1 Samuel 15:35

32-35 Many think the bitterness of death is past when it is not gone by; they put that evil day far from them, which is very near. Samuel calls Agag to account for his own sins. He followed the example of his ancestors' cruelty, justly therefore is all the righteous blood shed by Amalek required. Saul seems unconcerned at the token of God's displeasure which he lay under, yet Samuel mourns day and night for him. Jerusalem was carnally secure while Christ wept over it. Do we desire to do the whole will of God? Turn to him, not in form and appearance, but with sincerity....

Verse 1 Samuel 15:35. _AND SAMUEL CAME NO MORE TO SEE SAUL_] But we read, 1 Samuel 19:22-9, that _Saul_ went to _see Samuel_ at Naioth, but this does not affect what is said here. From this time Samuel had no _connection_ with Saul; he never more acknowledged him as king; he mourned and prayed for him, and continued to perform his prophetic functions at Ramah, and at Naioth, superintending the school of the prophets in that place....

SAMUEL CAME NO MORE ... - In the sense of visiting or conversing on public affairs....

FINAL REJECTION OF SAUL (1 Samuel 15:1.) EXPOSITION DIVINE COMMAND TO PUNISH THE AMALEKITES, AND ITS EXECUTION BY SAUL (1 Samuel 15:1). 1 SAMUEL 15:1 SAMUEL ALSO SAID. Better literally, "And Samuel said." There is no note of time, but probably a considerable interval elapsed before this second trial of Saul was made. God does not finally reject a man until, after repeated opportunities for repentance,

AND SAMUEL CAME NO MORE TO SEE SAUL UNTIL THE DAY OF HIS DEATH,.... Or "added not to see him" x; not that he saw him no more, he saw him afterwards, 1 Samuel 19:24, but it was accidentally, he did not go to see him, but Saul came to him; and Abarbinel supposes he might not see him then, but hid his face from him; and he observes that it is said, UNTIL THE DAY OF HIS DEATH; which intimates, he thinks, that he saw him after his death, when raised up by the witch of Endor; but that Samuel was then really raised, and was seen, wants proof. The meaning of the expression here is no more than this, that Samuel afterwards did not visit Saul as he used to do; he did not go to him, to give him his advice and counsel, as he wonted: NEVERTHELESS SAMUEL MOURNED FOR SAUL; because of his sin, his impenitence, and hypocrisy; and because of the loss of the kingdom t

8. WAR WITH AMALEK: SAUL'S DISOBEDIENCE AND REJECTION CHAPTER 15 _ 1. The commission to destroy Amalek (1 Samuel 15:1)_ 2. Saul's disobedience and rejection (1 Samuel 15:10) 3. Saul's confession (1 Samuel 15:24) 4. The doom of Agag (1 Samuel 15:32) From verse 48 in the previous chapter we learn that Saul smote the Amalekites. Samuel is sent by Jehovah with a new message to Saul telling him to smite Amalek again and to destroy utterly all that they have. It involves another task for Saul. He had been fully established as king and is therefore called upon to discharge his respo

XV. THE WAR AGAINST AMALEK; SAUL'S DISOBEDIENCE AND DEPOSITION (E). - A section of a secondary narrative; according to the scheme adopted here, the last section of this document was 1 Samuel 3:3 to 1 Samuel 4:1. 1 SAMUEL 15:1. Samuel bids Saul attack Amalek and subject it to the _herem_ (pp. 99, 114), or sacred ban, by which all living creatures were put to death in honour of Yahweh. (_Cf._ the cases of Jericho and Achan, Joshua 6 f.) Saul called a general levy to a rendezvous in the south of Judah the numbers are probably exaggerated and advanced against the city of Amalek, possibly a tribal sanctuary which served as the headquarters of this nomad tribe; and lay in ambush in a neighbouring valley. The

NO MORE. Compare 1 Samuel 16:1 1 Samuel 16:14. 1 Samuel 19:23. SAMUEL MOURNED: i.e. as for one dead. We do not read that Saul mourned for himself....

The execution of Agag. Samuel's departure 32. _delicately_ Rather, CHEERFULLY: not fearing any harm from the aged prophet, as the king had spared his life. But the meaning of the word is very doubtful. The Sept. has "trembling;" the Vulg. a curious double rendering, "sleek and trembling" (_pinguissimus et tremens_). _Surely the bitterness of death is past_ This was what Agag said to himself, expecting to be spared. But the Sept. (from a different reading) gives: "Is death so bitter?" Vulg. "Does bitter death thus sever [me from life]?" (_Siccine separat amara mors?_) representing Agag as afraid....

_Samuel and Saul Parted Permanently._ 1 Samuel 15:24-35 24 And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned: for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord, and thy words: because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice. 25 Now therefore, I pray thee, pardon my sin, and turn again with me, that I may worship the Lord. 26 And Samuel said unto Saul, I will not return with thee: for thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord hath rejected thee from being king over Israel. 27 And as Samuel turned about to go away, he laid hold upon the skirt of his mantle, and it rent. 28 And Samuel said unto him, The Lord hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbor of thine, _that is_ better than thou. 29 And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent: for he _is_ not a man, that he should repent. 30 T