The Meaning of 1 Samuel 15:20 Explained

1 Samuel 15:20

KJV: And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the LORD, and have gone the way which the LORD sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites.

YLT: And Saul saith unto Samuel, 'Because -- I have hearkened to the voice of Jehovah, and I go in the way which Jehovah hath sent me, and bring in Agag king of Amalek, and Amalek I have devoted;

Darby: And Saul said to Samuel, I have indeed hearkened to the voice of Jehovah, and have gone the way which Jehovah sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites.

ASV: And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of Jehovah, and have gone the way which Jehovah sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Saul  said  unto Samuel,  Yea, I have obeyed  the voice  of the LORD,  and have gone  the way  which the LORD  sent  me, and have brought  Agag  the king  of Amalek,  and have utterly destroyed  the Amalekites. 

What does 1 Samuel 15:20 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 15:20 mean?

and said Saul to Samuel Yes but I have obeyed the voice of Yahweh and gone on the mission on which sent me Yahweh and brought back - Agag king of Amalek and the Amalekites I have utterly destroyed
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר שָׁא֜וּל אֶל־ שְׁמוּאֵ֗ל אֲשֶׁ֤ר שָׁמַ֙עְתִּי֙ בְּק֣וֹל יְהוָ֔ה וָאֵלֵ֕ךְ בַּדֶּ֖רֶךְ אֲשֶׁר־ שְׁלָחַ֣נִי יְהוָ֑ה וָאָבִ֗יא אֶת־ אֲגַג֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ עֲמָלֵ֔ק וְאֶת־ עֲמָלֵ֖ק הֶחֱרַֽמְתִּי

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר  and  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
שָׁא֜וּל  Saul 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: שָׁאוּל  
Sense: a Benjamite, son of Kish, and the st king of Israel.
שְׁמוּאֵ֗ל  Samuel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: שְׁמוּאֵל  
Sense: son of Elkanah by his wife Hannah and judge or prophet of Israel during the days of Saul and David.
אֲשֶׁ֤ר  Yes 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
שָׁמַ֙עְתִּי֙  but  I  have  obeyed 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
בְּק֣וֹל  the  voice 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: קֹול 
Sense: voice, sound, noise.
יְהוָ֔ה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
וָאֵלֵ֕ךְ  and  gone 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, first person common singular
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
בַּדֶּ֖רֶךְ  on  the  mission 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, common singular
Root: דֶּרֶךְ  
Sense: way, road, distance, journey, manner.
אֲשֶׁר־  on  which 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
שְׁלָחַ֣נִי  sent  me 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular, first person common singular
Root: שָׁלַח  
Sense: to send, send away, let go, stretch out.
יְהוָ֑ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
וָאָבִ֗יא  and  brought  back 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, first person common singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
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.
אֲגַג֙  Agag 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֲגַג  
Sense: king of Amalek, spared by Saul but slain by Samuel.
מֶ֣לֶךְ  king 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
עֲמָלֵ֔ק  of  Amalek 
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.
עֲמָלֵ֖ק  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.
הֶחֱרַֽמְתִּי  I  have  utterly  destroyed 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: חָרַם 
Sense: to ban, devote, destroy utterly, completely destroy, dedicate for destruction, exterminate.