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KING JAMES BIBLE · PCE

1 Samuel 15:18–23

TEXT EDITION
Pure Cambridge Edition selected
And the Lord sent thee on a journey, and said, Go and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them until they be consumed.
Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of the Lord, but didst fly upon the spoil, and didst evil in the sight of the Lord?
And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the Lord, and have gone the way which the Lord sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites.
But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice unto the Lord thy God in Gilgal.
And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.
For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being king.
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PASSAGE SELECTION

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Choose up to 10 verses in this chapter. The study tools update with the selected passage.

SCRIPTURE WITH SCRIPTURE

Cross References

28 Essential passages are open for comparison.

Reference depth

From verse 18

  1. Genesis 13:13Rank 1 from verse 18
    Open

    13But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the Lord exceedingly.

  2. Genesis 15:16Rank 2 from verse 18
    Open

    16But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full.

  3. Job 31:3Rank 3 from verse 18
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    3Is not destruction to the wicked? and a strange punishment to the workers of iniquity?

  4. Numbers 16:38Rank 4 from verse 18
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    38The censers of these sinners against their own souls, let them make them broad plates for a covering of the altar: for they offered them before the Lord, therefore they are hallowed: and they shall be a sign unto the children of Israel.

  5. Proverbs 10:29Rank 5 from verse 18
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    29The way of the Lord is strength to the upright: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity.

From verse 19

  1. 1 Samuel 14:32Rank 1 from verse 19
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    32And the people flew upon the spoil, and took sheep, and oxen, and calves, and slew them on the ground: and the people did eat them with the blood.

  2. 2 Chronicles 33:2Rank 2 from verse 19
    Open

    2But did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, like unto the abominations of the heathen, whom the Lord had cast out before the children of Israel.

  3. 2 Chronicles 33:6Rank 3 from verse 19
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    6And he caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom: also he observed times, and used enchantments, and used witchcraft, and dealt with a familiar spirit, and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him to anger.

  4. 2 Chronicles 36:12Rank 4 from verse 19
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    12And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord his God, and humbled not himself before Jeremiah the prophet speaking from the mouth of the Lord.

  5. Habakkuk 2:9–12Rank 5 from verse 19
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    9¶ Woe to him that coveteth an evil covetousness to his house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the power of evil!

    10Thou hast consulted shame to thy house by cutting off many people, and hast sinned against thy soul.

    11For the stone shall cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the timber shall answer it.

    12¶ Woe to him that buildeth a town with blood, and stablisheth a city by iniquity!

From verse 20

  1. 1 Samuel 15:13Rank 1 from verse 20
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    13And Samuel came to Saul: and Saul said unto him, Blessed be thou of the Lord: I have performed the commandment of the Lord.

  2. Matthew 19:20Rank 2 from verse 20
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    20The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?

  3. Romans 10:3Rank 3 from verse 20
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    3For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.

  4. 1 Samuel 15:3Rank 4 from verse 20
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    3Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass.

  5. 1 Samuel 15:8Rank 5 from verse 20
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    8And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword.

From verse 21

  1. 1 Samuel 15:15Rank 1 from verse 21
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    15And Saul said, They have brought them from the Amalekites: for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen, to sacrifice unto the Lord thy God; and the rest we have utterly destroyed.

  2. Exodus 32:22–23Rank 2 from verse 21
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    22And Aaron said, Let not the anger of my lord wax hot: thou knowest the people, that they are set on mischief.

    23For they said unto me, Make us gods, which shall go before us: for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.

  3. Genesis 3:13Rank 3 from verse 21
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    13And the Lord God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.

From verse 22

  1. Hosea 6:6Rank 1 from verse 22
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    6For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.

  2. Psalms 51:16–17Rank 2 from verse 22
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    16For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.

    17The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

  3. Proverbs 21:3Rank 3 from verse 22
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    3To do justice and judgment is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.

  4. Amos 5:21–24Rank 4 from verse 22
    Open

    21¶ I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies.

    22Though ye offer me burnt offerings and your meat offerings, I will not accept them: neither will I regard the peace offerings of your fat beasts.

    23Take thou away from me the noise of thy songs; for I will not hear the melody of thy viols.

    24But let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream.

  5. Mark 12:33Rank 5 from verse 22
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    33And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.

From verse 23

  1. Jeremiah 28:16Rank 1 from verse 23
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    16Therefore thus saith the Lord; Behold, I will cast thee from off the face of the earth: this year thou shalt die, because thou hast taught rebellion against the Lord.

  2. 1 Samuel 13:14Rank 2 from verse 23
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    14But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the Lord hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the Lord hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the Lord commanded thee.

  3. Leviticus 20:6Rank 3 from verse 23
    Open

    6¶ And the soul that turneth after such as have familiar spirits, and after wizards, to go a whoring after them, I will even set my face against that soul, and will cut him off from among his people.

  4. Galatians 5:20Rank 4 from verse 23
    Open

    20Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,

  5. 2 Corinthians 6:16Rank 5 from verse 23
    Open

    16And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

WORDS IN THIS PASSAGE

Definitions

Open a word for its full definition and concordance.

DEFINED WORDS

1 Samuel 15:18

COMBINED MEANING

on

↗

1. At, upon, or in contact with the named place, object, side, or time. 2. Toward, against, concerning, depending upon, or directed to the named person or thing. 3. Forward or continuing; in joined expressions such as go on, put on, and lay hold on, the other words supply the particular action.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

journey

↗

Sense 1: Travel from one place to another; a course or period of travel. Sense 2: To travel from one place to another.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

destroy

↗

Sense 1: To ruin, demolish, consume, or lay waste. Sense 2: To kill or cut off. Sense 3: To cause a thing's structure, use, activity, or present condition to cease.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

fight

↗

Sense 1: A battle, struggle, or contest. Sense 2: As a verb, to contend.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

against

↗

Opposed to, contrary to, facing, toward, or in contact with; in some settings, exposed to or ready for a stated time.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Skeat 1893

COMBINED MEANING

consumed

↗

Past-tense, participial, or adjectival form of consume. Sense 1: To destroy, use up, or bring to an end. Sense 2: To waste away or be exhausted.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

DEFINED WORDS

1 Samuel 15:19

COMBINED MEANING

wherefore

↗

1. For that reason, or as a conclusion from what precedes; therefore or consequently. 2. For what reason or purpose; why.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

thou

↗

The singular second-person subject pronoun, meaning you when directly addressing one person, being, or individually treated addressee.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

obey

↗

To hear with submission and do what is commanded; to comply with authority or instruction.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

but

↗

Sense 1: However; marking contrast or qualification. Sense 2: Except or unless; excluding all others or alternatives. Sense 3: Only; no more than what follows.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Skeat 1893 · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

fly

↗

Sense 1: To move through the air by wings. Sense 2: To flee, rush, or pass away swiftly. Sense 3: As a noun, a winged insect.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

upon

↗

1. Marks the person, place, thing, or basis to which something is related: on or onto; above or over; toward or against as the target of action, speech, thought, attention, or force; resting on, assigned to, or affecting as a state, gift, burden, duty, guilt, or judgment; supported by or based on; or one placed, added, or repeated on or after another. 2. With a stated time or occasion, or a preceding event, at that time or point, or at or after that event: on, at, when, then, or following it.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

spoil

↗

Sense 1: Goods or captives taken from an enemy. Sense 2: As a verb, to plunder, rob, strip, ruin, or deprive of what is possessed.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

evil

↗

Sense 1: Moral wickedness, sin, wrong, or corruption. Sense 2: Harm, misery, calamity, adversity, or punishment.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

in

↗

1. A preposition marking position, presence, state, circumstance, manner, means, sphere, reference, relation, association, or participation. 2. As an adverb, inward, inside, or into the place or position referred to.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

sight

↗

1. The act or power of seeing. 2. A thing seen, view, or appearance. 3. Presence or observation.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

DEFINED WORDS

1 Samuel 15:20

COMBINED MEANING

yea

↗

1. Indeed, marking confirmation, emphasis, addition, continuation, or heightening of what is said; it may also emphasize a question. 2. Yes, expressing an affirmative answer or declaration.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

obeyed

↗

Past-tense or past-participial form of obey (to comply with a command, heed authority, or submit).

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

gone

↗

Departed, went away, passed, or advanced to another place or condition.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

which

↗

1. An interrogative or relative pronoun identifying one or more persons or things from a stated or implied set. 2. That which; what.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

king

↗

A sovereign ruler; one exercising royal authority over a kingdom.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

destroyed

↗

Past-tense or past-participial form of destroy. Sense 1: Ruined, demolished, consumed, or laid waste. Sense 2: Killed or cut off. Sense 3: Caused a thing's structure, use, activity, or present condition to cease.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

DEFINED WORDS

1 Samuel 15:21

COMBINED MEANING

but

↗

Sense 1: However; marking contrast or qualification. Sense 2: Except or unless; excluding all others or alternatives. Sense 3: Only; no more than what follows.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Skeat 1893 · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

people

↗

Persons collectively; a nation, community, or group considered as a body.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

spoil

↗

Sense 1: Goods or captives taken from an enemy. Sense 2: As a verb, to plunder, rob, strip, ruin, or deprive of what is possessed.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

sheep

↗

Sense 1: Flock animals kept for wool, food, and sacrifice. Sense 2: Figuratively, people pictured as a flock or as needing a shepherd.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

chief

↗

1. First, principal, highest, leading, greatest, most excellent, most important, or most responsible in rank, order, degree, value, or guilt. 2. A leader, head, principal ruler, officer, or principal member of a group.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

which

↗

1. An interrogative or relative pronoun identifying one or more persons or things from a stated or implied set. 2. That which; what.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

should

↗

A verb expressing duty, propriety, expectation, intention, purpose, condition, appointed outcome, or a future event viewed from another time or statement.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

destroyed

↗

Past-tense or past-participial form of destroy. Sense 1: Ruined, demolished, consumed, or laid waste. Sense 2: Killed or cut off. Sense 3: Caused a thing's structure, use, activity, or present condition to cease.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

sacrifice

↗

Sense 1: An offering presented to God or to a false god, or the thing so offered. Sense 2: To present, slay, or consume something as such an offering.

Meaning drawn from: Direct Scripture definition · KJV context and cross-references · Cawdrey 1604 · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

in

↗

1. A preposition marking position, presence, state, circumstance, manner, means, sphere, reference, relation, association, or participation. 2. As an adverb, inward, inside, or into the place or position referred to.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

DEFINED WORDS

1 Samuel 15:22

COMBINED MEANING

delight

↗

Sense 1: To take or give great pleasure or satisfaction. Sense 2: A high degree of pleasure or satisfaction of mind; joy.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

in

↗

1. A preposition marking position, presence, state, circumstance, manner, means, sphere, reference, relation, association, or participation. 2. As an adverb, inward, inside, or into the place or position referred to.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

sacrifices

↗

Sense 1: Offerings presented to God. Sense 2: Acts of presenting such offerings or things devoted to God.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

obeying

↗

Complying with commands, heeding authority, or submitting.

Meaning drawn from: Direct Scripture definition · KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

behold

↗

1. Used as an attention word or command directing someone to look at or take notice of the person, thing, statement, or event presented: look; see; take notice. 2. As a verb, to look upon, see, observe, or witness.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

obey

↗

To hear with submission and do what is commanded; to comply with authority or instruction.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

better

↗

Sense 1: More excellent, more fitting, or to a greater degree. Sense 2: To improve or make better.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

sacrifice

↗

Sense 1: An offering presented to God or to a false god, or the thing so offered. Sense 2: To present, slay, or consume something as such an offering.

Meaning drawn from: Direct Scripture definition · KJV context and cross-references · Cawdrey 1604 · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

hearken

↗

1. To listen attentively or give heed. 2. To give regard, consent, or act in response.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

fat

↗

1. The rich oily bodily substance of an animal. 2. Rich, fertile, abundant, prosperous, or flourishing. 3. Well-fed, plump, or full-bodied. 4. The richest or choicest part or produce of something. 5. Figuratively, dull, insensible, or hardened.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

DEFINED WORDS

1 Samuel 15:23

COMBINED MEANING

for

↗

1. In behalf of or in the place of. 2. With respect to, concerning, or toward. 3. Because of or on account of. 4. During or throughout. 5. In order to obtain or reach. 6. As a conjunction, because or seeing that.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

sin

↗

1. Wrongdoing against God and his law; transgression or unrighteousness. 2. The guilt or burden of such wrongdoing, or the inward principle so named. 3. As a verb, to commit such wrongdoing.

Meaning drawn from: Direct Scripture definition · KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

iniquity

↗

Wickedness, unrighteousness, transgression, or sin; the guilt or burden of such wrongdoing.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

idolatry

↗

Sense 1: The worship or service of idols. Sense 2: Covetousness.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

thou

↗

The singular second-person subject pronoun, meaning you when directly addressing one person, being, or individually treated addressee.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

hast

↗

Sense 1: Have: possess, hold, receive, or experience. Sense 2: Used as an auxiliary verb.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

word

↗

Sense 1: A spoken or written expression, saying, message, command, promise, report, or matter. Sense 2: God's revealed word.

Meaning drawn from: Direct Scripture definition · KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

king

↗

A sovereign ruler; one exercising royal authority over a kingdom.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

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17And Samuel said, When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the Lord anointed thee king over Israel?

18And the Lord sent thee on a journey, and said, Go and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them until they be consumed.

Selected passage

19Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of the Lord, but didst fly upon the spoil, and didst evil in the sight of the Lord?

Selected passage

20And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the Lord, and have gone the way which the Lord sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites.

Selected passage

21But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice unto the Lord thy God in Gilgal.

Selected passage

22And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.

Selected passage

23For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being king.

Selected passage

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.

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