1 samuel 15:9 - But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, of the cattle, and of the fat calves, and the lambs, and all that was good, and were not willing to utterly destroy them; but everything that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly.
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What does "1 samuel 15:9" mean?
This verse from 1 Samuel 15:9 describes Saul's disobedience to God's specific command. Let's break it down:
"But Saul and the people spared Agag...": God had commanded Saul to utterly destroy the Amalekites and everything they possessed. Agag was the king of the Amalekites. By sparing Agag's life, Saul directly disobeyed God's order.
"...and the best of the sheep, of the cattle, and of the fat calves, and the lambs, and all that was good...": This highlights that Saul and his army kept the most valuable livestock from the Amalekites. They chose to keep the best for themselves.
"...and were not willing to utterly destroy them...": This reiterates their disobedience. They were unwilling to follow God's explicit instruction to completely destroy everything.
"...but everything that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly.": This is the key to understanding their motive. They destroyed only what was worthless to them. This shows they were motivated by greed and self-interest, not by obedience to God.
In essence, the verse means:
Saul and his army selectively obeyed God's command, keeping the best livestock and sparing the king of the Amalekites for themselves. They only destroyed what they considered worthless, demonstrating their lack of true obedience and their prioritization of personal gain over God's will.
Significance:
This verse is crucial because it shows the beginning of Saul's downfall. His disobedience, driven by pride and greed, ultimately led to God rejecting him as king of Israel. The story serves as a warning against partial obedience and the dangers of prioritizing personal desires over God's commands.
1 samuel 15:9 - But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, of the cattle, and of the fat calves, and the lambs, and all that was good, and were not willing to utterly destroy them; but everything that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly.
What does "1 samuel 15:9" mean?
This verse from 1 Samuel 15:9 describes Saul's disobedience to God's specific command. Let's break it down:
"But Saul and the people spared Agag...": God had commanded Saul to utterly destroy the Amalekites and everything they possessed. Agag was the king of the Amalekites. By sparing Agag's life, Saul directly disobeyed God's order.
"...and the best of the sheep, of the cattle, and of the fat calves, and the lambs, and all that was good...": This highlights that Saul and his army kept the most valuable livestock from the Amalekites. They chose to keep the best for themselves.
"...and were not willing to utterly destroy them...": This reiterates their disobedience. They were unwilling to follow God's explicit instruction to completely destroy everything.
"...but everything that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly.": This is the key to understanding their motive. They destroyed only what was worthless to them. This shows they were motivated by greed and self-interest, not by obedience to God.
In essence, the verse means:
Saul and his army selectively obeyed God's command, keeping the best livestock and sparing the king of the Amalekites for themselves. They only destroyed what they considered worthless, demonstrating their lack of true obedience and their prioritization of personal gain over God's will.
Significance:
This verse is crucial because it shows the beginning of Saul's downfall. His disobedience, driven by pride and greed, ultimately led to God rejecting him as king of Israel. The story serves as a warning against partial obedience and the dangers of prioritizing personal desires over God's commands.