Bible Strands
1 Samuel 14:48
He fought valiantly and defeated the Amalekites, delivering Israel from the hands of its plunderers.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The narrator describes Saul’s actions immediately after his coronation, during a campaign where he fought enemies on every side.
The words — חַ֔יִל (Cha.yil) denotes strength or martial prowess, and וַ/יַּצֵּ֥ל (va/i.ya.Tzel) means he delivered or rescued.
The thread — This victory against Amalek echoes the mandate in Exodus 17:14 and Deuteronomy 25:19 to blot out their memory, while directly preceding the command to devote them to destruction in 1 Samuel 15:3.
Why it lands — The text records Saul’s military success against a historic enemy before establishing the narrative requirement to fully execute divine judgment against them.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And he gathered an host, and smote the Amalekites, and delivered Israel out of the hands of them that spoiled them.
Cross-references
- Exodus 17:14 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Write this on a scroll as a reminder and recite it to Joshua, because I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven.”
- Deuteronomy 25:19 When the LORD your God gives you rest from the enemies around you in the land that He is giving you to possess as an inheritance, you are to blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven. Do not forget!
- 1 Samuel 15:3 Now go and attack the Amalekites and devote to destruction all that belongs to them. Do not spare them, but put to death men and women, children and infants, oxen and sheep, camels and donkeys.’”