1 Samuel 15:1

“Samuel also said unto Saul, etc.] When and where he said to him what follows, it is not easy to determine, perhaps at Gilgal, where they after met again: the Lord sent me to anoint thee to be king over his people, over Israel; that is, he gave him orders to anoint him king of Israel, otherwise Saul was in providence sent to Samuel to be anointed, and not Samuel to Saul: now therefore hearken thou unto the voice of the words of the Lord; for so great a favour, and such high honour he had conferred on him, laid him under great obligation to obey the commands of the Lord; and whereas he had been deficient in one instance before, for which he had been reproved, he suggests, that now he should…”

“SAUL SENT TO DESTROY AMALEK. (Sa1 15:1-6) Samuel also said unto Saul, The Lord sent me to anoint thee . . .: now therefore hearken thou unto . . . the Lord--Several years had been passed in successful military operations against troublesome neighbors. During these Saul had been left to act in a great measure at his own discretion as an independent prince. Now a second test is proposed of his possessing the character of a theocratic monarch in Israel; and in announcing the duty required of him, Samuel brought before him his official station as the Lord's vicegerent, and the peculiar obligation under which he was laid to act in that capacity. He had formerly done wrong, for which a severe…”

“The absence of all chronology or note of time is remarkable. return to 'Top of Page'”

“Hearken - Thou hast committed error already, now regain God's favour by thy exact obedience to what he commands. 1 Kings (1 Samuel) 15:2”

“15:1-35 After Saul failed to obey God and completely destroy the Amalekites, God rejected him in even stronger terms than before (cp. 13:8-14).”

“am 2925, bc 1079, An, Ex, Is, 412 The Lord: Sa1 15:17, Sa1 15:18, Sa1 9:16, Sa1 10:1 hearken: Sa1 15:16, Sa1 12:14, Sa1 13:13; Sa2 23:2, Sa2 23:3; Ch1 22:12, Ch1 22:13; Psa 2:10, Psa 2:11 1 Kings (1 Samuel) 15:2”

“The account of the war against the Amalekites is a very condensed one, and is restricted to a description of the conduct of Saul on that occasion. Without mentioning either the time or the immediate occasion of the war, the narrative commences with the command of God which Samuel solemnly communicated to Saul, to go and exterminate that people. Samuel commenced with the words, "Jehovah sent me to anoint thee to be king over His people, over Israel," in order to show to Saul the obligation which rested upon him to receive his commission as coming from God, and to proceed at once to fulfil it. The allusion to the anointing points back not to Sa1 11:15, but to Sa1 10:1. Sa1 15:2 "Thus saith the…”