Matthew Henry Commentary 1 Samuel 15
Matthew Henry Commentary
1 Samuel 15
Matthew Henry Commentary
1 Samuel 15
"And Samuel said unto Saul, Jehovah sent me to anoint thee to be king over his people, over Israel: now therefore hearken thou unto the voice of the words of Jehovah. Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, I have marked that which Amalek did to Israel, how he set himself against him in the way, when he came up out of Egypt. Now 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. And Saul summoned the people, and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen, and ten thousand men of Judah. And Saul came to the city of Amalek, and laid wait in the valley. And Saul said unto the Kenites, Go, depart, get you down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them; for ye showed kindness to all the children of Israel, when they came up out of Egypt. So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites. And Saul smote the Amalekites, from Havilah as thou goest to Shur, that is before Egypt. And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword. But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them: but everything that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly." — 1 Samuel 15:1-9 (ASV)
The sentence of condemnation against the Amalekites had been issued long before (Exodus 17:14; Deuteronomy 25:19), but they had been spared until they filled up the measure of their sins. We are sure that the righteous Lord does no injustice to anyone. Remembering the kindness of the Kenites' ancestors in their favor, at the time God was punishing the injuries done by the Amalekites' ancestors, helped to clarify the righteousness of God in this dispensation.
It is dangerous to be found in the company of God's enemies, and it is our duty and interest to come out from among them, lest we share in their sins and plagues (Revelation 18:4).
Since the commandment had been explicit, and a test of Saul's obedience, his conduct was evidently the effect of a proud, rebellious spirit. He destroyed only the refuse, which was good for little. That which was then destroyed was sacrificed to the justice of God.
"Then came the word of Jehovah unto Samuel, saying, It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king; for he is turned back from following me, and hath not performed my commandments. And Samuel was wroth; and he cried unto Jehovah all night. And Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning; and it was told Samuel, saying, Saul came to Carmel, and, behold, he set him up a monument, and turned, and passed on, and went down to Gilgal. And Samuel came to Saul; and Saul said unto him, Blessed be thou of Jehovah: I have performed the commandment of Jehovah. And Samuel said, What meaneth then this bleating of the sheep in mine ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear? And 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 Jehovah thy God; and the rest we have utterly destroyed. Then Samuel said unto Saul, Stay, and I will tell thee what Jehovah hath said to me this night. And he said unto him, Say on. And Samuel said, Though thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel? And Jehovah anointed thee king over Israel; and Jehovah 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 Jehovah, but didst fly upon the spoil, and didst that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah? And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of Jehovah, and have gone the way which Jehovah 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 devoted things, to sacrifice unto Jehovah thy God in Gilgal. And Samuel said, Hath Jehovah as great delight in burnt-offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of Jehovah? 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 idolatry and teraphim. Because thou hast rejected the word of Jehovah, he hath also rejected thee from being king." — 1 Samuel 15:10-23 (ASV)
Repentance in God is not a change of mind, as it is in us, but a change of method. The change was in Saul; He is turned back from following me. By this he made God his enemy. Samuel spent a whole night pleading for Saul. The rejection of sinners is the grief of believers: God does not delight in their death, nor should we.
Saul boasts to Samuel of his obedience. Thus sinners think, by justifying themselves, to escape being judged by the Lord. The noise the cattle made, like the rust of the silver (James 5:3), witnessed against him.
Many boast of obedience to the command of God; but what then is the meaning of their indulgence of the flesh, their love of the world, their angry and unkind spirit, and their neglect of holy duties, which witness against them? See what evil covetousness is the root of; and see what the sinfulness of sin is, and notice that which, above anything else, makes it evil in the sight of the Lord: it is disobedience: Thou didst not obey the voice of the Lord. Carnal, deceitful hearts, like Saul, think to excuse themselves from God's commandments by what pleases themselves.
It is hard to convince the children of disobedience. But humble, sincere, and conscientious obedience to the will of God is more pleasing and acceptable to him than all burnt offerings and sacrifices. God is more glorified, and self is more denied, by obedience than by sacrifice. It is much easier to bring a bullock or lamb to be burned upon the altar than to bring every high thought into obedience to God and to make our will subject to his will.
Those are unfit and unworthy to rule over men, who are not willing that God should rule over them.
"And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned; for I have transgressed the commandment of Jehovah, and thy words, because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice. Now therefore, I pray thee, pardon my sin, and turn again with me, that I may worship Jehovah. And Samuel said unto Saul, I will not return with thee; for thou hast rejected the word of Jehovah, and Jehovah hath rejected thee from being king over Israel. And as Samuel turned about to go away, [Saul] laid hold upon the skirt of his robe, and it rent. And Samuel said unto him, Jehovah hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbor of thine, that is better than thou. And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent; for he is not a man, that he should repent. Then he said, I have sinned: yet honor me now, I pray thee, before the elders of my people, and before Israel, and turn again with me, that I may worship Jehovah thy God. So Samuel turned again after Saul; and Saul worshipped Jehovah." — 1 Samuel 15:24-31 (ASV)
There were several signs of hypocrisy in Saul's repentance.
- He pleaded with Samuel only, and seemed most anxious to maintain a good standing in his opinion and to gain his favor.
- He made excuses for his fault, even when confessing it; that is never the way of a true penitent.
- His entire concern was to save his reputation and preserve his influence with the people.
Men are fickle and change their minds, feeble and cannot carry out their purposes; something unforeseen happens by which their plans are disrupted. But with God it is not so. The Strength of Israel will not lie.
"Then said Samuel, Bring ye hither to me Agag the king of the Amalekites. And Agag came unto him cheerfully. And Agag said, Surely the bitterness of death is past. And Samuel said, As thy sword hath made women childless, so shall thy mother be childless among women. And Samuel hewed Agag in pieces before Jehovah in Gilgal. Then Samuel went to Ramah; and Saul went up to his house to Gibeah of Saul. And Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death; for Samuel mourned for Saul: and Jehovah repented that he had made Saul king over Israel." — 1 Samuel 15:32-35 (ASV)
Many think the bitterness of death is past when it has not truly gone; they put that evil day far out of mind, though it is actually very near.
Samuel calls Agag to account for his own sins. He followed the example of his ancestors' cruelty; therefore, all the righteous blood shed by Amalek is justly required. Saul seems unconcerned by the sign of God's displeasure that he was 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? Then turn to Him, not in form and appearance, but with sincerity.
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