The Meaning of 1 Samuel 15:9 Explained

1 Samuel 15:9

KJV: But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them: but every thing that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly.

YLT: and Saul hath pity -- also the people -- on Agag, and on the best of the flock, and of the herd, and of the seconds, and on the lambs, and on all that is good, and have not been willing to devote them; and all the work, despised and wasted -- it they devoted.

Darby: And Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep and oxen, and beasts of the second bearing, and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not devote them to destruction; but everything that was mean and weak, that they destroyed utterly.

ASV: But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them: but everything that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

But Saul  and the people  spared  Agag,  and the best  of the sheep,  and of the oxen,  and of the fatlings,  and the lambs,  and all [that was] good,  and would  not utterly destroy  them: but every thing  [that was] vile  and refuse,  that they destroyed utterly. 

What does 1 Samuel 15:9 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Samuel 15:1-16 - Leading The People In Disobedience
Several years intervened between the preceding chapter and this. The kingdom had become strong and prosperous. It seemed as though Samuel's sentence of deposition had been forgotten. But even in hot summer weather, the taint of autumn decay may be in the air. The speck of corruption was slowly eating into Saul's heart, and at last, when this charge came concerning Amalek, the evil was revealed to all. Amalek was under a curse, and the existence of the tribe was a standing menace to the peace and prosperity of the surrounding nations; hence the edict for its destruction, Exodus 17:16. Even in this world God judges the nations, and condemns such as have ceased to fulfill His purpose. In spite of God's distinct command, Saul connived at the reservation of the choicest and best of the spoils, and this brought about his rejection. It is noticeable, also, that an Amalekite claimed to have dispatched Him on the field of Gilboa, 2 Samuel 1:1-10. If we spare what God has commanded us to destroy, it may later destroy us. Take care in your obedience; you serve an exacting though loving God! [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 15:9 mean?

But spared Saul and the people on Agag and the best of the sheep and the oxen and the fatlings the lambs all [that was] good and not were willing to utterly destroy them but everything despised and worthless - that they utterly destroyed -
וַיַּחְמֹל֩ שָׁא֨וּל וְהָעָ֜ם עַל־ אֲגָ֗ג וְעַל־ מֵיטַ֣ב הַצֹּאן֩ וְהַבָּקָ֨ר וְהַמִּשְׁנִ֤ים הַכָּרִים֙ כָּל־ הַטּ֔וֹב וְלֹ֥א אָב֖וּ הַחֲרִימָ֑ם וְכָל־ הַמְּלָאכָ֛ה נְמִבְזָ֥ה וְנָמֵ֖ס אֹתָ֥הּ הֶחֱרִֽימוּ פ

וַיַּחְמֹל֩  But  spared 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: חָמַל 
Sense: (Qal) to spare, pity, have compassion on.
שָׁא֨וּל  Saul 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: שָׁאוּל  
Sense: a Benjamite, son of Kish, and the st king of Israel.
וְהָעָ֜ם  and  the  people 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
אֲגָ֗ג  Agag 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֲגַג  
Sense: king of Amalek, spared by Saul but slain by Samuel.
מֵיטַ֣ב  the  best 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מֵיטָב  
Sense: the best.
הַצֹּאן֩  of  the  sheep 
Parse: Article, Noun, common singular
Root: צֹאן  
Sense: small cattle, sheep, sheep and goats, flock, flocks.
וְהַבָּקָ֨ר  and  the  oxen 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: בָּקָר  
Sense: cattle, herd, oxen, ox.
וְהַמִּשְׁנִ֤ים  and  the  fatlings 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: מִשְׁנֶה  
Sense: double, copy, second, repetition.
הַכָּרִים֙  the  lambs 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: כַּר 
Sense: howdah, palanquin, basket saddle.
הַטּ֔וֹב  [that  was]  good 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: טָבַב 
Sense: good, pleasant, agreeable.
וְלֹ֥א  and  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
אָב֖וּ  were  willing 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: אָבָה  
Sense: to be willing, consent.
הַחֲרִימָ֑ם  to  utterly  destroy  them 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Infinitive construct, third person masculine plural
Root: חָרַם 
Sense: to ban, devote, destroy utterly, completely destroy, dedicate for destruction, exterminate.
הַמְּלָאכָ֛ה  everything 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: מְלָאכָה  
Sense: occupation, work, business.
נְמִבְזָ֥ה  despised 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: בָּזָה 
Sense: to despise, hold in contempt, disdain.
וְנָמֵ֖ס  and  worthless 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Nifal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: מָסַס  
Sense: to dissolve, melt.
אֹתָ֥הּ  - 
Parse: Direct object marker, third person feminine singular
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הֶחֱרִֽימוּ  that  they  utterly  destroyed 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: חָרַם 
Sense: to ban, devote, destroy utterly, completely destroy, dedicate for destruction, exterminate.
פ  - 
Parse: Punctuation

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