1 Samuel 15:16-23
Chapter 15
Samuel said:“Though you had no confidence in yourself, you became chief of the tribes of Israel, for the Lord wanted to anoint you king over Israel.
Then he sent you with this command, ‘Go. Completely crush the Amalekite offenders, engaging them in battle until they are destroyed.’
Why then did you not obey the voice of the Lord but instead swooped down on the spoil, doing what was evil in his sight?”
To this, Saul replied: “I have obeyed the voice of the Lord and have carried out the mission for which he sent me. I captured Agag, king of the Amalekites, and destroyed them.
If my men spared the best sheep and oxen from among those to be destroyed, it was to sacrifice them to the Lord, your God, in Gilgal.”
Samuel then said:“Does the Lord take as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obedience to his command? Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than the fat of rams.
Rebellion is like the sin of divination, and stubbornness is like holding onto idols. Since you have rejected the word of the Lord, he too has rejected you as king.”
Commentaries
Saul Is Rejected.
In this chapter, Samuel presents himself with prophetic authority, establishing the chapter’s parameters: the anointed one must follow God’s plans, not his own. It is easy to understand, then, Samuel’s verdict to Saul: “Because you have rejected the word of the Lord and he has rejected you” (26). However, the reason behind such a harsh judgment is unclear. Is it fair to wipe out an entire people, including women and children, for a crime committed centuries ago? In light of Christ’s teachings, Samuel’s command confuses and disgusts us. What can we say? The best we can do is this: the Lord chooses a people, with their customs and institutions, to lead them to higher levels of humanity gradually. The Lord of life, who does not simply abolish infant mortality or stop fatal accidents and natural disasters, temporarily accepts a warrior institution that causes the deaths of innocents. The sacred author turns this general acceptance into a specific, formal command through the story. Additionally, the fact that Saul did not eliminate the Amalekites is evident from their later presence: 27:8; 30:2 (cf. 1 Chr 4:43); although Amalek does disappear as an independent people. But let’s not hide our surprise or silence our protests.