TORAH

FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES

NEVI'IM

PROPHETS

KETUVIM

WRITINGS

I - Chapter 15

Translation and Transliteration of

Listen to this chapter in Hebrew:

1Shmuel said to Shaul, “I am the one Hashem sent to anoint you king over His people Yisrael. Therefore, listen to Hashem's command!

אוַיֹּאמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל אֶל־שָׁאוּל אֹתִי שָׁלַח יְהֹוָה לִמְשָׁחֳךָ לְמֶלֶךְ עַל־עַמּוֹ עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵל וְעַתָּה שְׁמַע לְקוֹל דִּבְרֵי יְהֹוָה׃

2“Thus said the lord of Hosts: I am exacting the penalty for what Amalek did to Yisrael, for the assault he made upon them on the road, on their way up from Egypt.

בכֹּה אָמַר יְהֹוָה צְבָאוֹת פָּקַדְתִּי אֵת אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂה עֲמָלֵק לְיִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר־שָׂם לוֹ בַּדֶּרֶךְ בַּעֲלֹתוֹ מִמִּצְרָיִם׃

3Now go, attack Amalek, and proscribe all that belongs to him. Spare no one, but kill alike men and women, infants and sucklings, oxen and sheep, camels and asses!”

געַתָּה לֵךְ וְהִכִּיתָה אֶת־עֲמָלֵק וְהַחֲרַמְתֶּם אֶת־כָּל־אֲשֶׁר־לוֹ וְלֹא תַחְמֹל עָלָיו וְהֵמַתָּה מֵאִישׁ עַד־אִשָּׁה מֵעֹלֵל וְעַד־יוֹנֵק מִשּׁוֹר וְעַד־שֶׂה מִגָּמָל וְעַד־חֲמוֹר׃

4Shaul mustered the troops and enrolled them at Telaim: 200,000 men on foot, and 10,000 men of Yehuda.

דוַיְשַׁמַּע שָׁאוּל אֶת־הָעָם וַיִּפְקְדֵם בַּטְּלָאִים מָאתַיִם אֶלֶף רַגְלִי וַעֲשֶׂרֶת אֲלָפִים אֶת־אִישׁ יְהוּדָה׃

5Then Shaul advanced as far as the city of Amalek and lay in wait in the wadi.

הוַיָּבֹא שָׁאוּל עַד־עִיר עֲמָלֵק וַיָּרֶב בַּנָּחַל׃

6Shaul said to the Kenites, “Come, withdraw at once from among the Amalekites, that I may not destroy you along with them; for you showed kindness to all the Israelites when they left Egypt.” So the Kenites withdrew from among the Amalekites.

ווַיֹּאמֶר שָׁאוּל אֶל־הַקֵּינִי לְכוּ סֻּרוּ רְדוּ מִתּוֹךְ עֲמָלֵקִי פֶּן־אֹסִפְךָ עִמּוֹ וְאַתָּה עָשִׂיתָה חֶסֶד עִם־כָּל־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּעֲלוֹתָם מִמִּצְרָיִם וַיָּסַר קֵינִי מִתּוֹךְ עֲמָלֵק׃

7Shaul destroyed Amalek from Havilah all the way to Shur, which is close to Egypt,

זוַיַּךְ שָׁאוּל אֶת־עֲמָלֵק מֵחֲוִילָה בּוֹאֲךָ שׁוּר אֲשֶׁר עַל־פְּנֵי מִצְרָיִם׃

8and he captured King Agag of Amalek alive. He proscribed all the people, putting them to the sword;

חוַיִּתְפֹּשׂ אֶת־אֲגַג מֶלֶךְ־עֲמָלֵק חָי וְאֶת־כָּל־הָעָם הֶחֱרִים לְפִי־חָרֶב׃

9but Shaul and the troops spared Agag and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the second-born, the lambs, and all else that was of value. They would not proscribe them; they proscribed only what was cheap and worthless.

טוַיַּחְמֹל שָׁאוּל וְהָעָם עַל־אֲגָג וְעַל־מֵיטַב הַצֹּאן וְהַבָּקָר וְהַמִּשְׁנִים וְעַל־הַכָּרִים וְעַל־כָּל־הַטּוֹב וְלֹא אָבוּ הַחֲרִימָם וְכָל־הַמְּלָאכָה נְמִבְזָה וְנָמֵס אֹתָהּ הֶחֱרִימוּ׃

10The word of Hashem then came to Shmuel:

יוַיְהִי דְּבַר־יְהֹוָה אֶל־שְׁמוּאֵל לֵאמֹר׃

11“I regret that I made Shaul king, for he has turned away from Me and has not carried out My commands.” Shmuel was distressed and he entreated Hashem all night long.

ni-KHAM-tee kee him-LAKH-tee et sha-UL l'-ME-lekh kee SHAV may-a-kha-RAI v'-et d'-va-RAI lo hay-KEEM va-YI-khar lish-mu-AYL va-yiz-AK el a-do-NAI kol ha-LAI-la

יאנִחַמְתִּי כִּי־הִמְלַכְתִּי אֶת־שָׁאוּל לְמֶלֶךְ כִּי־שָׁב מֵאַחֲרַי וְאֶת־דְּבָרַי לֹא הֵקִים וַיִּחַר לִשְׁמוּאֵל וַיִּזְעַק אֶל־יְהֹוָה כָּל־הַלָּיְלָה׃

15:11 I regret that I made Shaul king

Shaul’s error of not completely eradicating the evil Amalek costs him his kingdom. Yet, King David’s sin with Batsheva (II Samuel 11-12) does not have a similar result. In his Book of the Principles, Rabbi Yosef Albo, a philosopher in fifteenth century Spain, notes that King David’s sin, though grave, is a personal one. Therefore, his punishment only impacts him and his family. However, King Shaul’s transgression was of a national scope, impacting the future of the nation. In fact, the Rabbis of the Midrash teach that the evil Haman mentioned in Megillat Esther descends from Amalek’s King Agag, whom Shaul kept alive long enough to father a child. Thus, the punishment has to be one that impacts his rule over the whole nation.

12Early in the morning Shmuel went to meet Shaul. Shmuel was told, “Shaul went to Carmel, where he erected a monument for himself; then he left and went on down to Gilgal.”

יבוַיַּשְׁכֵּם שְׁמוּאֵל לִקְרַאת שָׁאוּל בַּבֹּקֶר וַיֻּגַּד לִשְׁמוּאֵל לֵאמֹר בָּא־שָׁאוּל הַכַּרְמֶלָה וְהִנֵּה מַצִּיב לוֹ יָד וַיִּסֹּב וַיַּעֲבֹר וַיֵּרֶד הַגִּלְגָּל׃

13When Shmuel came to Shaul, Shaul said to him, “Blessed are you of Hashem! I have fulfilled Hashem's command.”

יגוַיָּבֹא שְׁמוּאֵל אֶל־שָׁאוּל וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ שָׁאוּל בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה לַיהֹוָה הֲקִימֹתִי אֶת־דְּבַר יְהֹוָה׃

14“Then what,” demanded Shmuel, “is this bleating of sheep in my ears, and the lowing of oxen that I hear?”

ידוַיֹּאמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל וּמֶה קוֹל־הַצֹּאן הַזֶּה בְּאָזְנָי וְקוֹל הַבָּקָר אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי שֹׁמֵעַ׃

15Shaul answered, “They were brought from the Amalekites, for the troops spared the choicest of the sheep and oxen for sacrificing to Hashem your God. And we proscribed the rest.”

טווַיֹּאמֶר שָׁאוּל מֵעֲמָלֵקִי הֱבִיאוּם אֲשֶׁר חָמַל הָעָם עַל־מֵיטַב הַצֹּאן וְהַבָּקָר לְמַעַן זְבֹחַ לַיהֹוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ וְאֶת־הַיּוֹתֵר הֶחֱרַמְנוּ׃

16Shmuel said to Shaul, “Stop! Let me tell you what Hashem said to me last night!” “Speak,” he replied.

טזוַיֹּאמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל אֶל־שָׁאוּל הֶרֶף וְאַגִּידָה לְּךָ אֵת אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר יְהֹוָה אֵלַי הַלָּיְלָה ויאמרו [וַיֹּאמֶר] לוֹ דַּבֵּר׃

17And Shmuel said, “You may look small to yourself, but you are the head of the tribes of Yisrael. Hashem anointed you king over Yisrael,

יזוַיֹּאמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל הֲלוֹא אִם־קָטֹן אַתָּה בְּעֵינֶיךָ רֹאשׁ שִׁבְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אָתָּה וַיִּמְשָׁחֲךָ יְהֹוָה לְמֶלֶךְ עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵל׃

18and Hashem sent you on a mission, saying, ‘Go and proscribe the sinful Amalekites; make war on them until you have exterminated them.'

יחוַיִּשְׁלָחֲךָ יְהֹוָה בְּדָרֶךְ וַיֹּאמֶר לֵךְ וְהַחֲרַמְתָּה אֶת־הַחַטָּאִים אֶת־עֲמָלֵק וְנִלְחַמְתָּ בוֹ עַד כַּלּוֹתָם אֹתָם׃

19Why did you disobey Hashem and swoop down on the spoil in defiance of Hashem's will?”

יטוְלָמָּה לֹא־שָׁמַעְתָּ בְּקוֹל יְהֹוָה וַתַּעַט אֶל־הַשָּׁלָל וַתַּעַשׂ הָרַע בְּעֵינֵי יְהֹוָה׃

20Shaul said to Shmuel, “But I did obey Hashem! I performed the mission on which Hashem sent me: I captured King Agag of Amalek, and I proscribed Amalek,

כוַיֹּאמֶר שָׁאוּל אֶל־שְׁמוּאֵל אֲשֶׁר שָׁמַעְתִּי בְּקוֹל יְהֹוָה וָאֵלֵךְ בַּדֶּרֶךְ אֲשֶׁר־שְׁלָחַנִי יְהֹוָה וָאָבִיא אֶת־אֲגַג מֶלֶךְ עֲמָלֵק וְאֶת־עֲמָלֵק הֶחֱרַמְתִּי׃

21and the troops took from the spoil some sheep and oxen—the best of what had been proscribed—to sacrifice to Hashem your God at Gilgal.”

כאוַיִּקַּח הָעָם מֵהַשָּׁלָל צֹאן וּבָקָר רֵאשִׁית הַחֵרֶם לִזְבֹּחַ לַיהֹוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ בַּגִּלְגָּל׃

22But Shmuel said: “Does Hashem delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices As much as in obedience to Hashem's command? Surely, obedience is better than sacrifice, Compliance than the fat of rams.

כבוַיֹּאמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל הַחֵפֶץ לַיהֹוָה בְּעֹלוֹת וּזְבָחִים כִּשְׁמֹעַ בְּקוֹל יְהֹוָה הִנֵּה שְׁמֹעַ מִזֶּבַח טוֹב לְהַקְשִׁיב מֵחֵלֶב אֵילִים׃

23For rebellion is like the sin of divination, Defiance, like the iniquity of teraphim. Because you rejected Hashem's command, He has rejected you as king.”

כגכִּי חַטַּאת־קֶסֶם מֶרִי וְאָוֶן וּתְרָפִים הַפְצַר יַעַן מָאַסְתָּ אֶת־דְּבַר יְהֹוָה וַיִּמְאָסְךָ מִמֶּלֶךְ׃

24Shaul said to Shmuel, “I did wrong to transgress Hashem's command and your instructions; but I was afraid of the troops and I yielded to them.

כדוַיֹּאמֶר שָׁאוּל אֶל־שְׁמוּאֵל חָטָאתִי כִּי־עָבַרְתִּי אֶת־פִּי־יְהֹוָה וְאֶת־דְּבָרֶיךָ כִּי יָרֵאתִי אֶת־הָעָם וָאֶשְׁמַע בְּקוֹלָם׃

25Please, forgive my offense and come back with me, and I will bow low to Hashem.”

כהוְעַתָּה שָׂא נָא אֶת־חַטָּאתִי וְשׁוּב עִמִּי וְאֶשְׁתַּחֲוֶה לַיהֹוָה׃

26But Shmuel said to Shaul, “I will not go back with you; for you have rejected Hashem's command, and Hashem has rejected you as king over Yisrael.”

כווַיֹּאמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל אֶל־שָׁאוּל לֹא אָשׁוּב עִמָּךְ כִּי מָאַסְתָּה אֶת־דְּבַר יְהֹוָה וַיִּמְאָסְךָ יְהֹוָה מִהְיוֹת מֶלֶךְ עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵל׃

27As Shmuel turned to leave, Shaul seized the corner of his robe, and it tore.

כזוַיִּסֹּב שְׁמוּאֵל לָלֶכֶת וַיַּחֲזֵק בִּכְנַף־מְעִילוֹ וַיִּקָּרַע׃

28And Shmuel said to him, “Hashem has this day torn the kingship over Yisrael away from you and has given it to another who is worthier than you.

va-YO-mer ay-LAV sh'-mu-EL ka-RA a-do-NAI et mam-l'-KHUT yis-ra-AYL may-a-LE-kha ha-YOM un-ta-NAH l'-ray-a-KHA ha-TOV mi-ME-ka

כחוַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו שְׁמוּאֵל קָרַע יְהֹוָה אֶת־מַמְלְכוּת יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵעָלֶיךָ הַיּוֹם וּנְתָנָהּ לְרֵעֲךָ הַטּוֹב מִמֶּךָּ׃

29Moreover, the Glory of Yisrael does not deceive or change His mind, for He is not human that He should change His mind.”

v'-GAM NAY-tzakh yis-ra-AYL LO y'-sha-KAYR v'-LO y'-na-KHAYM KEE LO a-DAM hu l'-hi-na-KHAYM

כטוְגַם נֵצַח יִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא יְשַׁקֵּר וְלֹא יִנָּחֵם כִּי לֹא אָדָם הוּא לְהִנָּחֵם׃

I Samuel 15:29 The Glory of Yisrael does not deceive

Sarah Aaronsohn (1890-1917)

When World War I broke out in 1914, many young Zionists perceived the crisis as an opportunity through which the political landscape of Palestine could be transformed to advance the dream of Jewish self-determination in their homeland. Sarah Aaronsohn, one of the first generation of native-born Zionists, was born in 1890 in Zichron Yaakov. With Aaronsohn at the helm, a young group of idealists formed a clandestine organization they called “NILI,” which was a Hebrew acronym based on the phrase in this verse verse, Netzach Yisrael Lo Yishaker (נצח ישראל לא ישקר), ‘The Glory of Israel does not deceive.’ NILI conducted espionage against the Ottoman authorities on behalf of the Allies. They hoped that with their assistance, the British would come to power and reward the Jews with an independent state in Palestine. In 1917, however, the Turks discovered Sarah Aaronsohn’s espionage and arrested her. Despite interrogations and torture, she refused to disclose any information about NILI’s efforts, taking her own life instead. She sacrificed her life for the millenia-old dream to promote the independence of the Jewish people. Sarah Aaronsohn is remembered to this day as a national hero of Israel.

30But [Shaul] pleaded, “I did wrong. Please, honor me in the presence of the elders of my people and in the presence of Yisrael, and come back with me until I have bowed low to Hashem your God.”

לוַיֹּאמֶר חָטָאתִי עַתָּה כַּבְּדֵנִי נָא נֶגֶד זִקְנֵי־עַמִּי וְנֶגֶד יִשְׂרָאֵל וְשׁוּב עִמִּי וְהִשְׁתַּחֲוֵיתִי לַיהֹוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ׃

31So Shmuel followed Shaul back, and Shaul bowed low to Hashem.

לאוַיָּשָׁב שְׁמוּאֵל אַחֲרֵי שָׁאוּל וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ שָׁאוּל לַיהֹוָה׃

32Shmuel said, “Bring forward to me King Agag of Amalek.” Agag approached him with faltering steps; and Agag said, “Ah, bitter death is at hand!”

לבוַיֹּאמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל הַגִּישׁוּ אֵלַי אֶת־אֲגַג מֶלֶךְ עֲמָלֵק וַיֵּלֶךְ אֵלָיו אֲגַג מַעֲדַנֹּת וַיֹּאמֶר אֲגָג אָכֵן סָר מַר־הַמָּוֶת׃

33Shmuel said: “As your sword has bereaved women, So shall your mother be bereaved among women.” And Shmuel cut Agag down before Hashem at Gilgal.

לגוַיֹּאמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל כַּאֲשֶׁר שִׁכְּלָה נָשִׁים חַרְבֶּךָ כֵּן־תִּשְׁכַּל מִנָּשִׁים אִמֶּךָ וַיְשַׁסֵּף שְׁמוּאֵל אֶת־אֲגָג לִפְנֵי יְהֹוָה בַּגִּלְגָּל׃

34Shmuel then departed for Rama, and Shaul went up to his home at Giva of Shaul.

לדוַיֵּלֶךְ שְׁמוּאֵל הָרָמָתָה וְשָׁאוּל עָלָה אֶל־בֵּיתוֹ גִּבְעַת שָׁאוּל׃

35Shmuel never saw Shaul again to the day of his death. But Shmuel grieved over Shaul, because Hashem regretted that He had made Shaul king over Yisrael.

להוְלֹא־יָסַף שְׁמוּאֵל לִרְאוֹת אֶת־שָׁאוּל עַד־יוֹם מוֹתוֹ כִּי־הִתְאַבֵּל שְׁמוּאֵל אֶל־שָׁאוּל וַיהֹוָה נִחָם כִּי־הִמְלִיךְ אֶת־שָׁאוּל עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵל׃