Scripture Daily

Context No. 3047 of 4322 · 1 Samuel

Context · Reflection

1 Samuel 15:7-11: in context

7Saul struck the Amalekites, from Havilah as you go to Shur, which is before Egypt. 8He took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword. 9But 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. 10Then the LORD’s word came to Samuel, saying, 11“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.

Saul is commanded to carry out God's judgment on Amalek in full, but he keeps back King Agag and the best of the livestock, destroying only what was worthless. And the LORD says to Samuel: I regret that I made Saul king, for he has turned back from following me and has not performed my commandments. Samuel is grieved, and cries out to God all night.

This is a hard passage, and the command of destruction, which belonged to a particular and severe moment of judgment, should not be smoothed away. What the text presses is Saul's partial obedience. Told to carry out the whole command, he kept the best for himself and destroyed only what he did not value, and then called it obedience. God counts this as turning back from following him. Partial obedience, keeping the parts we like and discarding the rest while calling it faithfulness, is not obedience at all in God's eyes. It grieved both God and his prophet.

Where am I keeping the "best" for myself while calling my partial, selective obedience faithfulness to God?

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