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Judges 4

Amplified Bible, 2015 (AMP)

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¹ When Saul assumed control of the kingdom of Israel, he fought against all his enemies on every side: Moab, the sons (descendants) of Ammon, Edom, the kings of Zobah, and the Philistines. Wherever he turned, he inflicted punishment.

² He acted valiantly and defeated the Amalekites, and rescued Israel from the hands of those who had plundered them.

³ Now Saul's sons were Jonathan, Ishvi, and Malchi-shua. The names of his two daughters were these: the name of the firstborn was Merab, and the name of the younger, Michal.

⁴ The name of Saul's wife was Ahinoam the daughter of Ahimaaz. The commander of his army was named Abner, the son of Ner, Saul's uncle.

⁵ Kish was the father of Saul, and Ner the father of Abner was the son of Abiel.

⁶ Now the war against the Philistines was severe (brutal, relentless) all the days of Saul; and whenever Saul saw any mighty or courageous man, he recruited him for his staff.

⁷ Samuel said to Saul, "The Lord sent me to anoint you king over His people Israel. Now listen and pay close attention to the words of the Lord.

⁸ Thus says the LORD of hosts (armies), 'I will punish Amalek for what he did to Israel, how he set himself against him on the way when Israel came up from Egypt.

⁹ Now go and strike Amalek and completely destroy everything that they have; do not spare them, but kill both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.'"

¹⁰ So Saul summoned the people and numbered them at Telaim—200,000 foot soldiers and 10,000 men of Judah.

¹¹ Saul came to the city of Amalek and set an ambush in the valley.

¹² Saul said to the[1] Kenites, "Go, leave, go down from the Amalekites, so that I do not destroy you along with them; for you showed kindness to all the Israelites when they went up from Egypt." So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites.

¹³ Saul defeated the Amalekites, from Havilah as far as Shur, which is east of Egypt.

¹⁴ He captured Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, though he totally destroyed all [the rest of] the people with the sword.

¹⁵ Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the fatlings, the lambs, and everything that was good, and they were not willing to destroy them entirely; but everything that was undesirable or worthless they destroyed completely.

¹⁶ Then the word of the LORD came to Samuel, saying,

¹⁷ I regret that I made Saul king, for he has turned away from following Me and has not carried out My commands. Samuel was angry [over Saul's failure] and he cried out to the LORD all night.

¹⁸ When Samuel got up early in the morning to meet Saul, he was told, "Saul came to[2] Carmel, and behold, he set up for himself a monument [commemorating his victory], then he turned and went on and went down to Gilgal."

¹⁹ So Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said to him, "Blessed are you of the LORD. I have carried out the command of the LORD."

²⁰ But Samuel said, "What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?"

²¹ Saul said, "They have brought them from the Amalekites, for the people spared the best of the sheep and oxen[3] to sacrifice to the LORD your God; but the rest we have destroyed completely."

²² Then Samuel said to Saul, "Stop, and let me tell you what the LORD said to me last night." Saul said to him, "Speak."

²³ Samuel said, "Is it not true that even though you were small (insignificant) in your own eyes, you were made the head of the tribes of Israel? And the LORD anointed you king over Israel,

²⁴ and the LORD sent you on a mission, and said, 'Go, totally destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are eliminated.'

#	AMP
1	When Saul assumed control of the kingdom of Israel, he fought against all his enemies on every side: Moab, the sons (descendants) of Ammon, Edom, the kings of Zobah, and the Philistines. Wherever he turned, he inflicted punishment.
2	He acted valiantly and defeated the Amalekites, and rescued Israel from the hands of those who had plundered them.
3	Now Saul's sons were Jonathan, Ishvi, and Malchi-shua. The names of his two daughters were these: the name of the firstborn was Merab, and the name of the younger, Michal.
4	The name of Saul's wife was Ahinoam the daughter of Ahimaaz. The commander of his army was named Abner, the son of Ner, Saul's uncle.
5	Kish was the father of Saul, and Ner the father of Abner was the son of Abiel.
6	Now the war against the Philistines was severe (brutal, relentless) all the days of Saul; and whenever Saul saw any mighty or courageous man, he recruited him for his staff.
7	Samuel said to Saul, "The Lord sent me to anoint you king over His people Israel. Now listen and pay close attention to the words of the Lord.
8	Thus says the LORD of hosts (armies), 'I will punish Amalek for what he did to Israel, how he set himself against him on the way when Israel came up from Egypt.
9	Now go and strike Amalek and completely destroy everything that they have; do not spare them, but kill both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.'"
10	So Saul summoned the people and numbered them at Telaim—200,000 foot soldiers and 10,000 men of Judah.
11	Saul came to the city of Amalek and set an ambush in the valley.
12	Saul said to the[1] Kenites, "Go, leave, go down from the Amalekites, so that I do not destroy you along with them; for you showed kindness to all the Israelites when they went up from Egypt." So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites.
13	Saul defeated the Amalekites, from Havilah as far as Shur, which is east of Egypt.
14	He captured Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, though he totally destroyed all [the rest of] the people with the sword.
15	Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the fatlings, the lambs, and everything that was good, and they were not willing to destroy them entirely; but everything that was undesirable or worthless they destroyed completely.
16	Then the word of the LORD came to Samuel, saying,
17	I regret that I made Saul king, for he has turned away from following Me and has not carried out My commands. Samuel was angry [over Saul's failure] and he cried out to the LORD all night.
18	When Samuel got up early in the morning to meet Saul, he was told, "Saul came to[2] Carmel, and behold, he set up for himself a monument [commemorating his victory], then he turned and went on and went down to Gilgal."
19	So Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said to him, "Blessed are you of the LORD. I have carried out the command of the LORD."
20	But Samuel said, "What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?"
21	Saul said, "They have brought them from the Amalekites, for the people spared the best of the sheep and oxen[3] to sacrifice to the LORD your God; but the rest we have destroyed completely."
22	Then Samuel said to Saul, "Stop, and let me tell you what the LORD said to me last night." Saul said to him, "Speak."
23	Samuel said, "Is it not true that even though you were small (insignificant) in your own eyes, you were made the head of the tribes of Israel? And the LORD anointed you king over Israel,
24	and the LORD sent you on a mission, and said, 'Go, totally destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are eliminated.'

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