GOD REJECTS SAUL AS KING
A. Battle against the Amalekites
1. ( Sam 15:1-3) A clear command: destroy Amalek
Then Samuel said to Saul, "The LORD sent me to anoint you as king over His people, over Israel; now therefore, listen to the words of the LORD. Thus says the LORD of hosts, 'I will punish Amalek for what he did to Israel, how he set himself against him on the way while he was coming up from Egypt. Now go and strike Amalek and utterly destroy all that he has, and do not spare him; but put to death both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.'"
Then Samuel said to Saul: There is no period of time mentioned here, but probably a considerable interval has elapsed before this second trial of Saul was made. God does not finally reject a man until, after repeated opportunities for repentance, he finally proves obstinate. David committed worse crimes than Saul, but he had a tender conscience, and each fall was followed by deep sorrow. Saul sinned and did not repent. Just as the priest Eli had a first warning, which was a really a call to repentance (1 Samuel 2:27), and was only made irrevocable by his persistence in the same sins for many years (1 Samuel 3:11-14), so it was with Saul. Samuel's words in 1 Samuel 13:13-14 were a stern warning to Saul, and if Saul would have taken them to heart, God would have forgiven him his sin. Saul did not repent, but repeated his offense and so his sentence was confirmed.
I will punish Amalek for what he did to Israel: The Amalekites were a fierce, nomadic people, who roamed through the deserts which lie between southern Judea and Egypt. They were descended from Esau's grandson Amalek ("Timna was a concubine of Esau's son Eliphaz and she bore Amalek to Eliphaz. These are the sons of Esau's wife Adah" Genesis 36:12.).
Not long after Israel's exodus from Egypt, the Amalekites attacked the almost defenseless rear guard of Israel in the desert of Rephidim. The Amalekites were then, under the command of Moses, defeated by Joshua. ("Then Amalek came and fought against Israel at Rephidim. So Moses said to Joshua, 'Choose men for us and go out, fight against Amalek. Tomorrow I will station myself on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand.' Joshua did as Moses told him, and fought against Amalek; and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. So it came about when Moses held his hands up, that Israel prevailed, and when he let his hands down, Amalek prevailed. But Moses' hands were heavy. Then they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it; and Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side and one on the other side. Thus his hands were steady until the sun set. So Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword. Then the LORD said to Moses, 'Write this in a book as a memorial and recite it to Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven'" Exodus 17:9-14.)
During the generations that followed, the hand of Amalek seems to have been constantly lifted against Israel. They joined with the Canaanutes and were victorious in a battle near Hormah (Numbers 14:45). They allied with the Moabites (Judges 3:13) and the Midianites (Judges 6:3) to continue their relentless attacks on Israel.
Go and strike Amalek: God could have judge Amalek directly as He did against the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, but God had a special purpose for His nation, Israel. God wanted the Amalekites to be a test of obedience for Saul and for Israel. Moreover, since Amalek's sin against Israel was a military attack, God wanted to make the judgment fit the sin.
Utterly destroy: The Hebrew word here is "herem" and means to be put under the ban. This meant that everything put under the ban was devoted to God. Moreover, whatever was devoted to God could not be redeemed but must be slain. When a country was put under the ban, all living things--men and cattle--were to be killed. No spoil could be taken, but it was to be burned. Things indestructible by fire such as silver and gold were to be brought into the treasury.
2. (1 Sam 15:4-6) Saul prepares for the attack on the Amalekites
Then Saul summoned the people and numbered them in Telaim, 200,000 foot soldiers and 10,000 men of Judah. Saul came to the city of Amalek and set an ambush in the valley. Saul said to the Kenites, "Go, depart, go down from among the Amalekites, so that I do not destroy you with them; for you showed kindness to all the sons of Israel when they came up from Egypt." So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites.
In Telaim: This place is identical with Telem, a place on the southern border of Judah, near the region where the Amalekites dwelt. The name means "lambs" and probably was not a city but an open place where lambs were collected from the pastures in the wilderness.
10,000 men of Judah: This implies that 200,000 foot soldiers were from the other 11 tribes. It is interesting to note that when Saul fought the Philistines, he only had 600 men. Now, it seems Israel has grown in its confidence in Saul, and the whole country now supports Saul and his war efforts.
The Kenites: This tribe was the people from which Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, came from and was part of the nation of Midian. ("The descendants of the Kenites, Moses' father-in-law, went up from the city of palms with the sons of Judah, to the wilderness of Judah which is in the south of Arad; and they went and lived with the people" Judges 1:16.) The Kenites accompanied the Israelites on their march as far as Jericho and then went and dwelt among the Amalekites in the desert to the south of Judah. The Kenites are mentioned again in 1 Samuel 27:10 and 1 Samuel 30:29 as friends of Israel.
3. (1 Sam 15:7-9) Saul attacks the Amalekites
So Saul defeated the Amalekites, from Havilah as you go to Shur, which is east of Egypt. He captured Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword. But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the fatlings, the lambs, and all that was good, and were not willing to destroy them utterly; but everything despised and worthless, that they utterly destroyed.
From Havilah...to Shur: That is, from one end of their country to the other.
Agag: This was the common title of the Amalekite kings, as Pharaoh was that of the kings of Egypt.
But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of...: Perhaps it was out of sympathy for a fellow king or perhaps it was to show off a royal dignitary, but Saul deliberately disobeyed God's command given in verse three which outlined that every ox, sheep, camel and donkey was to be destroyed. Saul and his military followed God's command as far as they could without inconvenience and loss to themselves. To spare the best of Amalek is equivalent to sparing some root of evil, some indulgence or some favorite sin. For us, Agag represents that evil propensity which exists in all of us for self-gratification. To spare Agag is to be merciful to ourselves, to exonerate and excuse our failures and to condone our sin.
In war during ancient times, armies were freely permitted to plunder their conquered foes. This was often how the army was paid. But it was wrong for anyone in Israel to benefit from the war against the Amalekites because it was an appointed judgment from God.
Everything despised and worthless, that they utterly destroyed: Saul and his military were careful to keep the very best for themselves. This is perhaps the worst action of all because Israel did not show God's heart in judgment. When they came home happy and excited because of what they gained from battle, they implied there was something joyful or happy about God's judgment. This dishonored God, who brings His judgment reluctantly and without pleasure, longing that men would repent instead. "The Lord if not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient to you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9).
4. (1 Sam 15:10-11) God's word to Samuel
Then the word of the LORD came to Samuel, saying, "I regret that I have made Saul king, for he has turned back from following Me and has not carried out My commands." And Samuel was distressed and cried out to the LORD all night long.
I regret that I have made Saul king: In the language of the Old Testament, God is said to repent (or regret) when a change in the character and conduct of those with whom He is dealing leads to a corresponding change in His plans and purposed toward them. Thus, upon man's penitence, God repents and withdraws a threatened punishment (see Exodus 32:14 and 2 Samuel 24:16). Additionally, upon man's faithlessness and disobedience, God can cancel a promise or revokes a blessing which He had given. As a man desires to make a change when he repents, so when God in Scripture is said to repent; we may expect a change from Him. God changed Saul's kingdom when it is said that He regretted making him king.
And Samuel was distressed: The literal Hebrew is "it burned Samuel". The same phrase is used in Jonah 4:1 where it is rendered "he became angry". But with whom was Samuel angry? Most likely at the whole course of events, and especially with Saul. In choosing Saul, Samuel had hoped that, in addition to his military qualities, he would possess a religious and obedient heart. Samuel had now obtained for Saul a second trial, and if, warned by his earlier failure, he had proven trustworthy, all might have been well.
And cried out to the LORD all night long: Samuel offered earnest prayer for forgiveness for Saul and for a change in Saul's heart. Samuel no doubt loved Saul and therefore prayed for him. But no change came in answer to his prayer, and as forgiveness is conditional upon man's repentance, Saul was not forgiven. It is remarkable how often Samuel is said to be "crying" out to the LORD (see 1 Samuel 7:8-9 and 1 Samuel 12:18).
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