1 Samuel 15
2 Samuel 15 is the chapter in which King David leaves Jerusalem due to his son Absalom’s rebellion. This chapter highlights Absalom’s clever scheme and the process of winning over public opinion (verses 1–12), David’s flight from Jerusalem as he faces the crisis (verses 13–31), and the people who follow David as well as those who remain behind. This story becomes an important turning point in the Bible, revealing human weakness, the king’s crisis, and faith in relying on God.
1verseSamuel said to Saul, “The LORD sent me to anoint you to be king over his people, over Israel. Now therefore listen to the voice of the LORD’s words.
2verseThe LORD of Armies says, ‘I remember what Amalek did to Israel, how he set himself against him on the way when he came up out of Egypt.
3verseNow go and strike Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and don’t spare them; but kill both man and woman, infant and nursing baby, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’”
4verseSaul summoned the people, and counted them in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen and ten thousand men of Judah.
5verseSaul came to the city of Amalek, and set an ambush in the valley.
6verseSaul said to the Kenites, “Go, depart, go down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them; for you showed kindness to all the children of Israel when they came up out of Egypt.” So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites.
7verseSaul struck the Amalekites, from Havilah as you go to Shur, which is before Egypt.
8verseHe took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword.
9verseBut Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep, of the cattle, of the fat calves, of the lambs, and all that was good, and were not willing to utterly destroy them; but everything that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly.
10verseThen the LORD’s word came to Samuel, saying,
11verse“It grieves me that I have set up Saul to be king, for he has turned back from following me, and has not performed my commandments.” Samuel was angry; and he cried to the LORD all night.
12verseSamuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning; and Samuel was told, saying, “Saul came to Carmel, and behold, he set up a monument for himself, turned, passed on, and went down to Gilgal.”
13verseSamuel came to Saul; and Saul said to him, “You are blessed by the LORD! I have performed the commandment of the LORD.”
14verseSamuel said, “Then what does this bleating of the sheep in my ears and the lowing of the cattle which I hear mean?”
15verseSaul said, “They have brought them from the Amalekites; for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the cattle, to sacrifice to the LORD your God. We have utterly destroyed the rest.”
16verseThen Samuel said to Saul, “Stay, and I will tell you what the LORD said to me last night.” He said to him, “Say on.”
17verseSamuel said, “Though you were little in your own sight, weren’t you made the head of the tribes of Israel? The LORD anointed you king over Israel;
18verseand the LORD sent you on a journey, and said, ‘Go, and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are consumed.’
19verseWhy then didn’t you obey the LORD’s voice, but took the plunder, and did that which was evil in the LORD’s sight?”
20verseSaul said to Samuel, “But I have obeyed the LORD’s voice, and have gone the way which the LORD sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites.
21verseBut the people took of the plunder, sheep and cattle, the best of the devoted things, to sacrifice to the LORD your God in Gilgal.”
22verseSamuel said, “Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the LORD’s voice? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.
23verseFor rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as idolatry and teraphim. Because you have rejected the LORD’s word, he has also rejected you from being king.”
24verseSaul said to Samuel, “I have sinned; for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD and your words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice.
25verseNow therefore, please pardon my sin, and turn again with me, that I may worship the LORD.”
26verseSamuel said to Saul, “I will not return with you; for you have rejected the LORD’s word, and the LORD has rejected you from being king over Israel.”
27verseAs Samuel turned around to go away, Saul grabbed the skirt of his robe, and it tore.
28verseSamuel said to him, “The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today, and has given it to a neighbor of yours who is better than you.
29verseAlso the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent; for he is not a man, that he should repent.”
30verseThen he said, “I have sinned; yet please honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel, and come back with me, that I may worship the LORD your God.”
31verseSo Samuel went back with Saul; and Saul worshiped the LORD.
32verseThen Samuel said, “Bring Agag the king of the Amalekites here to me!” Agag came to him cheerfully. Agag said, “Surely the bitterness of death is past.”
33verseSamuel said, “As your sword has made women childless, so your mother will be childless among women!” Then Samuel cut Agag in pieces before the LORD in Gilgal.
34verseThen Samuel went to Ramah; and Saul went up to his house to Gibeah of Saul.
35verseSamuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death, but Samuel mourned for Saul. The LORD grieved that he had made Saul king over Israel.
Summary of the Main Structure and Content
- Absalom’s strategy (verses 1–12): Absalom tries to stand out by having chariots and horses, and by letting people precede him, while also claiming to give fair judgments, thereby turning the hearts of the people of Israel. In the end, once he has won over public opinion, he launches the rebellion from Hebron.
- David’s flight (verses 13–23): After hearing the news of the rebellion, David hurriedly leaves Jerusalem for refuge, going with his family and officials, as well as his guards. Here, David’s humility, trust in God, and sorrow are revealed.
- Conversations with those who follow David (verses 24–37): The priests and the Levites bring the ark of the covenant, but David commands that it be left in Jerusalem. He also assigns important roles to loyal servants like Hushai.
The Meaning and Message of the Entire Chapter
This chapter shows David’s humility and faith in God, revealed amid trust, betrayal, and crisis. Instead of complaining or resisting violently, David entrusts every situation to God and shows an attitude of obedience to His will. Meanwhile, Absalom’s plan draws people in through outward political skill and human appeal, yet by moving away from God’s will it contains a deeper weakness at its core.
Points for Reflection
- In the moment of crisis and rebellion, reflect on how you can apply to your own life David’s attitude of relying on God.
- Between human strength and schemes, and God’s will, think about what we should choose and where the standard for my life is located.
Try Applying It to Yourself
- Check whether you are living like David—relying on God’s guidance even in hardship—rather than focusing only on outward appearances and human evaluations like Absalom.
- As you examine the attitude you will take in a moment of crisis and the object of your trust, decide to build humble faith that entrusts every situation to God.
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