness to all the Israelites when they came up out of Egypt.” So the Kenites moved away from the Amalekites.
7Then Saul attacked the Amalekites all the way from Havilah to Shur, near the eastern border of Egypt. 8He took Agag king of the Amalekites alive, and all his people he totally destroyed with the sword. 9But Saul and the army spared Agag and the best of the sheep and cattle, the fat calves15:9 Or the grown bulls; the meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain. and lambs—everything that was good. These they were unwilling to destroy completely, but everything that was despised and weak they totally destroyed.
10Then the word of the Lord came to Samuel: 11“I regret that I have made Saul king, because he has turned away from me and has not carried out my instructions.” Samuel was angry, and he cried out to the Lord all that night.
12Early in the morning Samuel got up and went to meet Saul, but he was told, “Saul has gone to Carmel. There he has set up a monument in his own honor and has turned and gone on down to Gilgal.”
13When Samuel reached him, Saul said, “The Lord bless you! I have carried out the Lord’s instructions.”
14But Samuel said, “What then is this bleating of sheep in my ears? What is this lowing of cattle that I hear?”
15Saul answered, “The soldiers brought them from the Amalekites; they spared the best of the sheep and cattle to sacrifice to the Lord your God, but we totally destroyed the rest.”
16“Enough!” Samuel said to Saul. “Let me tell you what the Lord said to me last night.”
“Tell me,” Saul replied.
17Samuel said, “Although you were once small in your own eyes, did you not become the head of the tribes of Israel? The Lord anointed you king over Israel. 18And he sent you on a mission, saying, ‘Go and completely destroy those wicked people, the Amalekites; wage war against them until you have wiped them out.’ 19Why did you not obey the Lord? Why did you pounce on the plunder and do evil in the eyes of the Lord?”
20“But I did obey the Lord,” Saul said. “I went on the mission the Lord assigned me. I completely destroyed the Amalekites and brought back Agag their king. 21The soldiers took sheep and cattle from the plunder, the best of what was devoted to God, in order to sacrifice them to the Lord your God at Gilgal.”
22But Samuel replied:
“Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices
as much as in obeying the Lord?
To obey is better than sacrifice,
and to heed is better than the fat of rams.
23For rebellion is like the sin of divination,
and arrogance like the evil of idolatry.
Because you have rejected the word of the Lord,
he has rejected you as king.”
24Then Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned. I violated the Lord’s command and your instructions. I was afraid of the men and so I gave in to them. 25Now I beg you, forgive my sin and come back with me, so that I may worship the Lord.”
26But Samuel said to him, “I will not go back with you. You have rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord has rejected you as king over Israel!”
27As Samuel turned to leave, Saul caught hold of the hem of his robe, and it tore. 28Samuel said to him, “The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to one of your neighbors—to one better than you. 29He who is the Glory of Israel does not lie or change his mind; for he is not a human being, that he should change his mind.”
30Saul replied, “I have sinned. But please honor me before the elders of my people and before Israel; come back with me, so that I may worship the Lord your God.” 31So Samuel went back with Saul, and Saul worshiped the Lord.
32Then Samuel said, “Bring me Agag king of the Amalekites.”
Agag came to him in chains.15:32 The meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain. And he thought, “Surely the bitterness of death is past.”
33But Samuel said,
“As your sword has made women childless,
so will your mother be childless among women.”
And Samuel put Agag to death before the Lord at Gilgal.
34Then Samuel left for Ramah, but Saul went up to his home in Gibeah of Saul. 35Until the day Samuel died, he did not go to see Saul again, though Samuel mourned for him. And the Lord regretted that he had made Saul king over Israel.
Jehova Kũrega Saũlũ ta Mũthamaki
115:1 1Sam 9:16Na rĩrĩ, Samũeli akĩĩra Saũlũ atĩrĩ, “Niĩ nĩ niĩ ndatũmirwo nĩ Jehova ngũitĩrĩrie maguta ũtuĩke mũthamaki wa andũ ake a Isiraeli; nĩ ũndũ ũcio rĩu thikĩrĩria ndũmĩrĩri kuuma kũrĩ Jehova. 215:2 Kĩam 14:7; 2Sam 1:8; 1Sam 14:48Jehova Mwene-Hinya-Wothe ekuuga ũũ: ‘Nĩngaherithia Aamaleki nĩ ũndũ wa ũrĩa meekire Isiraeli rĩrĩa maamoheirie njĩra-inĩ makĩambata moimĩte bũrũri wa Misiri. 3Na rĩrĩ, thiĩ ũgatharĩkĩre Aamaleki, na ũniine biũ kĩrĩa gĩothe marĩ nakĩo. Ndũkamatigie; ũraga arũme na andũ-a-nja, na ciana na ngenge, na ngʼombe na ngʼondu, na ngamĩĩra na ndigiri.’ ”
4Nĩ ũndũ ũcio Saũlũ agĩĩta andũ, akĩmacookanĩrĩria kũu Telaimu; nao maarĩ thigari cia magũrũ ngiri magana meerĩ na andũ ngiri ikũmi kuuma Juda. 5Saũlũ agĩthiĩ itũũra inene rĩa Amaleki, agĩikara ooheirie andũ kĩanda-inĩ. 615:6 Ndar 24:22; Atiir 1:16; 1Sam 20:29; Kĩam 15:19Ningĩ akĩĩra Akeni atĩrĩ, “Thiĩi mweherere Aamaleki nĩgeetha ndikamũniinanĩrie nao; nĩ ũndũ inyuĩ nĩmwekire andũ othe a Isiraeli maũndũ mega rĩrĩa maambataga moimĩte Misiri.” Nĩ ũndũ ũcio Akeni acio makĩeherera Aamaleki.
715:7 1Sam 14:48; Kĩam 16:7Nake Saũlũ agĩtharĩkĩra Aamaleki amarutĩtie kuuma Havila nginya Shuri, o nginya mwena wa irathĩro wa Misiri. 815:8 Thaam 17:8-16; Ndar 24:7; Josh 8:23Akĩnyiita Agagi mũthamaki wa Aamaleki arĩ muoyo, nao andũ ake othe akĩmaniina biũ na rũhiũ rwa njora. 915:9 1Sam 15:3No Saũlũ na ita rĩake makĩhonokia Agagi na ngʼondu imwe cia iria njega, na ngʼombe, na njaũ iria ciarĩ noru, na tũtũrũme, na kĩndũ gĩothe kĩrĩa kĩarĩ kĩega. Indo icio njega makĩaga gũciniina biũ, no kĩndũ gĩothe kĩrĩa gĩtangĩendekire na kĩhinyaru magĩkĩniina biũ.
10Ningĩ ndũmĩrĩri ya Jehova ĩgĩkinyĩra Samũeli, akĩĩrwo atĩrĩ, 1115:11 Kĩam 6:6; Jer 48:10; Thaam 32:14; Josh 21:14“Ndĩ na kĩeha nĩ gũtua Saũlũ mũthamaki, nĩ ũndũ nĩagarũrũkĩte na akaaga kũhingia mawatho makwa.” Samũeli agĩtangĩka na agĩkaĩra Jehova ũtukũ ũcio wothe.
1215:12 Josh 15:55; Ndar 32:42Rũciinĩ tene-rĩ, Samũeli agĩũkĩra agĩthiĩ agatũnge Saũlũ, no akĩĩrwo atĩrĩ, “Saũlũ nĩathiĩte Karimeli. Kũu nĩakĩte gĩtugĩ gĩa gũtũma aririkanagwo, na nĩahũndũkĩte agaikũrũka agathiĩ Giligali.”
13Rĩrĩa Samũeli aakinyire harĩ we, Saũlũ akiuga atĩrĩ, “Jehova arokũrathima! Nĩhingĩtie mawatho ma Jehova.”
14No Samũeli akĩmũũria atĩrĩ, “Naguo mwanio ũcio wa ngʼondu ndĩraigua nĩ wa kĩĩ? Mwanio ũcio ndĩraigua wa ngʼombe-rĩ, ũkĩrĩ wa kĩĩ?”
15Saũlũ agĩcookia atĩrĩ, “Thigari ici nĩcio ciacirutire kwa Aamaleki; magĩtigia ngʼondu imwe cia iria njega na ngʼombe cia kũrutĩra Jehova Ngai waku igongona, no icio ingĩ nĩtwaciniinire biũ.”
16Samũeli akĩĩra Saũlũ atĩrĩ, “Ta thikĩrĩria! Reke ngwĩre ũrĩa Jehova anjĩĩrĩte ũtukũ ũyũ.”
Nake Saũlũ agĩcookia atĩrĩ, “Njĩĩra.”
1715:17 Thaam 3:11Samũeli akiuga atĩrĩ, “O na gũtuĩka hĩndĩ ĩmwe nĩweiiraga-rĩ, githĩ ndwagĩtuĩkire mũtongoria wa mĩhĩrĩga ya Isiraeli? Jehova nĩagũitĩrĩirie maguta ũtuĩke mũthamaki wa Isiraeli. 18Nake agĩgũtũma ũthiĩ ũkarute wĩra, agĩkwĩra atĩrĩ, ‘Thiĩ ũkaniine andũ acio aaganu biũ; ũrũe na Aamaleki acio nginya ũmaniine biũ.’ 1915:19 Kĩam 14:23; 1Sam 14:32Waregire gwathĩkĩra Jehova nĩkĩ? Nĩ kĩĩ gĩatũmire ũguthũkĩre indo cia ndaho, ũgĩĩka ũũru maitho-inĩ ma Jehova?”
2015:20 1Sam 28:18Nake Saũlũ akiuga atĩrĩ, “No niĩ nĩndathĩkĩire Jehova; nĩndathiire kũruta wĩra ũrĩa Jehova aandũmire ngarute. Nĩndaniinire Aamaleki biũ, na ngĩrehe Agagi mũthamaki wao gũkũ. 21Thigari nĩcio cioire ngʼondu na ngʼombe kuuma kũrĩ indo iria ciatahĩtwo, iria ciarĩ njega ikĩamũrĩrwo Ngai, nĩguo irutĩrwo Jehova Ngai waku igongona kũu Giligali.”
2215:22 Isa 1:11-15; Hos 6:6; Mik 6:6-8; Mar 12:33; Thab 40:6-8No Samũeli akĩmũcookeria atĩrĩ,
“Anga Jehova nĩakenagio nĩ maruta ma njino na magongona
ta ũrĩa akenagio nĩ gwathĩkĩra mũgambo wa Jehova?
Gwathĩka nĩ kwega gũkĩra igongona,
na kũmũigua nĩ kwega gũkĩra maguta ma ndũrũme.
2315:23 1Sam 13:13; Gũcook 18:10; 1Sam 13:13; Thim 29:25; Jer 42:11Nĩ ũndũ ũremi ũhaana ta mehia ma ũragũri,
nakuo kwaga gwathĩka kũhaana ta wĩhia wa kũhooya mĩhianano.
Tondũ nĩũregete kiugo kĩa Jehova,
nake nĩakũregete ta mũthamaki.”
2415:24 Isa 51:12-13; Jer 42:11; Thab 51:4; Ndar 22:34Nake Saũlũ akĩĩra Samũeli atĩrĩ, “Nĩnjĩhĩtie. Nĩnjagararĩte watho wa Jehova na uuge waku. Nĩ andũ ndeetigĩrire ngĩkĩmaathĩkĩra. 2515:25 Thim 10:17Rĩu ndagũthaitha, ndekera mehia makwa, na ũhũndũke ũtwarane na niĩ, nĩgeetha ngahooe Jehova.”
2615:26 Ndar 15:31; 1Sam 13:14; 1Ath 14:10No Samũeli akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Ndigũcooka hamwe nawe. Nĩũregete kiugo kĩa Jehova, nake Jehova nĩakũregete ũtuĩke mũthamaki wa gũthamakĩra Isiraeli!”
2715:27 1Ath 11:11, 31; 1Sam 28:14; 2Ath 17:21Rĩrĩa Samũeli aagarũrũkaga athiĩ-rĩ, Saũlũ akĩnyiita ruuno rwa nguo yake, nayo ĩgĩtarũka. 2815:28 1Sam 28:17; 2Sam 6:21Samũeli akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Jehova nĩatarũra ũthamaki wa Isiraeli kuuma kũrĩ we ũmũthĩ na nĩaũnengera mũndũ ũngĩ wa andũ a itũũra rĩaku, mwega gũgũkĩra. 2915:29 Tit 1:2; Ndar 23:19; Ahib 7:21Ũrĩa we Riiri wa Isiraeli ndaheenanagia kana akericũkwo; nĩ ũndũ we ti mũndũ, atĩ nĩguo ericũkwo.”
3015:30 Ndar 22:34; Joh 12:43; Isa 29:13Saũlũ agĩcookia atĩrĩ, “Nĩnjĩhĩtie, no ndagũthaitha ndĩĩithia harĩ athuuri a andũ akwa na harĩ Isiraeli; cookania na niĩ, nĩgeetha ngahooe Jehova Ngai waku.” 31Nĩ ũndũ ũcio Samũeli agĩcookania na Saũlũ, nake Saũlũ akĩhooya Jehova.
32Samũeli agĩcooka akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Ndehera Agagi mũthamaki wa Aamaleki.”
Agagi agĩũka kũrĩ we arĩ na ũmĩrĩru, agĩĩciiragia atĩrĩ, “Ti-itherũ ruo rwa gĩkuũ nĩrũthengu.”
3315:33 Esit 9:7-10; Jer 18:21No Samũeli akiuga atĩrĩ,
“O ta ũrĩa rũhiũ rwaku rwa njora rũtũmĩte andũ-a-nja moorwo nĩ ciana-rĩ,
noguo nyũkwa egũikara thĩinĩ wa andũ-a-nja atarĩ na mwana.”
Nake Samũeli akĩũragĩra Agagi mbere ya Jehova kũu Giligali.
3415:34 1Sam 7:17; Atiir 19:14; 1Sam 10:5Samũeli agĩcooka agĩthiĩ Rama, no Saũlũ akĩambata mũciĩ gwake Gibea itũũra rĩake. 3515:35 1Sam 16:1; Kĩam 6:6; 1Sam 19:24Nginya mũthenya ũrĩa Samũeli aakuire, ndaathiire kuona Saũlũ rĩngĩ, o na gũtuĩka Samũeli nĩamũcakayagĩra. Nake Jehova akĩigua kĩeha nĩ ũndũ nĩatuĩte Saũlũ mũthamaki wa gũthamakĩra Isiraeli.
