Bible Strands
1 Samuel 15:21
The troops took sheep and cattle from the plunder, the best of the things devoted to destruction, in order to sacrifice them to the LORD your God at Gilgal.”
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Saul addresses Samuel, justifying his retention of Amalekite livestock after the battle. He states the troops deliberately spared the finest animals from the plunder to offer them as sacrifices to the Lord at Gilgal.
The words — The phrase רֵאשִׁית הַחֵרֶם (re.shit ha.chere.m) literally identifies the choicest items formally devoted to complete destruction. The infinitive לִזְבֹּחַ (li.z.Bo.ach) directly links those items to the act of slaughter for ritual use.
The thread — This defense mirrors Saul’s earlier summary in 1 Samuel 15:15 and follows the pattern of deflection seen in Exodus 32:22 and Genesis 3:13. Samuel immediately addresses the same conflict in 1 Samuel 15:22 by contrasting ritual with compliance.
Why it lands — The verse records a claim that ritual purpose validates disobedience. It requires the reader to evaluate whether the stated goal of sacrifice overrides the explicit command to destroy.
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
But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice unto the Lord thy God in Gilgal.
Cross-references
- 1 Samuel 15:15 Saul answered, “The troops brought them from the Amalekites; they spared the best sheep and cattle to sacrifice to the LORD your God, but the rest we devoted to destruction.”
- Exodus 32:22 “Do not be enraged, my lord,” Aaron replied. “You yourself know that the people are intent on evil.
- Genesis 3:13 Then the LORD God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” “The serpent deceived me,” she replied, “and I ate.”