Bible Strands
1 Samuel 15:33
But Samuel declared: “As your sword has made women childless, so your mother will be childless among women.” And Samuel hacked Agag to pieces before the LORD at Gilgal.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Samuel addresses Saul at Gilgal immediately after Agag’s arrival and before his execution, following Saul’s partial obedience to the divine command against the Amalekites. The declaration occurs in the precise interval between the king’s presentation and the prophetic act.
The words — The Hebrew verb שִׁכְּלָה (shi.ke.Lah) denotes "it has made childless," while תִּשְׁכַּל (tish.Kal) projects the same root into the future as "she will become childless." These terms anchor the parallel structure of Samuel’s pronouncement.
The thread — Matthew 7:2 states that the judgment you pronounce will be applied to you and the measure you use will be measured back to you. Genesis 9:6 grounds this pattern in the reality that human life bears God’s image and requires corresponding accountability.
Why it lands — The text records Samuel declaring that Saul’s own sword will turn its effect upon his mother, then immediately executes Agag before the LORD. A reader must confront how partial obedience triggers a reversal of the instrument used to enforce it.
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 Samuel said, As thy sword hath made women childless, so shall thy mother be childless among women. And Samuel hewed Agag in pieces before the Lord in Gilgal.
Cross-references
- Judges 1:7 Then Adoni-bezek said, “Seventy kings with their thumbs and big toes cut off have gathered the scraps under my table. As I have done to them, so God has repaid me.” And they brought him to Jerusalem, where he died.
- Genesis 9:6 Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man his blood will be shed; for in His own image God has made mankind.
- Matthew 7:2 For with the same judgment you pronounce, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
- James 2:13 For judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
- Revelation 16:6 For they have spilled the blood of saints and prophets, and You have given them blood to drink, as they deserve.”
- Revelation 18:6 Give back to her as she has done to others; pay her back double for what she has done; mix her a double portion in her own cup.
- Exodus 17:11 As long as Moses held up his hands, Israel prevailed; but when he lowered them, Amalek prevailed.
- Numbers 14:45 Then the Amalekites and Canaanites who lived in that part of the hill country came down, attacked them, and routed them all the way to Hormah.
- Numbers 25:7 On seeing this, Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, got up from the assembly, took a spear in his hand,
- 1 Kings 18:40 Then Elijah ordered them, “Seize the prophets of Baal! Do not let a single one escape.” So they seized them, and Elijah brought them down to the Kishon Valley and slaughtered them there.