Then Saul struck down the Amalekites all the way from Havilah to Shur, which is east of Egypt.
Parallel translations
- WEB Saul struck the Amalekites, from Havilah as you go to Shur, that is before Egypt.
- KJV And Saul smote the Amalekites from Havilah until thou comest to Shur, that is over against Egypt.
- NKJV And Saul attacked the Amalekites, from Havilah all the way to Shur, which is east of Egypt.
- NASB Then Saul defeated the Amalekites, from Havilah going toward Shur, which is east of Egypt.
- NLT Then Saul slaughtered the Amalekites from Havilah all the way to Shur, east of Egypt.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Saul defeats the Amalekites across a wide region from Havilah toward Shur. It records the apparent success of the campaign.
Overview
The sweeping geographic description marks a decisive military victory over the Amalekites. On the surface the mission looks accomplished, which makes the partial obedience revealed in the next verses all the more pointed. The narrative tension is that outward success can mask inward disobedience.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 8
- 1 Sam 14:48He fought valiantly and defeated the Amalekites, delivering Israel from the hands of its plunderers.
- Gen 16:7Now the angel of the LORD found Hagar by a spring of water in the desert—the spring along the road to Shur.
- Gen 25:18Ishmael’s descendants settled from Havilah to Shur, which is near the border of Egypt as you go toward Asshur. And they lived in hostility toward all their brothers.
- 1 Sam 27:8Now David and his men went up and raided the Geshurites, the Girzites, and the Amalekites. (From ancient times these people had inhabited the land extending to Shur and Egypt.)
- Gen 2:11The name of the first river is Pishon; it winds through the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold.
- Exod 15:22Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea, and they went out into the Desert of Shur. For three days they walked in the desert without finding water.
- Job 21:30Indeed, the evil man is spared from the day of calamity, delivered from the day of wrath.
- Eccl 8:13Yet because the wicked do not fear God, it will not go well with them, and their days will not lengthen like a shadow.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The rise of the anointed king after Israel's failed first choice points to the true Anointed One (Messiah means 'anointed'), the shepherd-king after God's own heart from Bethlehem.
How 1 Samuel 15:7 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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