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.’”

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The LORD addresses Saul, commanding him to execute judgment against the Amalekites immediately after recalling their past opposition during the Exodus and before Saul musters his army at Telaim.

The words — לֵ֨ךְ (lekh) translates literally as "go," initiating the divine directive, while וְ/הַֽחֲרַמְתֶּם֙ (ve./ha.cha.ram.Tem) means "and you will totally destroy," establishing the mandatory scope of the command.

The thread — This directive echoes the total destruction mandate in Deuteronomy 20:16, the execution order in Numbers 31:17, and the prophetic judgment against Amalek in Numbers 24:20.

Why it lands — The text demands immediate, unreserved compliance with a divine command that explicitly excludes mercy for humans and livestock alike.

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

עַתָּה֩'a.Tahnow לֵ֨ךְlekhgo וְהִכִּֽיתָ֜הve./hi.ki.Tahand/ you will attack אֶת־'et-<obj.>עֲמָלֵ֗ק'a.ma.LekAmalek וְהַֽחֲרַמְתֶּם֙ve./ha.cha.ram.Temand/ you will totally destroy אֶת־'et-<obj.>כָּל־kol-all אֲשֶׁר־'a.Sher-thatל֔וֹl/o[belongs] to <the>/ itוְלֹ֥אve./Lo'and/ not תַחְמֹ֖לtach.Molyou must have compassion עָלָ֑יו'a.La/von/ it וְהֵמַתָּ֞הve./he.ma.Tahand/ you will put to death מֵאִ֣ישׁme./'Ishfrom/ a man עַד־'ad-unto אִשָּׁ֗ה'i.Shaha woman מֵֽעֹלֵל֙me./'o.Lelfrom/ a child וְעַד־ve./'ad-and/ unto יוֹנֵ֔קyo.Neka suckling-child מִשּׁ֣וֹרmi./Shorfrom/ an ox וְעַד־ve./'ad-and/ unto שֶׂ֔הSeha sheep מִגָּמָ֖לmi./ga.Malfrom/ a camel וְעַד־ve./'ad-and/ unto חֲמֽוֹר׃ סcha.Mora donkey

King James Version

Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass.

Cross-references

Numbers 24:20 Then Balaam saw Amalek and lifted up an oracle, saying: “Amalek was first among the nations, but his end is destruction.”
Deuteronomy 20:16 However, in the cities of the nations that the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance, you must not leave alive anything that breathes.
Numbers 31:17 So now, kill all the boys, as well as every woman who has had relations with a man,
1 Samuel 22:19 He also put to the sword Nob, the city of the priests, with its men and women, children and infants, oxen, donkeys, and sheep.
Isaiah 14:21 Prepare a place to slaughter his sons for the iniquities of their forefathers. They will never rise up to possess a land or cover the earth with their cities.
Leviticus 27:28 Nothing that a man sets apart to the LORD from all he owns—whether a man, an animal, or his inherited land—can be sold or redeemed; everything so devoted is most holy to the LORD.
Joshua 6:17 Now the city and everything in it must be devoted to the LORD for destruction. Only Rahab the prostitute and all those with her in her house will live, because she hid the spies we sent.
Genesis 3:17 And to Adam He said: “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat, cursed is the ground because of you; through toil you will eat of it all the days of your life.
Deuteronomy 13:15 you must surely put the inhabitants of that city to the sword. Devote to destruction all its people and livestock.
Romans 8:20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not by its own will, but because of the One who subjected it, in hope