Because you did not obey the LORD or carry out His burning anger against Amalek, the LORD has done this to you today.
Parallel translations
- WEB Because you didn’t obey Yahweh’s voice, and didn’t execute his fierce wrath on Amalek, therefore Yahweh has done this thing to you today.
- KJV Because thou obeyedst not the voice of the LORD, nor executedst his fierce wrath upon Amalek, therefore hath the LORD done this thing unto thee this day.
- NKJV Because you did not obey the voice of the Lord nor execute His fierce wrath upon Amalek, therefore the Lord has done this thing to you this day.
- NASB Just as you did not obey the Lord and did not execute His fierce wrath on Amalek, so the Lord has done this thing to you this day.
- NLT The Lord has done this to you today because you refused to carry out his fierce anger against the Amalekites.
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
Samuel explains that Saul's disobedience regarding Amalek is the reason for this judgment. His failure to obey God's command brings present disaster.
Overview
The prophet traces Saul's downfall to his refusal to carry out God's command against Amalek years earlier. That act of partial obedience and self-will broke his standing before God. The verse underscores a sober biblical principle: to obey is better than sacrifice, and rebellion bears bitter, lasting consequences.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 8
- 1 Kgs 20:42And the prophet said to the king, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Because you have let slip from your hand the man I had devoted to destruction, your life will be exchanged for his life, and your people for his people.’”
- 1 Sam 15:9Saul and his troops spared Agag, along with the best of the sheep and cattle, the fat calves and lambs, and the best of everything else. They were unwilling to destroy them, but they devoted to destruction all that was despised and worthless.
- Jer 48:10Cursed is the one who is remiss in doing the work of the LORD, and cursed is he who withholds his sword from bloodshed.
- 1 Chr 10:13So Saul died for his unfaithfulness to the LORD, because he did not keep the word of the LORD and even consulted a medium for guidance,
- 1 Sam 13:9So he said, “Bring me the burnt offering and the peace offerings.” And he offered up the burnt offering.
- 1 Sam 15:20“But I did obey the LORD,” Saul replied. “I went on the mission that the LORD gave me. I brought back Agag king of Amalek and devoted the Amalekites to destruction.
- 1 Sam 15:23–26For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance is like the wickedness of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He has rejected you as king.”
- Ps 50:21–22You have done these things, and I kept silent; you thought I was just like you. But now I rebuke you and accuse you to your face.
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 28:18 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
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.