Useful Bible Studies > 1 Samuel Commentary > chapter 15
God had sent Saul to carry out his (God’s) judgement against the people called Amalekites. The Amalekites were very wicked, and God’s judgement against them was especially severe. He ordered Saul and his army to destroy everything. By that means, they would hand that wicked nation over to God entirely.
These instructions were like the instructions that Joshua gave for the battle against Jericho (Joshua 6:17-18). Joshua’s commands at that battle really came from God, as Joshua 7:10-12 shows. However, one of Israel’s men, Achan, refused to obey those commands (Joshua 7:21). The result was the defeat of the army in the next battle (Joshua 7:1-5).
God told Samuel that Saul had not obeyed his (God’s) instructions. Immediately, Samuel recognised that this was a very terrible matter. On this occasion, it was not merely an ordinary soldier like Achan who had not obeyed God. Saul was the king, and his act could have terrible results for the whole nation.
Samuel spent the whole night in prayer, then he went to accuse Saul.
Samuel found Saul in a very happy mood. Saul was travelling round his country; people were praising him because of his success in the war. Saul expected that Samuel too would give him honour. Saul told Samuel that he (Saul) had carried out God’s instructions.
However, Samuel could hear the evidence that this was not true. Saul’s soldiers had taken sheep and cows from the Amalekites. God had told Saul to kill those animals with the Amalekites (15:3). The noise of those animals proved that Saul had not obeyed God.
Next part: Saul protests against God’s message (1 Samuel 15:16-21)
Please use the links at the top of the page to find our other articles in this series. You can download all our articles if you go to the download page for our free 450 page course book.
© 2014, Keith Simons.