Question 1

What is happening in this passage where Saul fights against Amalek?

Accepted Answer

In this passage God sends Samuel to give Saul a clear command to carry out judgment on Amalek for attacking Israel in the past. Saul gathers a large army, warns the friendly Kenites to move away, and then defeats the Amalekites over a wide area. But instead of destroying everything as he was told, Saul keeps King Agag alive and spares the best animals. Later, when Samuel comes, God shows that this selective obedience is really disobedience, and the loss of the kingdom is announced to Saul.

Question 2

Why did God command Saul to destroy Amalek completely?

Accepted Answer

God reminds Saul that Amalek once attacked Israel on the way out of Egypt, targeting them in a cruel way. This command is described as judgment on a sinful nation that had opposed God’s people. The complete destruction shows that God takes sin and violence against his people seriously. It is a hard passage to read, but in the story it is presented as God acting as judge, not Saul choosing his own plan. Saul’s later failure shows that he did not treat God’s word with the same seriousness.

Question 3

Why did God reject Saul from being king in this chapter?

Accepted Answer

God rejected Saul from being king because Saul did not fully obey the clear command he was given. Instead of destroying all, Saul spared King Agag and the best animals and then tried to cover this by saying they were for sacrifice. God calls this rebellion and stubbornness and compares it to sins like witchcraft and idolatry. Saul’s excuses, his fear of the people, and his desire to look good before the elders show that his heart was not truly submitted to God’s word, so the kingship is taken from him.

Question 4

What does the phrase to obey is better than sacrifice mean here?

Accepted Answer

When Samuel says, “to obey is better than sacrifice,” he is teaching that God cares first about a heart that listens and does what he says. Sacrifices and offerings were part of Israel’s worship, but they had no value when used to hide disobedience. Saul wanted to keep the best animals and then claim they were for God, but God had not asked for that. This line shows that outward religious acts cannot replace simple, trusting obedience to God’s clear word. God wants both, but obedience comes first.

Question 5

How does Saul try to excuse his disobedience, and what can we learn from that?

Accepted Answer

Saul first claims he has carried out the command, even though the animals are making noise around him. Then he blames the people for taking the best animals, saying they did it to sacrifice to God. Later he admits he sinned but says he feared the people. He also asks Samuel to honor him in front of the elders. From this we see how easy it is to hide behind religious words, blame others, or fear people more than God. The passage urges us to own our sin honestly and care more about God’s approval than human praise.

Question 6

What does this passage teach about God’s character and regret language?

Accepted Answer

Twice the passage says that God regretted making Saul king, yet it also says that the Strength of Israel does not lie or change his mind like a man. The wording is difficult and has been read in more than one way, but the main point is clear: God is not unstable or unsure, yet he truly responds to human sin. His “regret” shows real grief over evil and a firm decision to act in justice. God had not failed in choosing Saul, but because Saul turned from God, God rightly turned from him as king.

Question 7

Who is Agag, and why does Samuel execute him so harshly?

Accepted Answer

Agag is the king of the Amalekites, the nation under God’s judgment in this chapter. Saul was told to put everything under the ban but chose to spare Agag. When Samuel arrives, he carries out the command that Saul refused, and Agag is killed. Samuel’s words about Agag making women childless show that Agag had caused much bloodshed himself. This severe act is tied to God’s role as judge in this story, and it underlines again how serious Saul’s disobedience was in sparing him.

Question 8

How can this passage about Saul’s disobedience apply to believers today?

Accepted Answer

This passage warns against treating God’s commands as negotiable. Saul obeyed the parts that suited him and then dressed up his disobedience in religious language. Today we can fall into the same pattern by keeping some of what God says while holding back what costs us, and then trying to cover it with church activity or good works. The story calls us to honest, whole-hearted obedience, to fear God more than people, and to admit sin without excuses. It also reminds us that leadership carries real responsibility before God.

1 Samuel 15:1

Samuel also said unto Saul, The Lord sent me to anoint thee to be king over his people, over Israel: now therefore hearken thou unto the voice of the words of the Lord.

Saul’s Disobedience

Samuel Denounces Saul

Saul’s Confession

Saul’s Disobedience

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1 Samuel 15:1

Samuel also said unto Saul, The Lord sent me to anoint thee to be king over his people, over Israel: now therefore hearken thou unto the voice of the words of the Lord.

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Saul’s Disobedience

Samuel Denounces Saul

Saul’s Confession

Saul’s Disobedience

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