1 Samuel 15:9

9 But Saul and the army spared Agag and the best of the sheep and cattle, the fat calves^[a] and lambs—everything that was good. These they were unwilling to destroy completely, but everything that was despised and weak they totally destroyed.

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1 Samuel 15:9 in Other Translations

King James Version (KJV)

9 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 every thing that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly.

English Standard Version (ESV)

9 But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep and of the oxen and of the fattened calves and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them. All that was despised and worthless they devoted to destruction.

New Living Translation (NLT)

9 Saul and his men spared Agag’s life and kept the best of the sheep and goats, the cattle, the fat calves, and the lambs—everything, in fact, that appealed to them. They destroyed only what was worthless or of poor quality.

The Message Bible (MSG)

9 Saul and the army made an exception for Agag, and for the choice sheep and cattle. They didn't include them under the terms of the holy ban. But all the rest, which nobody wanted anyway, they destroyed as decreed by the holy ban.

American Standard Version (ASV)

9 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.

GOD'S WORD Translation (GW)

9 Saul and the army spared Agag and the best sheep and cows, the fattened animals, the lambs, and all the best [property]. The army refused to claim them for God by destroying them. But everything that was worthless and weak the army did claim for God and destroy.

Holman Christian Standard Bible (CSB)

9 Saul and the troops spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, cattle, and fatlings, as well as the young rams and the best of everything else. They were not willing to destroy them, but they did destroy all the worthless and unwanted things.

New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

9 But Saul and the army spared Agag. They spared the best of the sheep and cattle. They spared the fat calves and lambs. They spared everything that was valuable. They weren't willing to completely destroy any of those things. But they totally destroyed everything that was worthless and weak.

1 Samuel 15:9 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 15:9

And Saul and all the people spared Agag
Perhaps Saul made the motion to spare him, and the people agreed to it; it may be, out of respect to him as a king; or because of the comeliness of his person, the height of his stature, and the largeness of his body, as Josephus

FOOTNOTES:

F25 notes; or to carry him in triumph in a public show, see ( 1 Samuel 15:12 )

and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fatlings;
or "of the second sort", as in the margin, the second best; or rather which shed their two long teeth, as sheep at two years old did when reckoned at their full strength, and fittest for sacrifice ^F26:

and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy
them;
as they were commanded, but kept them for their own private use and advantage, and this not only the best and fattest of the flocks and herds, but of their household goods:

but everything that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly:
such of the cattle that were poor and lean, lame or blind, or had any defect in them, and household goods that were mere rubbish and lumber; such they entirely destroyed, killed the creatures, and burnt the goods; in doing which they thought they fulfilled the will of God.

F25 Ut supra, (Antiqu. l. 6. c. 7.) sect. 2.
F26 Bidentes, Virgil. Aeneid. l. 6. ver. 39. Vid. Servium in ib.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

1 Samuel 15:9 In-Context

7 Then Saul attacked the Amalekites all the way from Havilah to Shur, near the eastern border of Egypt.

8 He took Agag king of the Amalekites alive, and all his people he totally destroyed with the sword.

9 But Saul and the army spared Agag and the best of the sheep and cattle, the fat calves and lambs—everything that was good. These they were unwilling to destroy completely, but everything that was despised and weak they totally destroyed.

10 Then the word of the LORD came to Samuel:

11 “I regret that I have made Saul king, because he has turned away from me and has not carried out my instructions.” Samuel was angry, and he cried out to the LORD all that night.

Cross References 1

1. S ver 3; ver 3,15

Footnotes 1

[a]. Or "the grown bulls" ; the meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain.