The Meaning of 1 Samuel 15:18 Explained

1 Samuel 15:18

KJV: And the LORD sent thee on a journey, and said, Go and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them until they be consumed.

YLT: and Jehovah sendeth thee in the way, and saith, Go, and thou hast devoted the sinners, the Amalekite, and fought against them till they are consumed;

Darby: And Jehovah sent thee on a way and said, Go and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them until they be consumed.

ASV: and Jehovah sent thee on a journey, and said, Go, and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them until they be consumed.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And the LORD  sent  thee on a journey,  and said,  Go  and utterly destroy  the sinners  the Amalekites,  and fight  against them until they be consumed. 

What does 1 Samuel 15:18 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Samuel 15:17-35 - Shallow Repentance Unavailing
Samuel was deeply moved when he heard of Saul's failure, "and he cried unto the Lord all night." Thus he was prepared to accost the sinful king. Mr. Finney tells of a minister who was so burdened with the souls of men that he could do but little preaching, his whole time and strength being given to prayer. It is only in that spirit that men like Samuel can undertake their solemn duty.
Saul's response was very unsatisfactory. He began by laying the blame on the people, 1 Samuel 15:21. He pretended that the object of sparing the cattle, etc., was to sacrifice them to God-a very hypocritical excuse, 1 Samuel 15:22. Without any deep consciousness of sin, he lightly professed sorrow, and hoped to pacify Samuel by asking that they might kneel together in worship, 1 Samuel 15:25. When the old prophet refused to let him off so easily, the only thing that Saul cared for was that the elders should still honor him, 1 Samuel 15:30. How hardened Saul had become! This was the beginning of the sin unto death.
For Review Questions, see the e-Sword Book Comments. [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Samuel 15

1  Samuel sends Saul to destroy Amalek
6  Saul favors the Kenites
7  He spares Agag and the best of the spoil
10  Samuel denounces unto Saul God's rejection of him for his disobedience
24  Saul's humiliation
32  Samuel kills Agag
34  Samuel and Saul part

What do the individual words in 1 Samuel 15:18 mean?

and sent you Yahweh on a mission and said go and utterly destroy - the sinful the Amalekites and fight against them until are consumed they
וַיִּשְׁלָחֲךָ֥ יְהוָ֖ה בְּדָ֑רֶךְ וַיֹּ֗אמֶר לֵ֣ךְ וְהַחֲרַמְתָּ֞ה אֶת־ הַֽחַטָּאִים֙ עֲמָלֵ֔ק וְנִלְחַמְתָּ֣ ב֔וֹ עַ֥ד כַּלּוֹתָ֖ם אֹתָֽם

וַיִּשְׁלָחֲךָ֥  and  sent  you 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular, second person masculine singular
Root: שָׁלַח  
Sense: to send, send away, let go, stretch out.
יְהוָ֖ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
בְּדָ֑רֶךְ  on  a  mission 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, common singular
Root: דֶּרֶךְ  
Sense: way, road, distance, journey, manner.
וַיֹּ֗אמֶר  and  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
לֵ֣ךְ  go 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
וְהַחֲרַמְתָּ֞ה  and  utterly  destroy 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: חָרַם 
Sense: to ban, devote, destroy utterly, completely destroy, dedicate for destruction, exterminate.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הַֽחַטָּאִים֙  the  sinful 
Parse: Article, Adjective, masculine plural
Root: חַטָּא  
Sense: sinners adj.
עֲמָלֵ֔ק  the  Amalekites 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֲמָלֵק  
Sense: son of Eliphaz by his concubine Timnah, grandson of Esau, and progenitor of a race of people in southern Canaan.
וְנִלְחַמְתָּ֣  and  fight 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Nifal, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: לָחַם 
Sense: to fight, do battle, make war.
ב֔וֹ  against  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
עַ֥ד  until 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַד  
Sense: as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as.
כַּלּוֹתָ֖ם  are  consumed 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Infinitive construct, third person masculine plural
Root: כָּלָה  
Sense: to accomplish, cease, consume, determine, end, fail, finish, be complete, be accomplished, be ended, be at an end, be finished, be spent.